hockey
We talk pucks and objects of that kind. We yell, complain, and analyze in the language of hockey fandom. Gretzky can do no wrong.
Summing Up the First Round, Picking the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
Well folks, the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs concluded Sunday with the elimination of the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Second Round of the playoffs has been set and commences on Wednesday out west. It was a bit of a weird First Round: there was not a single Game 7, but it was still very close, as 18 of the games went to overtime. Overtime, in general, is a coin flip, so the games truly could have gone either way.
By Steve Smith9 years ago in Unbalanced
Three Players Who MUST Go at the Deadline
The NHL trade deadline is a little over a month away. Between this weekend’s All-Star Game in Los Angeles and the deadline on March 1, teams will be wheeling and dealing to get ready for the stretch run. There have been rumors galore, but which players are definitely on the move?
By Kyle Vandenberg9 years ago in Unbalanced
Why Brad Marchand Was Suspended for His Spear and Sidney Crosby Was Not
Some folks are pretty upset at the NHL’s Department of Player Safety. And I mean, how could you not be as a general rule? It is the departmental equivalent of a backed-up toilet and almost always has been, save for maybe Brendan Shanahan’s brief stint at the helm. They have hardly enforced the rules surrounding illegal hits/contact, and when they do, they lack any sort of consistency — their authority with the players is minimal, and you just have to look at how some of its players continually endanger each other. Many usually don’t have anything to fear in terms of discipline.
By Steve Smith9 years ago in Unbalanced
Should The Devils Trade Cory Schneider?
This season started with a lot of hope for the New Jersey Devils. But after a difficult month during December, they find themselves near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with just 51 points to end January. Another disappointing year in what has become a lengthy rebuild has many asking questions about the future.
By Kyle Vandenberg9 years ago in Unbalanced
These NHL Coaches Deserved Better
It’s that time of year. Teams are making adjustments and trying to put themselves in position to make the playoffs. All too common in pro sports is the idea that when a team is under-performing, it’s the coach’s fault. As a result, good coaches have been let go from their positions despite the fact that the teams that dismissed them are still just flat out bad.
By Kyle Vandenberg9 years ago in Unbalanced
Who Should New Jersey Take First Overall?
The NHL Draft lottery was full of surprises. Despite only an 8.8% chance of gaining the top overall pick, the New Jersey Devils jumped over four teams to claim the first spot. Before the NHL Draft kicks off on June 23, the Devils and general manager Ray Shero have some decisions to make about which young prospect they will select.
By Kyle Vandenberg9 years ago in Unbalanced
‘Stats-ing’ With Steve, Part I: Corsi, the Beginning of It All
Advanced metrics in hockey have more or less exploded onto the scene. Teams (the smart ones, anyway) are hiring folks who are responsible for assessing the game in a statistical and analytic fashion, and they’ve become so popular that even journalists and beat writers have had no choice but to learn and cite them to assess team and individual performance.
By Steve Smith9 years ago in Unbalanced
Why Patrik Laine Will Win the Calder
Each year, the NHL Draft brings a new crop of talent. Teams with the benefit of having a first overall pick get the chance to add a young player who might turn the franchise around. Some players wind up being superstars, like Crosby, Ovechkin, or Stamkos. Other times, names like Stefan or DiPietro are more synonymous with failure or bust. In recent years, the NHL Draft has been full of depth — offering any team with a top five pick the chance to grab a great player.
By Kyle Vandenberg9 years ago in Unbalanced
Just How Hot Is Garth Snow's Seat?
July 18, 2006. That was the day Garth Snow retired from NHL play and moved into NHL management, taking over Neil Smith’s position after an illustrious 41-day tenure as Islanders General Manager. Almost eleven years later Snow continues to hold this position, overseeing one last hurrah for the squad he inherited, followed by a long and arduous rebuild.
By Steve Smith9 years ago in Unbalanced
Early NHL Free Agency Winners
Let the insanity begin! The first week of free agency is behind us with a number of huge splashes and new faces. Fans and analysts alike are making projections or registering complaints, depending on how you feel about your team’s activity (or lack thereof). None of this takes into account the NHL Draft, the Vegas Expansion Draft, and the number of trades that have occurred, adding to the shakeups.
By Kyle Vandenberg9 years ago in Unbalanced
‘Stats-ing’ With Steve, Part II: Expected Goals, a Deeper Understanding of Shots
Folks, hello. Thefirst installment of this series involved Corsi, a proxy for puck possession measured by counting all shot attempts. The only problem with Corsi is that it treats every shot attempt as equal. It’s still an extremely useful tool and simple to understand, so it’s used often (it’s usually the first statistic I check when looking to find out about a team or player, for example). It just doesn’t always tell the whole story.
By Steve Smith9 years ago in Unbalanced
