The Official 2013 NHL Regular Season Thread

[JPhillips]

The sad thing is he might help.

At least he played hard.

[Wolfpack]

Three games in and I can see some of the frustration that Caps fans had with Semin. For a guy who supposedly scores in bunches, he sure does love to pass. It seemed like he passed up a fair number of chances on net last night in favor of trying for that one extra pass, which invariably ended up as a turnover. We've already got one like him in Joni Pitkanen, a master of the obvious slap-pass.

[MacroGuru]

We were destroyed last night. Tyler Myers is not looking good. In fact, the 2nd and 3rd lines are not syncing up. The Ennis, Foligno and Stafford line can produce, we know that...just looks like they are off right now.

With Miller in the net tonight, hopefully we can redeem ourselves from the embarrassment of last nights loss.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by MacroGuru

We were destroyed last night. Tyler Myers is not looking good. In fact, the 2nd and 3rd lines are not syncing up. The Ennis, Foligno and Stafford line can produce, we know that...just looks like they are off right now.

With Miller in the net tonight, hopefully we can redeem ourselves from the embarrassment of last nights loss.

yeah I wasn't totally surprised at the result as I knew Enroth was in net. Didn't watch it tho

[MacroGuru]

Heading downtown to watch the Leafs @ Sabres game...I hope to hell we pull our head out and play tonight...

[Logan]

I was at the Rangers-Flyers game tonight. Pretty solid game but Callahan looks like he may have messed up his shoulder, as it got tugged on pretty solidly in a scrum with Max Talbot.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Logan

I was at the Rangers-Flyers game tonight. Pretty solid game but Callahan looks like he may have messed up his shoulder, as it got tugged on pretty solidly in a scrum with Max Talbot.

Showing scores and highlights during intermission of Pens game...he looked pretty uncomfortable leaving the ice.

[JPhillips]

Is it too early to amnesty Ovechkin?

How did this team get so bad so fast?

[MacroGuru]

Lost in OT, last seconds...did get to see Grigorenko make his first ever NHL goal, so that was cool...

[Logan]

Rangers and the Wild made a small deal today. Rupp goes to MIN for Darroll Powe and Nick Palmieri. Rupp needed to go...he's just too slow these days and the 4th line was already slow enough. Rowe will bring some much needed speed to the line and is good on the PK, basically filling Prust's old role.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Logan

Rangers and the Wild made a small deal today. Rupp goes to MIN for Darroll Powe and Nick Palmieri. Rupp needed to go...he's just too slow these days and the 4th line was already slow enough. Rowe will bring some much needed speed to the line and is good on the PK, basically filling Prust's old role.

Didn't understand the need for both Rupp AND Asham from the Rangers perspective. Neither is good enough to be above a 4th liner...especially for Rupp at $1.5M per.

He still lives in Pittsburgh in the offseason. He seems like a really good guy.

[Ryan S]

Crosby has just taken a puck to the face and bled all over the ice, cheered by the always classy Islander fans. Not the kind of thing you want to happen to a guy with a history of concussions.

EDIT - Obviously not too bad, he was back on the ice within 10 minutes.

[chadritt]

now THATS a hockey player.

[bhlloy]

The NHL has to start video reviewing hits to the head if they are an automatic five and game. They've already cost the Blues one game with the phantom call on Backes and now the one on the Sharks last night where one of their defensemen gets tossed for a perfect hit and they end up losing.

It would be nice to allow the refs to get buzzed to review the ones they missed as well at the next stoppage but at the very least they have to be able to review the ones they do call because it has such a huge impact on a game

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

The NHL has to start video reviewing hits to the head if they are an automatic five and game. They've already cost the Blues one game with the phantom call on Backes and now the one on the Sharks last night where one of their defensemen gets tossed for a perfect hit and they end up losing.

It would be nice to allow the refs to get buzzed to review the ones they missed as well at the next stoppage but at the very least they have to be able to review the ones they do call because it has such a huge impact on a game

Yeah, that was a pretty clean hit. Shoulder-to-shoulder. The guy never left his feet and didn't raise an elbow. He did catch Mayers not looking, but it wasn't a hit to the head at all.

[Logan]

How many majors have been assessed for that so far this year?

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

The NHL has to start video reviewing hits to the head if they are an automatic five and game. They've already cost the Blues one game with the phantom call on Backes and now the one on the Sharks last night where one of their defensemen gets tossed for a perfect hit and they end up losing.

It would be nice to allow the refs to get buzzed to review the ones they missed as well at the next stoppage but at the very least they have to be able to review the ones they do call because it has such a huge impact on a game

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Yeah, that was a pretty clean hit. Shoulder-to-shoulder. The guy never left his feet and didn't raise an elbow. He did catch Mayers not looking, but it wasn't a hit to the head at all.

It's veering towards the NFL, where the officials are so afraid to miss something, so they call what they believe occurred (injured player, must have been illegal) rather than what they saw.

Two seasons ago, Pens vs Isles, Letang caught Blake Comeau, no head contact, shoulder to shoulder. Comeau wears his helmet so loosely, his helmet goes flying, he ends up in a heap. 5 and a game to Letang. 2 minutes later, Comeau is scoring a PP goal during the major.

Especially where they are tending to the "injured" player, or hasing out the penalties from the ensuing fights because of the hit. The game is already being delayed, get the call right.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Ryan S

Crosby has just taken a puck to the face and bled all over the ice, cheered by the always classy Islander fans. Not the kind of thing you want to happen to a guy with a history of concussions.

EDIT - Obviously not too bad, he was back on the ice within 10 minutes.

DOLA

Also cheering "Crosby Sucks!" while he's down. I take their word for it. If anyone knows what it's like to watch someone suck at hockey, it's going to be someone who pays money to see the Isles.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

DOLA

Also cheering "Crosby Sucks!" while he's down. I take their word for it. If anyone knows what it's like to watch someone suck at hockey, it's going to be someone who pays money to see the Isles.

I can't give them too much shit, there is a 100% chance that same chant would have materialized if it happened at MSG. Wouldn't have been from me or many of the rest of the fan base, but the hatred for him is loud when it gets going.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Logan

I can't give them too much shit, there is a 100% chance that same chant would have materialized if it happened at MSG. Wouldn't have been from me or many of the rest of the fan base, but the hatred for him is loud when it gets going.

Really have no problem with it. I know it's the exception, rather than the norm.

But the Isles/fans are the same group who were upset at the cheering of Brent Johnson knocking out DiPietro in a fight DiPietro called Johnson down to the Isles end of the ice.

And Crosby probably doesn't care...typically it happens in Philly, and he repsonds with a 4 point game.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

The NHL has to start video reviewing hits to the head if they are an automatic five and game. They've already cost the Blues one game with the phantom call on Backes and now the one on the Sharks last night where one of their defensemen gets tossed for a perfect hit and they end up losing.

It would be nice to allow the refs to get buzzed to review the ones they missed as well at the next stoppage but at the very least they have to be able to review the ones they do call because it has such a huge impact on a game

Agreed

[bhlloy]

Apparently in the Desjardins one the linesman made the major call and the ref didn't overrule him. That's probably a problem right there.

Also the NHL totally threw him under the bus. He'll be in the ECHL by the end of the season

[Suburban Rhythm]

Chief and bhlloy

Enjoy the Reverend Lovejoy

[Suburban Rhythm]

DOLA

Tim Thomas to Isles for future 2nd rounder, '14 or '15

I think the Isles plan is trade for every player available, and make every possible waiver claim, until they own all the players in the league. Can't lose!

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

Chief and bhlloy

Enjoy the Reverend Lovejoy

Thoughts on him? I like the pickup for a fifth rounder, but don't really know much other than he can drop the gloves

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

DOLA

Tim Thomas to Isles for future 2nd rounder, '14 or '15

I think the Isles plan is trade for every player available, and make every possible waiver claim, until they own all the players in the league. Can't lose!

and they dont have to pay him a dime, and dont have to send the pick unless thomas shows up to play

gets them over the cap floor

seems legit. good work nhl.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

Thoughts on him? I like the pickup for a fifth rounder, but don't really know much other than he can drop the gloves

You might be thinking of Engelland, who can throw them. Lovejoy probably has a couple career fights with other low end middleweights.

Lovejoy isn't terrible at anything. Bigger guy, like 6'2" 215, good skater at that size. Problem is he isn't any more than average at anything.

In the playoffs last year, got benched after some horrific giveaways. He's a 3rd pairing guy on a borderline team, #7/8 guy on a contender.

One thing I'll say, moreso than younger players still feeling out the league, he never hesitates to jump in as the trailer on the rush. Not always a great result, not sure how that fits Boudreau's system.

[Logan]

Rangers brought up 2011 1st round pick JT Miller on Tuesday night against the Devils, and he looked great. Last night he scored his first two goals in a 4-1 win over the Isles.

[Logan]

Forgot to mention this...MSG rinkside reporter John Giannone took a puck to the face last night but kept on working...because he's a hockey reporter!

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Logan

Rangers brought up 2011 1st round pick JT Miller on Tuesday night against the Devils, and he looked great. Last night he scored his first two goals in a 4-1 win over the Isles.

Pittsburgh represent!!

(Yeah, he's technically an Ohio native, but Pittsburgh "trained")

[Suburban Rhythm]

Seriously, one of the these years, when I convince myself NJ is going to be drastically worse than the prior season, I'll be right.

[Logan]

The Devils beat the Pens like the Pens beat the Rangers.

[Fidatelo]

Just got back from my first Jets game of the season. They started fairly well but got outplayed for most of the second and third. Sort of lame given Philly was on the end of a back-to-back and the Jets had a couple days of rest.

On the positive side, Byfuglien was back and though he didn't look great tonight, he changes their dynamic a lot. I also have liked what I've seen from Redmond on TV and he looked pretty solid in person, too.

Postma... I don't see much value in Postma. I look forward to Bogosian coming back and hopefully Postma being the odd man out. If Trouba were to make the big club in a year or two it's possible we could have a top 4 of Byfuglien, Enstrom, Bogo, and Trouba... that would be pretty sweet.

Ultimately, though, the Jets are never going to be much of a force until they can find at least one top-end forward talent. Some see it in Kane, and it's possible, but I don't know. Scheifele is a project but I have my doubts there as well. Maybe the Lowry kid lighting up the 'W' this year can be that guy down the line, although that's way way off and a massive 'maybe'. Chevy has his work cut out for him in this area...

[Fidatelo]

Does anyone know of a site that tracks something like NHL team shot charts? I feel like Winnipeg gets a decent number of shots each game, but that the quality of a lot of them is just garbage (I pick on Kane and Wheeler for this the most because it seems like they just rush in 2 strides past the blueline and let it rip from the sidewall with no traffic in front, then get credit for a shot).

Anyways, I like in basketball articles how you can see these little charts that show colored basketballs for all the shots a guy has taken all over the court. I'd love to see that kind of thing with hockey pucks on an ice surface for individual players as well as per team. Does this exist?

[Suburban Rhythm]

Can't access these are work, but they may have something

BEHIND THE NET: Hockey Analysis and Statistics [new host]

Welcome to Hockey Analytics « Hockey Analytics

[Suburban Rhythm]

DOLA

I know during gameplay, if you follow on NHL.com, there is a graph for each shot, goal, hit etc. But not sure those are available archived for the entire season.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

Does anyone know of a site that tracks something like NHL team shot charts? I feel like Winnipeg gets a decent number of shots each game, but that the quality of a lot of them is just garbage (I pick on Kane and Wheeler for this the most because it seems like they just rush in 2 strides past the blueline and let it rip from the sidewall with no traffic in front, then get credit for a shot).

Anyways, I like in basketball articles how you can see these little charts that show colored basketballs for all the shots a guy has taken all over the court. I'd love to see that kind of thing with hockey pucks on an ice surface for individual players as well as per team. Does this exist?

http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/gamecast?gameId=400442652

Click "close" on the summary and you'll see the shots...you can view by period as well.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

Carolina Hurricanes vs. New Jersey Devils - GameCast - February 12, 2013 - ESPN

Click "close" on the summary and you'll see the shots...you can view by period as well.

That is awesome, thank you!

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

That is awesome, thank you!

And, are Kane and Wheeler as frustrating as you thought?

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

And, are Kane and Wheeler as frustrating as you thought?

There are a couple on there from them last night, but probably 1 or 2 each less than I would have guessed. But as a team it's pretty clear that Philly had the better penetration/shot selection:

[Fidatelo]

I went back one more game, Kane is in red, Wheeler in orange. I'm not sure what this shows when isolated because just as important as where the shot came from is where everyone else is. My biggest problem with their shots from far out is that because they are both so fast there is often no one around for any kind of rebound or screen. They just storm in and rip a shot that the goalie can see clearly, and they would need to be 100% accurate into a top corner to possibly score.

[johnnyshaka]

I see the same thing with some of the young Oilers...full of piss and vinegar to get into the zone and instead of forcing the D and then pulling up and waiting for help they fire a snapper from the boards (oddly enough, that's how Hall scored last night) that usually misses the net and ends up back in the neutral zone. Awesome. Ryan Smyth is good at this, too.

[johnnyshaka]

Actually, I wonder if it would be beneficial for a team like the Oilers to watch film, not of themselves, but of teams like Pittsburgh, San Jose, or Detroit...watch how they enter the zone. Thornton, Crosby, Datsyuk...these guys gain the zone and the the last thing on their minds in firing an aimless shot from the 10th row, heck, they gain the zone and intend on setting up camp for the next 45 seconds or so, nevermind worrying about a shot.

I need a direct line to Tambi right now to pitch this idea...you guys better keep your mouths shut, this one's all mine!

[Suburban Rhythm]

I was at the Pens-Sens game tonight.

Matt Cooke hits Erik Karlsson on what, to me, looked like an absolutely nothing play...and slices Karlsson's Achilles.

If it were any other player, most people would shrug and move on...but since it's Matt Cooke, there's going to be a witch hunt.

[Suburban Rhythm]

DOLA

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

I was at the Pens-Sens game tonight.

Matt Cooke hits Erik Karlsson on what, to me, looked like an absolutely nothing play...and slices Karlsson's Achilles.

If it were any other player, most people would shrug and move on...but since it's Matt Cooke, there's going to be a witch hunt.

Well Cooke lost some teeth later on.

[bbor]

Harmless play...totally accidental IMHO. He was finishing a good check with trying to pin his man against the boards.It happens every game at least 30 times without incident.

Agreed with this is hyped up because it is Cooke.

[Suburban Rhythm]

PING Fidatelo

Were you at Pens-Jets? I think most entertaining Pens game of the year. Both goalies were really good.

Penguins take out another top D, Toby Enstrom. Sabres up next..any Swedish defensemen we can dispose of?

And...outside the obvious star players in the league, if I could steal a player from another roster, I'd snag Burmistrov. So underrated. That kid is so slick.

[Fidatelo]

I wasn't at Pens/Jets (I play hockey friday nights so I purposely didn't pick any Friday games). I saw bits and pieces of periods 1 and 2 while herding kids around and then listened to most of the third on the radio on the ride to hockey.

It seemed like a good game, and sounds like Fleury was playing great in net. The guys on the radio made the penalty on Redmond that set up the 5-on-3 sound pretty ticky-tacky; how did it look from a Pens viewpoint? Conversely the announcers described the Stuart penalty that made it 5-on-3 as a pretty clear-cut penalty that the refs had to call.

Losing Enstrom was a huge blow, hopefully it isn't anything too long-term. What a shame after we finally had our entire defense-corps together for all of about 5 minutes.

Burmi is a unique talent, and is definitely fun to watch. The moves he made to get in semi-alone on Fleury in the first(?) were pretty great. But the best part is how solid he is defensively. My only concern is that for all the flashes of skill, not enough actual goals (either from him or his linemates) seem to come from it. That said, he'd be one of the last guys I'd get rid of on this roster.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

I wasn't at Pens/Jets (I play hockey friday nights so I purposely didn't pick any Friday games). I saw bits and pieces of periods 1 and 2 while herding kids around and then listened to most of the third on the radio on the ride to hockey.

It seemed like a good game, and sounds like Fleury was playing great in net. The guys on the radio made the penalty on Redmond that set up the 5-on-3 sound pretty ticky-tacky; how did it look from a Pens viewpoint? Conversely the announcers described the Stuart penalty that made it 5-on-3 as a pretty clear-cut penalty that the refs had to call.

Losing Enstrom was a huge blow, hopefully it isn't anything too long-term. What a shame after we finally had our entire defense-corps together for all of about 5 minutes.

Burmi is a unique talent, and is definitely fun to watch. The moves he made to get in semi-alone on Fleury in the first(?) were pretty great. But the best part is how solid he is defensively. My only concern is that for all the flashes of skill, not enough actual goals (either from him or his linemates) seem to come from it. That said, he'd be one of the last guys I'd get rid of on this roster.

Yeah, it was typical NHL officiating. Wright boarded Matt Niskanen earlier - staring at his number 3-4 seconds before hitting him face first into the glass - no call. Then Redmond got called for a nothing play. The Stuart play, I think his stick got caught between the boot and blade of Letang.

Burmi seems like the old school Russian player who wants to play a "pretty" game, more concern for the journey than the result. Not to call him soft...he's not. But agree, seems like he needs to play north-south more...he's effective when he does.

He danced Letang in the 1st.

Most impressive, Craig Adams had 2 goals. The same Craig Adams who didn't score after playing while playing all 82 games in 10-11. I was dumbfounded to find out it was his 5th career 2 goal game. I swear he only has like 14 career goals.