Statistical Comparison Toronto - Pittsburgh

[ULF_55]

Well then were set. Bernier has a ring. So does Bolland.

My point? Yes, guys with rings can quite often get overrated. Boston winning a cup in 2011, and Detroit in 2008, Pittsburgh in 2009 have zero relevance on 2014.

Yes, all we can go by today is today, Tampa, Boston, Toronto top 3 teams in the Atlantic in order.

 

[Havoc]

Perimeter shot excuse is not valid anymore.

Leafs don't even sustain the kind of puck possession or offensive zone pressure that all top teams or even borderline top teams possess.

High amount of shots against + minimal possession + low shots for= Bottom of the standings by game 50.

PK and PP needs to stay in the top 5 to help negate the above equation, but PK is already dropping without Bozak and Bolland.

 

[thewave]

Perimeter shot excuse is not valid anymore.

Leafs don't even sustain the kind of puck possession or offensive zone pressure that all top teams or even borderline top teams possess.

High amount of shots against + minimal possession + low shots for= Bottom of the standings by game 50.

PK and PP needs to stay in the top 5 to help negate the above equation, but PK is already dropping without Bozak and Bolland.

This is a sound assessment and probable path we are on. The question is...why?

 

[StringsAttached]

Crosby + Malkin just put them over the top, the threat they bring every game is non-negligible you just cannot let those guys play their game or you're truly screwed. We tend to play well against them but we're not close to them right now imo.

 

[p.l.f.]

36 shots per game against
my god this must stop

 

[Duffman955]

Leafs vs Boston the in the Playoffs 3-4

Pens vs Boston in the Playoffs 0-4

 

[Mess]

I'm pretty sure guys with rings are not overrated.

In Malkin's case he also has a Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP the year the Pens won the Cup.

Hard to overrate that factor when it comes to evaluating a player or his contribution to a winning team.

Leafs don't have anyone close to Malkin or Crosby when it comes to dominating a game and carrying a team.

 

[The Apologist]

In Malkin's case he also has a Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP the year the Pens won the Cup.

Hard to overrate that factor when it comes to evaluating a player or his contribution to a winning team.

Leafs don't have anyone close to Malkin or Crosby when it comes to dominating a game and carrying a team.

Except again, Malkin is not consistently that good. He tends to take seasons off. For as 'dominant' as he and Crosby apparently are, they haven't really done much in the last four years.

As for Boston, they are what, one point up on us? They beat us in overtime of game seven last year? You'll have to forgive me if I don't find either team that far ahead of us. Why do some find it so hard to believe that this team may not be that far off?

 

[Mr Scarface*]

In Malkin's case he also has a Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP the year the Pens won the Cup.

Hard to overrate that factor when it comes to evaluating a player or his contribution to a winning team.

Leafs don't have anyone close to Malkin or Crosby when it comes to dominating a game and carrying a team.

Not so sure about that last one.

Maple Leafs have player who has also won the cup and even decided that cup in one game. His name of course is David Bolland. That guy dominates the game in a different manor and way than Crosby or Malkin. He talks to people and gets on their nerves while scoring stanley cup winning goals and other big goals at the same time. Deciding Stanley Cups is what he does as we all have proved. We all seen Bolland do his thing. He really does it all and wins at all costs and at all times.

There are different types of ways to dominate in hockey.

Carlyle dominates the game and other coaches as he makes them squat like a muther****er in almost every game. He also wins Cups while doing it.

Patrick Roy dominated the game by stopping almost everything and winning Cups at the same time.

Niclas Lidstrom played the game with fine hockey intelligence (putting the puck in very different places other fools would and also situating in areas other monkeys couldn't). He also won cups while doing this all.

Bolland, David controls and dominates the NHL while scoring some very important deciding goals and in the mean while playing fantastic defense and putting the small black puck where it needs to be. He also hits and makes very smart decisions in every possible way on the ice and off the ice. Malkin and Crosby sometimes don't do those things. They all win Stanley Cups, but dominate in very different ways.

 

[Defense]

Leafs vs Boston the in the Playoffs 3-4

Pens vs Boston in the Playoffs 0-4

 

[BayStreetBullies*]

Leafs vs Boston the in the Playoffs 3-4

Pens vs Boston in the Playoffs 0-4

Leafs were lucky, and the Pens were unlucky.

 

[The Apologist]

Leafs were lucky, and the Pens were unlucky.

Only logical explanation right?

 

[Pyrophorus]

Only logical explanation right?

Its the HF explantion.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

We allow just as many shots in close as we do from the perimeter. Our system is clearly not an effective one.

Not even close.

 

[indigobuffalo]

The biggest difference is in the "Shots For" and "Shots Against" categories.

Agreed, Toronto has exceptional goaltending whereas the Pens have extremely marginal goaltending.

Think the Pens need to send Fleury out to pasture... Too much cap allocated to a sub-par space-cadet.

 

[Mess]

Agreed, Toronto has exceptional goaltending whereas the Pens have extremely marginal goaltending.

Think the Pens need to send Fleury out to pasture... Too much cap allocated to a sub-par space-cadet.

Fleury is currently 4th overall in Goals Against Average.

4. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT .. 2.07

Bernier is currently 9th and Reimer 15th and give up more goals per game on average.

 

[bax]

We allow just as many shots in close as we do from the perimeter. Our system is clearly not an effective one.

I'd love to see proof of that. I haven't looked it up but it sure doesn't sound right.

 

[mpp9]

I don't know if Pittsburgh is even that strong of a team among the true contenders.

They're pretenders. Their weaknesses are getting exposed in the regular season now.

 

[Mess]

Like the saying goes "put your money where your mouth is".

If one had to bet their own money on who would win the Stanley Cup this year between Pittsburgh and Toronto which team would you pick?

Safe money would be on the team that has won it recently, and boasts a Conn Smythe winner and among the best players in the World.

 

[thewave]

This Toronto to Pits comparison is embarrassing when we start saying we are better. It really is quit embarrassing. Does it mean we can't beat them, no. We can beat them but we are not a better hockey team.

 

[penguins2946*]

Pens injuries this year:

Neal (out 16 games)
Bennett (out 11 games)
Letang (out 9 games)
Martin (out 1 game and counting)
Scuderi (out 6 games and counting)
Vokoun (out 17 games and counting)
Kobasew (out 5 games and counting)

That should really say something about their records being the same this year. Bolland, Kulemin and Bozak are big losses, but they don't measure to what the Pens lost. This team has also been slumping after a hot start. Let's wait for more than 17 games to say who's better.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Pens injuries this year:

Neal (out 16 games)
Bennett (out 11 games)
Letang (out 9 games)
Martin (out 1 game and counting)
Scuderi (out 6 games and counting)
Vokoun (out 17 games and counting)
Kobasew (out 5 games and counting)

That should really say something about their records being the same this year. Bolland, Kulemin and Bozak are big losses, but they don't measure to what the Pens lost. This team has also been slumping after a hot start. Let's wait for more than 17 games to say who's better.

There's really only 2 names in that list that matter a whole lot (or should).

 

[Mess]

The Pens are built with ** Strength down the Middle ** boasting 2 of the best players in the World at one of the most critical positions on a successful team.

Leafs are built with ** Strength on the Wings ** boasting one of the weaker center groups down the middle.

This is a major competent that separates the Pens from the Leafs that a comparison in team strength statistically needs to put significant value in.

Crosby and Malkin make their wingers Neal, Kunitz and Dupuis as statistically effective and productive as Kessel, JVR and Lupul when everyone is healthy. So if those 3 Pens wingers can essentially match Leafs 3 top wingers in goals and points than there is no match on the Leafs at center that can offset Crosby and Malkin statistically.

 

[Trainspotter]

Fleury is currently 4th overall in Goals Against Average.

4. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT .. 2.07

Bernier is currently 9th and Reimer 15th and give up more goals per game on average.

Quick, now do Save Percentage!

 

[BayStreetBullies*]

Quick, now do Save Percentage!

Reimer - .942 (4th)
Bernier - .936 (5th)

Fleury - .921 (12th)