2023-24 NHL Thread

[CarltonTheBear]

Other than answering esoteric trivia about individuals, these data pulls just add additional noise to the conversation; maybe year over year we can see when players hit their drop offs (losing their fastballs, so to speak).

Accurate shot locations would be the most valuable thing to come from it, assuming they actually are accurate. And that's only assuming the site lets other people take that data and do useful things with it because you know the NHL can't/won't.

 

[bustaheims]

Has Boston somehow figured out that centers are unnecessary?

It's more that they're getting unsustainably good goaltending. Their offence is middle of the pack and defensively, outside of the goaltending, they've really just been okay.

Two years in a row of unsustainably good goaltending?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say their current Sv% of .953 is unsustainable, yes.

 

[dappleganger]

Domi shouldn't be near that top 6. Winger on the 3rd line (or at C, where he really excelled last year) makes the most sense to me for him. I think Robertson, Domi, Jankrok and Gregor, Kampf, Steeves could be a very nicely balanced bottom of the lineup

Also...isn't Klingberg, like, fast?

I tried looking into this and... I don't know. He doesn't appear as lead-footed as Giordano out there, I thought he's looked fine.

Why can't the NHL get with the times? I'm able to easily tell you/find Vlad Jr's sprint speed first to second but NHL skating speeds? Nada.

Just pulling this GDT conversation into the wider NHL space because:
https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1716439338991427921

Can't pull up any details because the site is currently unusable lol

Ok, we have an answer. Klingberg is below average in terms of speed (Slower than Giodano) : 

 

[herman]

Other than answering esoteric trivia about individuals, these data pulls just add additional noise to the conversation; maybe year over year we can see when players hit their drop offs (losing their fastballs, so to speak).

Accurate shot locations would be the most valuable thing to come from it, assuming they actually are accurate. And that's only assuming the site lets other people take that data and do useful things with it because you know the NHL can't/won't.

I think that data was already accessible to teams in 2021; this is just the sanitized version the public is allowed to see now (NHL and NHLPA involved in what data was admissible for contract negotiations and public consumption). There are some third party vendors doing similar (Sportlogiq, hand trackers like CSA) where an enterprising data team could overlap their datasets for deeper analysis. InStat makes it perfunctory to call up video of the exact play anywhere there is a question mark and they can just eyeball an answer.

Aside from cleaning up the server load management, there is still some basic stuff that needs to be fixed.
https://x.com/travisyost/status/1716462269436182689

 

[herman]

Ok, we have an answer. Klingberg is below average in terms of speed (Slower than Giodano) : 

Giordano can still truck pretty good! He looked effective and peppy against the Lightning. He plays with a lot of anticipation and has ridiculous strength.

Klingberg isn't quite as heady (especially not defensively), but he has Swedish skating mechanics (i.e. very good) and length to make him deceptively quick in straight lines. No agility to speak of, but passes are faster than skating and he still knows how to pass.

 

[herman]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say their current Sv% of .953 is unsustainable, yes.

I think it's unsustainable too, but there's something to the structure/style that pushes their average up (similar to Carolina but different). Their personnel are all bought in on the defensive side of the game.

5v5 over the past few years since Bruce Cassidy went full time vs league average
2017-18: .929 | .928
2018-19: .935 | .925
2019-20: .937 | .924
2020-21: .925 | .922
2021-22: .923 | .921
2022-23: .940 (New coach; President's Trophy) | .920
2023-24: .953 (5GP)

I took a quick look at the Leafs' and I just laughed.

 

[dappleganger]

Ok, we have an answer. Klingberg is below average in terms of speed (Slower than Giodano) : 

Giordano can still truck pretty good! He looked effective and peppy against the Lightning. He plays with a lot of anticipation and has ridiculous strength.

Klingberg isn't quite as heady (especially not defensively), but he has Swedish skating mechanics (i.e. very good) and length to make him deceptively quick in straight lines. No agility to speak of, but passes are faster than skating and he still knows how to pass.

Bear in mind these stats are 5 games in. Could see an improvement as the season continues.

 

[dappleganger]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say their current Sv% of .953 is unsustainable, yes.

I think it's unsustainable too, but there's something to the structure/style that pushes their average up (similar to Carolina but different). Their personnel are all bought in on the defensive side of the game.

Bingo!

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Has Boston somehow figured out that centers are unnecessary?

Other than just the standard small sample size warnings, their schedule to start the season is like laughably easy. They've already played Chicago (30th last season), San Jose (29th), and Anaheim (32nd) in their first 5 games. And their next two games are against Chicago and Anaheim again.

While yes as the Leafs prove almost far too often these types of games aren't guaranteed wins, it's still something.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Has Boston somehow figured out that centers are unnecessary?

Other than just the standard small sample size warnings, their schedule to start the season is like laughably easy. They've already played Chicago (30th last season), San Jose (29th), and Anaheim (32nd) in their first 5 games. And their next two games are against Chicago and Anaheim again.

While yes as the Leafs prove almost far too often these types of games aren't guaranteed wins, it's still something.

I would argue that the difference between Boston and the Leafs over the last 5 years is they win the games they're supposed to.

 

[herman]

Pride Tape is banned!  We did it guys!  Inclusivity in hockey has been achieved

Yeah, this is pretty disappointing.  I hope some star protests and puts pride tape on some game.

https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1716851544061055242
Travis Dermott ftw

https://x.com/reporterchris/status/1716668978896990345
He was planning to stop for a bit (not out of fear, but for his team and equipment managers who would've taken the heat)

Dermott didn?t consult with management, the coaching staff or any of his peers before wrapping the rainbow-colored tape around the shaft of his stick shortly before a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Mullett Arena.

It?s a practice he?s regularly followed dating to his days in the AHL, and the only reason it took until the fifth game of Arizona?s season for him to use the tape again was that he was awaiting a new shipment after misplacing his previous batch during an offseason move from Vancouver.

[...]

?The reaction that I?ve gotten is complete support from my team,? Dermott said.

He did note that he apologized to the equipment staff for using the Pride tape without telling them.

?They?re the ones that are supposed to make sure that all of our gear is up to spec and legal and all that stuff,? he said. ?I did feel a little bit like I betrayed those guys. ? But I think at the same time they?re so good at understanding and they know that I wasn?t being malicious toward them.?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

It's baffling the NHL thought the ban was a good idea. Baffling.

 

[Arn]

It's baffling the NHL thought the ban was a good idea. Baffling.

But strangely not in any way surprising.

Well done, Travis Dermott.

 

[Zee]

It's baffling the NHL thought the ban was a good idea. Baffling.

I don't exactly know what they thought would happen if someone used pride tape.  Did they really think they'd suddenly punish that player and it would go over well?  Only took 1 guy to challenge them and they caved.  What a bunch of clunkheads running the league.

 

[herman]

https://x.com/itsmitchmarney/status/1716890006932086915
Just in case anyone needed a reminder

 

[Bill_Berg]

It's baffling the NHL thought the ban was a good idea. Baffling.

But strangely not in any way surprising.

Well done, Travis Dermott.

The NHL is run by a bunch of clowns.

 

[herman]

https://x.com/hayyyshayyy/status/1716976548945838125
I don?t think I?ve seen a backhander with that kind of jump off the stick

 

[Guilt Trip]

I don't think I've seen a backhander with that kind of jump off the stick

Crosby....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkKdIydn09M

 

[princedpw]

Thank you Travis Dermott.

It takes a special kind of courage for a fringe player like Dermott to do this.

 

[herman]

I don't think I've seen a backhander with that kind of jump off the stick

Crosby....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkKdIydn09M

Yeah his is dirty for sure, but normally he gives it a good haybale toss. Makar's barely flicked up to his waist.
[youtube]hVi_kwV4BAE[/youtube]
Maybe this one, which hurts to watch in many ways...

This one is much nicer to watch
[youtube]IauhLbCNTiI[/youtube]