|
Post by Skilly on Dec 17, 2014 11:45:32 GMT -5
On a entirely different note .... why does the NHL list on their website "tie breaking procedures" if they are not going to follow them???
Montreal and Detroit are tied with 42 points. OK let's follow the tie-breaking procedures.
1) Most points percentage. Montreal and Detroit have both played 32 games. So that's the same.
2) Most wins in regulations or OT. Montreal and Detroit both have 16 ROWs
3) Head to Head. Only if each team has played at least one game at home ... in a balanced schedule, I am not sure why that is there. Montreal and Detroit have each played one home game against each other. Montreal won both. So you'd think that Montreal would be #2 in their division. But nope. They have Detroit as #2. Either they have gone alphabetically, or they ignore head to head during the season and go straight to goals for / goals against.
Either way it is dumb ... follow your own rules!
|
|
|
Post by frozone on Dec 17, 2014 16:41:06 GMT -5
From what I understand Malhotra also has a good dressing room presence ... very well respected wherever he's played ... Cheers. Sadly, I don't trust Therrien to handle this well. Despite how Therrien has treated the guy, Eller's usage speaks volumes about what he means to the team. He takes the most defensive zone draws, he's good on faceoffs, big and strong, and he's still a positive Corsi player. His play has allowed Plekanec to play in a more offensive role. He's probably the most important center on the team when you think of what his contribution allows Therrien to do with his other lines. I don't think his offensive ceiling is as high as it should be (below average hockey IQ, IMO) but he was still on pace for 20 goals this year. I keep coming back to DD and trying him at the wing. He's played OK without Pacioretty, but I want no part of a line that features DD and Parenteau when it comes to crunch time in a playoff game. My hope for DD is he can morph into a player like Mark Recchi, who was one of the best "playmaking wingers" I have seen. DD is a savvy offensive player and I see no reason why he can't use his vision and passing skills from the wing. Now that he's off the Pacioretty line (hopefully for good) it's time for Therrien to ask DD to be flexible and try something new rather than Eller. Agreed 100%. Furthermore, a move to the wing could be DD's way back into a top 6 spot, which he must want badly. A lot of DD talk comes across as bashing, but when he's played in the proper role, he's a great asset. I'm sure a lot of people thought he wouldn't fit as a 3rd line C... well he looks pretty good in that role and seems to produce there. Likewise, its easy to assume that he wouldn't do well on the wing, but why not at least test it out? The last I checked, Larry was one of the tops in the league in faceoff winning percentage - somewhere around 58% I think it was. Imo, he must stay at center. He has so many qualities that we have been requesting in a center... size, speed, skill, sound defensive game... really, the knock on him is that he lacks the vision to be a true first line center, although we do know he's capable of producing good numbers. Unfortunately, I get the feeling we'll see Larry back on the wing again at some point. If (and only if) that happens, I hope they at least try him at RW instead of LW. Eller's size, speed and North/South style would be more suited for his off-wing, much like Cole in his glory days with the Habs.
|
|
|
Post by GNick99 on Dec 18, 2014 7:30:09 GMT -5
Malhotra doesn't come out imo. His impact on our face off stats is huge. For a team that struggles sometimes to get puck possession back, his ability to consistently win it outright is vital. His taking as many key draws as he does against the other teams best is exactly the same as moving DD to a lower line and away from the top checkers. It allows our other centers to take draws against lesser f/o guys, and hopefully win more. The fact numbers are up for all our centers this year certainly goes to that. The more Malhotra can take against a guy like Bergeron, the better. But Malhotra generates zero offense. Wouldn't we be a better team with Eller in his slot, winning still quite a lot of faceoffs and generating offense on each line ? With guys like Andrighetto or Bournival on the 4th line, there's some potential there for offense from that line as well. It's not as if we had a 4th with zero skill... Possible...all our centers seem to be decent at faceoffs now. Eller could be better fit as 4th center rather than winger. Also opens spot for a 'ghetto.
|
|
|
Post by blny on Dec 18, 2014 8:02:06 GMT -5
But Malhotra generates zero offense. Wouldn't we be a better team with Eller in his slot, winning still quite a lot of faceoffs and generating offense on each line ? With guys like Andrighetto or Bournival on the 4th line, there's some potential there for offense from that line as well. It's not as if we had a 4th with zero skill... Possible...all our centers seem to be decent at faceoffs now. Eller could be better fit as 4th center rather than winger. Also opens spot for a 'ghetto. IMO, it's the trickle down affect. The more often Malhotra faces Bergeron, the less likely anyone else is. When they're facing the lesser lights of another team more often, their stats are going to go up. No different than moving DD to another line and away from the other teams best checking line. No team is interested in having a $4 million 4th line center long term. Can't do it in a cap world. When Eller is back, it will be a game of musical chairs, and Malhotra won't be without a chair. The other 4 will fight over the remaining 3 chairs. At some point, the club will have to make a decision about who stays.
|
|
|
Post by BadCompany on Dec 18, 2014 8:49:44 GMT -5
Possible...all our centers seem to be decent at faceoffs now. Eller could be better fit as 4th center rather than winger. Also opens spot for a 'ghetto. Apparently Malhotra has been working with all of them too, during practices and such.
|
|
|
Post by BadCompany on Dec 18, 2014 8:53:49 GMT -5
At some point, the club will have to make a decision about who stays. Or somebody else will get hurt. Let's face it, we've been ridiculously healthy this year. Bournival, and now Eller, have been the only "significant" injuries, and "significant" is debatable in Eller's case. I wouldn't want to deal a player for say a pick or prospect because "we have too many of such and such" and then have somebody go down with a long term injury. Say we dump Desharnais, and then Galchenyuk takes a knee-on-knee and is out three months... that would kill our "too much depth" belief pretty quickly, no?
|
|
|
Post by blny on Dec 18, 2014 9:18:56 GMT -5
At some point, the club will have to make a decision about who stays. Or somebody else will get hurt. Let's face it, we've been ridiculously healthy this year. Bournival, and now Eller, have been the only "significant" injuries, and "significant" is debatable in Eller's case. I wouldn't want to deal a player for say a pick or prospect because "we have too many of such and such" and then have somebody go down with a long term injury. Say we dump Desharnais, and then Galchenyuk takes a knee-on-knee and is out three months... that would kill our "too much depth" belief pretty quickly, no? *Knocks on wood* We can only hope. I think health reasons being the primary one for keeping 4 centers for 3 spots is only a temporary one. Long term, that won't fly.
|
|
|
Post by seventeen on Dec 18, 2014 13:44:57 GMT -5
Possible...all our centers seem to be decent at faceoffs now. Eller could be better fit as 4th center rather than winger. Also opens spot for a 'ghetto. IMO, it's the trickle down affect. The more often Malhotra faces Bergeron, the less likely anyone else is. When they're facing the lesser lights of another team more often, their stats are going to go up. No different than moving DD to another line and away from the other teams best checking line. No team is interested in having a $4 million 4th line center long term. Can't do it in a cap world. When Eller is back, it will be a game of musical chairs, and Malhotra won't be without a chair. The other 4 will fight over the remaining 3 chairs. At some point, the club will have to make a decision about who stays. Yes and double yes. Our centers, except for Malhotra, are the same as last year. Did they really all improve that much over the summer? No, it makes a lot more sense to believe that the trickle down effect is much stronger than the "I've just gotten better" effect. If Malhotra is benched, we'll see those face off numbers drop down toward last years.
|
|
|
Post by GNick99 on Dec 18, 2014 18:27:17 GMT -5
IMO, it's the trickle down affect. The more often Malhotra faces Bergeron, the less likely anyone else is. When they're facing the lesser lights of another team more often, their stats are going to go up. No different than moving DD to another line and away from the other teams best checking line. No team is interested in having a $4 million 4th line center long term. Can't do it in a cap world. When Eller is back, it will be a game of musical chairs, and Malhotra won't be without a chair. The other 4 will fight over the remaining 3 chairs. At some point, the club will have to make a decision about who stays. Yes and double yes. Our centers, except for Malhotra, are the same as last year. Did they really all improve that much over the summer? No, it makes a lot more sense to believe that the trickle down effect is much stronger than the "I've just gotten better" effect. If Malhotra is benched, we'll see those face off numbers drop down toward last years. They should package one of those extra centers with a d-man for a top 3 d-man? Maybe even throw in a prospect for a top 2
|
|