GDT: R2G3: Panic Buttons vs. Dallas Stars - 8/26/20, 8:30pm MDT

[The Kingslayer]

If there’s one thing I’d like Cale to learn this offseason it’s how to avoid big hits. Nicklas Lidstrom rarely, if ever got crushed and he played in an era when you could literally tackle guys.

Lidstrom was a hockey savant. You have to wake up early and pack two lunches to even get close to hitting him.

 

[Foppa2118]

What pairing is Eric Johnson usually on? 1st, 2nd, x?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

2nd with Sam Girard, which can sometimes be the first depending on how Bednar chooses to deploy them and the Graves-Makar pairing.

This is probably a good time to clear this up for me, because I see this a lot, but I don't see how EJ wasn't on the Avs top pairing this year like he always is, when his partner all year in Girard led the team in ice time both overall and at even strength, and EJ was 2nd in both.

With EJ averaging 0:28 more at even strength than Makar and 1:35 more than Graves.

How could Graves-Makar have been the top pairing if they play that much less than Girard-EJ at even strength?

And what better objective measure of this is there than average TOI over the course of a season to weed out the variance? Especially at even strength?

TOI/GP

Girard - 21:19
Johnson - 21:03
Makar - 21:01
Graves - 18:57
Zadorov - 17:46
Cole - 17:42

ES TOI/GP

Girard - 18:49
Johnson - 17:39
Makar - 17:11
Graves - 16:05
Zadorov - 16:00
Cole - 15:17

SH TOI/GP

Johnson - 3:01
Graves - 2:48
Cole - 2:24
Zadorov - 1:42

NHL.com Stats

 

[AllAboutAvs]

If there’s one thing I’d like Cale to learn this offseason it’s how to avoid big hits. Nicklas Lidstrom rarely, if ever got crushed and he played in an era when you could literally tackle guys.

I do agree that Lidstrom was good at avoiding being hit however those were different times. Star players were rarely hit in those days. teams had goons to protect those guys. If a guy hit a guy like Lidstrom he better be ready to fight the team's enforcer.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

This is probably a good time to clear this up for me, because I see this a lot, but I don't see how EJ wasn't on the Avs top pairing this year like he always is, when his partner all year in Girard led the team in ice time both overall and at even strength, and EJ was 2nd in both.

With EJ averaging 0:28 more at even strength than Makar and 1:35 more than Graves.

How could Graves-Makar have been the top pairing if they play that much less than Girard-EJ at even strength?

And what better objective measure of this is there than average TOI over the course of a season to weed out the variance? Especially at even strength?

TOI/GP

Girard - 21:19
Johnson - 21:03
Makar - 21:01
Graves - 18:57
Zadorov - 17:46
Cole - 17:42

ES TOI/GP

Girard - 18:49
Johnson - 17:39
Makar - 17:11
Graves - 16:05
Zadorov - 16:00
Cole - 15:17

SH TOI/GP

Johnson - 3:01
Graves - 2:48
Cole - 2:24
Zadorov - 1:42

NHL.com Stats

The Girard/Johnson pairing played a little more, but the performance of the Graves/Makar pairing was better. I think that’s why a lot of people say they’re the number one pairing.

Personally I thought Johnson was the Avs 5th best defenceman in the regular season behind Makar, Girard, Graves, and Cole. He’s definitely outperformed Graves and Cole in the postseason though.

 

[Big Muddy]

This is probably a good time to clear this up for me, because I see this a lot, but I don't see how EJ wasn't on the Avs top pairing this year like he always is, when his partner all year in Girard led the team in ice time both overall and at even strength, and EJ was 2nd in both.

With EJ averaging 0:28 more at even strength than Makar and 1:35 more than Graves.

How could Graves-Makar have been the top pairing if they play that much less than Girard-EJ at even strength?

And what better objective measure of this is there than average TOI over the course of a season to weed out the variance? Especially at even strength?

TOI/GP

Girard - 21:19
Johnson - 21:03
Makar - 21:01
Graves - 18:57
Zadorov - 17:46
Cole - 17:42

ES TOI/GP

Girard - 18:49
Johnson - 17:39
Makar - 17:11
Graves - 16:05
Zadorov - 16:00
Cole - 15:17

SH TOI/GP

Johnson - 3:01
Graves - 2:48
Cole - 2:24
Zadorov - 1:42

NHL.com Stats

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback & breakdown.

 

[Foppa Frossa]

Did Makar and EJ play together this season at all?

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Did Makar and EJ play together this season at all?

26 minutes total. The most in any individual game was 1:49.

So no.

 

[Balthazar]

Did Makar and EJ play together this season at all?

Why would they? Those are our only 2 right handed defensemen...won't be playing them together.