TML Penalty Kill - Better or Worse?

[Commander Clueless]

Well Santorelli can kill 'em, apparently, so there's that.


I still feel like personnel wise we're even at best, if not slightly worse.

It's all up to the new special teams coach and Big Randy himself. No pressure.

 

[Atomos2]

Well Santorelli can kill 'em, apparently, so there's that.


I still feel like personnel wise we're even at best, if not slightly worse.

It's all up to the new special teams coach and Big Randy himself. No pressure.

So would you be ok with Santorelli taking Mcclement's spot on the PK. Would that make us better? (I'm not disagreeing, I'm just curious what Leaf nation thinks. Remember, Mcclement played the most PK time among NHL forwards)

 

[officialmark*]

No where to go but up.

 

[Bomber0104]

Komarov is a very good penalty killer but so was Kulemin. In fact, two years ago they were often paired together.

Robidas is a good penalty killer but so was Gunnarsson.

Santorelli (I haven't seen much of him, I admit) I will assume is a capable penalty killer but so was McClement.

I'm undecided at this point.

The less we see of bird-brain Phaneuf in basically every area of the game (ES, PP, PK) the better off we will be.

Here's hoping Polak can sway the balance for us...for the better.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Gunnarsson and Phaneuf were pretty poor on the PK so we'll see how much of that had to do with Gunnarsson or how much it has to do with Phaneuf. Gunnarsson struggled to overpower guys but Phaneuf struggles positionally and you need two guys sound in both aspects imo

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Komarov is a very good penalty killer but so was Kulemin. In fact, two years ago they were often paired together.

Robidas is a good penalty killer but so was Gunnarsson.

Santorelli (I haven't seen much of him, I admit) I will assume is a capable penalty killer but so was McClement.

I'm undecided at this point.

The less we see of bird-brain Phaneuf in basically every area of the game (ES, PP, PK) the better off we will be.

Here's hoping Polak can sway the balance for us...for the better.

Gunnarson wasn't a very good PKer. A lot of the problem with Phaneuf on the PK is that he shots left and should have been on that side but was forced to play the right side.

Having Polak will ensure Franson isn't averaging a 1:44 on the PK. Franson was downright awful on the PK.

 

[Bomber0104]

Gunnarson wasn't a very good PKer. A lot of the problem with Phaneuf on the PK is that he shots left and should have been on that side but was forced to play the right side.

Having Polak will ensure Franson isn't averaging a 1:44 on the PK. Franson was downright awful on the PK.

Disagree. Gunnarsson played with a brain whereas Phaneuf would get caught snoozing time after time.

Notice how Gunnarsson is already being talked about to occupy top 4 minutes for St Louis?

Why wasn't Polak used there?

Riddle me that.

 

[Menzinger]

I don't think it can get much worse than last season.

 

[Teeder9]

PK isn't a big deal. Team defense is. You can win with a bad pk if your overall 5x5 is great

 

[Atomos2]

Gunnarson wasn't a very good PKer. A lot of the problem with Phaneuf on the PK is that he shots left and should have been on that side but was forced to play the right side.

Having Polak will ensure Franson isn't averaging a 1:44 on the PK. Franson was downright awful on the PK.

Franson shouldn't even be on this team.

PK isn't a big deal. Team defense is. You can win with a bad pk if your overall 5x5 is great

Check the correlation between our PK and us making the playoffs.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Komarov is great on the PK and was a big part of our third line when he was here.

 

[Frelimo]

Disagree. Gunnarsson played with a brain whereas Phaneuf would get caught snoozing time after time.

Notice how Gunnarsson is already being talked about to occupy top 4 minutes for St Louis?

Why wasn't Polak used there?

Riddle me that.

Alex Pietrangelo
Kevin Shattenkirk

Have you heard of them? They're both pretty good, and were both ahead of Polak on the right side. Gunnarsson plays on the left.

 

[rrc1967]

I understand it is early and that there will probably be more changes coming. When that time comes we can bump up this thread and revise and assess the pk lines.

Assume systems don't change next year (which they should), then it certainly doesn't look like how it improved much.

the leafs don't have what i'd call a good / experienced defensive zone faceoff center anymore now that they lost McClemant. Santorelli certainly isn't it.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

Alex Pietrangelo
Kevin Shattenkirk

Have you heard of them? They're both pretty good, and were both ahead of Polak on the right side. Gunnarsson plays on the left.

Shattenkirk is piss-poor defensively, though. Polak alone should be able to substantially strength our PK kill. He's physical and plays with intensity. The the of stay-at-home defenceman who can clear the puck.

The idea that Gunnarsson and the rest actually played well is hilarious seeing that our performance in this area was horrendous. Even Robidas was used extensively on the PK unit in Dallas so we'll have someone more capable than Franson on the second unit.

 

[rrc1967]

PK isn't a big deal. Team defense is. You can win with a bad pk if your overall 5x5 is great

doing some quick looking - only 2 of the top 10 PK teams missed the playoffs.

6 out of the bottom 10 missed.

I don't know about you - but odds are certainly not in your favor if you have a bad PK, that you have a playoff spot.

 

[HellasLEAF]

wingers are better, centres are worse.

for pk anyway, not overall.

 

[Duke Silver]

Biggest weakness to fix: 28th overall penalty kill; 2nd overall the year before while making the playoffs; Komarov was a big part of that penalty kill; Polak will help it too; big shot blocker.

Not really.

Player | Team | SHTOI | PPGA | PPGA/SHTOI | PPGA Per 60SHTOI
James van Riemsdyk | TOR | 57 | 1 | 0.018 | 1.05
Jay McClement | TOR | 176 | 11 | 0.063 | 3.75
Tyler Bozak | TOR | 76 | 5 | 0.066 | 3.95
Leo Komarov | TOR | 76 | 7 | 0.092 | 5.53
Nikolai Kulemin | TOR | 105 | 11 | 0.105 | 6.29

Here's a fun fact everyone: Over the last two seasons, Bozak is a better penalty killer than McClement. As is JVR in his limited usage (174 mins over two seasons).

 

[LeafsNation149]

McClement was so overrated on the PK last year, yes he was good but he was a 4th liner that doesnt mean you put him on for the whole 2 mins. Just cuz he was overused by the guy that can't run a toaster doesnt make him a god on the PK, they are better off without him.

 

[Teeder9]

doing some quick looking - only 2 of the top 10 PK teams missed the playoffs.

6 out of the bottom 10 missed.

I don't know about you - but odds are certainly not in your favor if you have a bad PK, that you have a playoff spot.

Obviously it isn't an absolute, but the fact 4 of the worst 10 teams made the playoffs means you can, and 3 of the top 10 missed meaning that is also possible. Even the worst team gave up less than a goal a game on the PP. We were -13 on special teams. Detroit, which beat us for the last playoff spot was -2. 11 goals on special teams wasn't the reason. The other -28 compared to them EV probably had more to do with that. We fix our EV GA and the PK will either follow suit or not matter half as much

 

[Teeder9]

Not really.

Player | Team | SHTOI | PPGA | PPGA/SHTOI | PPGA Per 60SHTOI
James van Riemsdyk | TOR | 57 | 1 | 0.018 | 1.05
Jay McClement | TOR | 176 | 11 | 0.063 | 3.75
Tyler Bozak | TOR | 76 | 5 | 0.066 | 3.95
Leo Komarov | TOR | 76 | 7 | 0.092 | 5.53
Nikolai Kulemin | TOR | 105 | 11 | 0.105 | 6.29

Here's a fun fact everyone: Over the last two seasons, Bozak is a better penalty killer than McClement. As is JVR in his limited usage (174 mins over two seasons).

Explain that to me because if JVR is better in limited time, how is Bozak also better. It seems to me like that table is saying McClement gives up less PPGA per 60 minutes than Bozak

 

[Frelimo]

Not really.

Player | Team | SHTOI | PPGA | PPGA/SHTOI | PPGA Per 60SHTOI
James van Riemsdyk | TOR | 57 | 1 | 0.018 | 1.05
Jay McClement | TOR | 176 | 11 | 0.063 | 3.75
Tyler Bozak | TOR | 76 | 5 | 0.066 | 3.95
Leo Komarov | TOR | 76 | 7 | 0.092 | 5.53
Nikolai Kulemin | TOR | 105 | 11 | 0.105 | 6.29

Here's a fun fact everyone: Over the last two seasons, Bozak is a better penalty killer than McClement. As is JVR in his limited usage (174 mins over two seasons).

How is 3.95 PPGA Per 60SHTOI better than 3.75?

 

[Ari91]

PK will be same or better because it can't be worse than 30th overall.

Nailed it, lol.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Disagree. Gunnarsson played with a brain whereas Phaneuf would get caught snoozing time after time.

Notice how Gunnarsson is already being talked about to occupy top 4 minutes for St Louis?

Why wasn't Polak used there?

Riddle me that.

Makes sense to me - Leafs were getting beat up and dominated below the red line and needed some strength and toughness - I'm fine with this trade but obviously not expecting too much.

 

[ConnorTO]

wasnt jay the best PK in the NHL lol...


and now he's gone

 

[Mess]

Not really.

Player | Team | SHTOI | PPGA | PPGA/SHTOI | PPGA Per 60SHTOI
James van Riemsdyk | TOR | 57 | 1 | 0.018 | 1.05
Jay McClement | TOR | 176 | 11 | 0.063 | 3.75
Tyler Bozak | TOR | 76 | 5 | 0.066 | 3.95
Leo Komarov | TOR | 76 | 7 | 0.092 | 5.53
Nikolai Kulemin | TOR | 105 | 11 | 0.105 | 6.29

Here's a fun fact everyone: Over the last two seasons, Bozak is a better penalty killer than McClement. As is JVR in his limited usage (174 mins over two seasons).

Interesting however I would suggest opponents 1st PP unit verses Leafs 1st PK unit and opponents 2nd PP unit verses Leafs 2 PK unit could be in play here.

QofC = If McClement and Kulemin are facing Crosby /Malkin on the 1st PP and PK and Bozak and JVR are facing Pens 2nd PP unit when Powerplay in ending.

This year whoever replaces McClement and Kulemin on the 1st PK verses opponents best PP players will determine if the PK% improves. Komarov is an obvious choice but the center that takes the draws will not be Kadri/Holland so that would leave Bozak or the new guys Kontiola/Santorelli?