Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
I'm an old-school kinda guy. I hate the DH in baseball and love the way the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors play team basketball as opposed to the more individualized street-ball. So I get when traditionalist bark about "the roots and/or essence of the game" and "messing with tradition."
Buffalo Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma was on WGR this morning and when asked about changing the size of the net, he was opposed, saying they should look at goalie equipment and calling penalties as they did after the 2004-05 lockout. He's not against angling the posts either to direct more shot into the net off of the iron.
And that's fine. Players and coaches can rail against the increased net size all they want, because they're ice-level and they would notice a change like that. But fans? Really? I guarantee that 95% or more of fans couldn't tell the difference. Adding one inch to a 72-inch width amounts to a 1.3% increase while adding one inch to the 48" height equates to a 2% increase and if I put one traditional net at one end of the rink while at the other end is a net increased by one inch, I challenge any fan to sit in any seat in the building and tell me that they notice the difference.
**********
Bylsma talked about the play of the game itself and how penalties aren't being called the way they were just after the 2004-05 lockout. He thinks calling the game using the rulebook will help in the goal-scoring department, which it will, but it's somewhat artificial.
According to hockeyreference.com teams averaged 5.85 powerplay opportunities (PPO) per game in 2005-06 while last season it was only 3.06. Teams scored and average of 1.03 powerplay goals per game in '05-06 (17.68% of the total) last season it was .57 PPG (18.66%.) In reference to the overall number of goals scored, in the 2005-06 season powerplay goals represented 33% of the 3.08 goals/game while last season it was 20% of the 2.73 goals/game.
The highest scoring season in the NHL was during the 1981-82 season when the league averaged 4.01 goals per game. Teams scored an average of .91 PPG. on 4.00 PPO for a conversion rate of 22.85%. The .91 PPG represented 22.7% of the total goals scored.
More powerplays mean more goals overall for obvious reasons, but the conversion rate in 1981-82 was much higher than the 2005-06 season and superior to most seasons after the conversion rate dipped below 20% in 1990-91.
Make no mistake, the 80's were a golden era of post-expansion hockey and the names playing the game were many and legendary. But part of the reason for their gaudy numbers is due to goalie equipement and goalies themselves.
Take a look for yourself at the images of Tom Barrasso, Eddie Belfour and Martin Brodeur from when they were rookies to the end of their careers, or if you want you can click on a blog I did back in August, 2010 entitled Why is scoring not like it once was in the NHL? See for yourself.
Not only there more equipment, but the goalies are also bigger.
Back in 1981-82 here are some of the leaders in goals against average:
--Rick Wamsley (MTL,) 5'11" 185 lbs.
--Billy Smith (NYI,) 5'10" 185
--Grant Fuhr (EDM,) 5'10" 201
--Richard Brodeur (VAN,) 5'7" 170
And others like Roggie Vachon (BOS) at 5'7" 170 lbs. or Buffalo's own Don Edwards 5'9" 160 and Bob Sauve 5'8" 178.
Go ahead, look at the images or the video.
Or check out this NHL, History Will Be Made, ad featuring Wayne Gretzky going in on Smith.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
It may be time to focus a little more attention on the 3-on-3 overtime
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Buffalo Sabres had a glorious opportunity to tie last night’s game at one when they had a 5-on-3 for over a minute in the first period. They managed three meager shots with the “SHOOT!!!” brigade vociferously urging them to shoot the puck instead of passing so much. It didn’t work out all that well as they would manage only one more shot on their only other powerplay opportunity.
It was a rare egg laid by the NHL's fourth-best powerplay and it's 23.6% conversion rate. Going into last night's contest the Sabres have scored a powerplay goal in 10 of 14 games this season when they've had the man advantage (one game in Brooklyn vs. the NY Islanders, neither team was called for a penalty.)
The success of the powerplay is due to them practicing it almost every day. Sabres.com writer Jourdon LaBarber wrote that most times when the team practices, "the team is divided into yellow and blue sweaters. But rather than split up players by position like in years past, the significance of the colors this season is to indicate a player’s role on special teams. Those on the power play wear yellow; blue sweaters are for the penalty killers and the rest."
LaBarber points out that their success, according to the players, can be attributed to "a combination of good coaching, developed chemistry and those daily battles in practice." Time permitting, perhaps Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma can pay a little more attention to the new 3-on-3 overtime format.
The Buffalo Sabres had a glorious opportunity to tie last night’s game at one when they had a 5-on-3 for over a minute in the first period. They managed three meager shots with the “SHOOT!!!” brigade vociferously urging them to shoot the puck instead of passing so much. It didn’t work out all that well as they would manage only one more shot on their only other powerplay opportunity.
It was a rare egg laid by the NHL's fourth-best powerplay and it's 23.6% conversion rate. Going into last night's contest the Sabres have scored a powerplay goal in 10 of 14 games this season when they've had the man advantage (one game in Brooklyn vs. the NY Islanders, neither team was called for a penalty.)
The success of the powerplay is due to them practicing it almost every day. Sabres.com writer Jourdon LaBarber wrote that most times when the team practices, "the team is divided into yellow and blue sweaters. But rather than split up players by position like in years past, the significance of the colors this season is to indicate a player’s role on special teams. Those on the power play wear yellow; blue sweaters are for the penalty killers and the rest."
LaBarber points out that their success, according to the players, can be attributed to "a combination of good coaching, developed chemistry and those daily battles in practice." Time permitting, perhaps Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma can pay a little more attention to the new 3-on-3 overtime format.
Is the Bogo/Risto pairing ready to roll?
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian hasn't played a game yet because of a lower body injury. Last week he began practicing with the team and according to Sabres.com, he's "inching closer to a return."
One could assume that it will be sometime this week. Just in time too as the Sabres are about to play Dallas and St. Louis, two western conference powerhouse two times each within an eight-day span beginning tomorrow at home vs. the Stars. Buffalo the meets the Blues in St. Louis on Thursday before heading south to take on Dallas on Saturday. And while the Bills are in Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football, the Sabres will be at home facing the Blues.
No rest for the weary, however as the welcome the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, November 25th, the Carolina Hurricanes on November 27th before heading to Music City to take on the Preds Friday, November 28th.
Bogosian told reporters post-practice today that he was felt good, but cautioned, "I'm not gonna sit here and say I'm in. That's up to the coach. I feel like I'm ready to go and I fell like the last two days have been a step forward. For sure."
Head coach Dan Bylsma told the media that Bogosian "looks like he should be ready to play sometime this week. Today we put him in a few more situations on purpose to get some 5-on-5 situations and we’ll see how he reacts. We put him in those situations because the game ones are coming up for him.”
The Sabres have been faring pretty well with Rasmus Ristolainen and Josh Gorges on the top pairing, but it would seem as if Gorges would be better on the second pairing.
As for Ristolainen, he's been kicking it lately.
Sabres.com points out his four game points streak (3+3) and that his 11 points on the season is tied for 12th in the league amongst defensemen. I think I’ve been doing a better job than last year defensively and offensively,” he said. “I think I can still be better and better and I try to be better and better," he told Jordon LaBarber of Sabres.com. “I try to help the team offensively, lately I have some points. But I don’t think that way; I try to take care first in the defensive zone and then try to get something started on offense too.”
Bylsma was said to have been rotating d-pairing at practice today, possibly seeing what might work best as Bogosian re-entering the lineup is imminent.
The question is when?
**********
A quick note on Zemgus Girgensons who missed practice after getting level in the San Jose game. When Bylsma was asked for an update on Girgensons he replied, "I don't have a good update right now, it's a little bit more than a maintenance day. Obviously the collision he was involved in, he's still feeling some bumps and bruises from that."
But Bylsma somewhat emphasized to the gathered media, "[It's] not something to do with his head."
Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian hasn't played a game yet because of a lower body injury. Last week he began practicing with the team and according to Sabres.com, he's "inching closer to a return."
One could assume that it will be sometime this week. Just in time too as the Sabres are about to play Dallas and St. Louis, two western conference powerhouse two times each within an eight-day span beginning tomorrow at home vs. the Stars. Buffalo the meets the Blues in St. Louis on Thursday before heading south to take on Dallas on Saturday. And while the Bills are in Foxboro to take on the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football, the Sabres will be at home facing the Blues.
No rest for the weary, however as the welcome the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, November 25th, the Carolina Hurricanes on November 27th before heading to Music City to take on the Preds Friday, November 28th.
Bogosian told reporters post-practice today that he was felt good, but cautioned, "I'm not gonna sit here and say I'm in. That's up to the coach. I feel like I'm ready to go and I fell like the last two days have been a step forward. For sure."
Head coach Dan Bylsma told the media that Bogosian "looks like he should be ready to play sometime this week. Today we put him in a few more situations on purpose to get some 5-on-5 situations and we’ll see how he reacts. We put him in those situations because the game ones are coming up for him.”
The Sabres have been faring pretty well with Rasmus Ristolainen and Josh Gorges on the top pairing, but it would seem as if Gorges would be better on the second pairing.
As for Ristolainen, he's been kicking it lately.
Sabres.com points out his four game points streak (3+3) and that his 11 points on the season is tied for 12th in the league amongst defensemen. I think I’ve been doing a better job than last year defensively and offensively,” he said. “I think I can still be better and better and I try to be better and better," he told Jordon LaBarber of Sabres.com. “I try to help the team offensively, lately I have some points. But I don’t think that way; I try to take care first in the defensive zone and then try to get something started on offense too.”
Bylsma was said to have been rotating d-pairing at practice today, possibly seeing what might work best as Bogosian re-entering the lineup is imminent.
The question is when?
**********
A quick note on Zemgus Girgensons who missed practice after getting level in the San Jose game. When Bylsma was asked for an update on Girgensons he replied, "I don't have a good update right now, it's a little bit more than a maintenance day. Obviously the collision he was involved in, he's still feeling some bumps and bruises from that."
But Bylsma somewhat emphasized to the gathered media, "[It's] not something to do with his head."
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Sabres/Sharks: Two very different .500 teams
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
There was a point in time not too long ago when the San Jose
Sharks were a powerhouse in the rugged Western Conference. They boasted size
and skill and were back-stopped by exceptional goaltending. Beginning with the 2003-04 season the Sharks made the playoffs 10 consecutive seasons in a run that included a Presidents Trophy (2008-09) and two consecutive Western Conference Finals appearances (2010 and 2011.)
That run all came crashing down, however, as the Sharks became only the fourth team ever to lose a Stanley Cup playoff round after leading a seven-game series 3-0 in 2014. That epic collapse by the Sharks not only propelled the Los Angeles Kings to their second Cup in three years, it through the team for a psychological loop.
The 2014 off season did not bring drastic changes but the team made some curious moves like stripping veteran leaders "Jumbo" Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau of their letters after not being able to move them and then added two fighters in Mike Brown and John Scott to the team in an effort to, I don't know, beat someone up if they brought up the collapse? Todd McLellan was retained, but after missing the playoffs with those shrewd moves, McLellan moved on to the greener pastures of Edmonton, Alberta to coach phenom Connor McDavid while Peter DeBoer, whose teams have missed the playoffs in all but one season, a 2012 Stanley Cup Finals loss to the LA Kings, was brought in.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
One Buffalo, Two wins
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The Sabres PR department alerted us to that little stat about the Buffalo Bills and Sabres. They also mentioned that Sabres are 113-64-33 when playing on the same day while the Bills are 89-119-2. Pretty easy to see who's not pulling their weight in that department.
For those who are not football fans, I'll make this part pretty brief.
Head coach Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills pulled out a 22-17 victory last night at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey against the NY Jets, the team that fired him after six seasons. Ryan likes to have fun with the media leading up to the game and oft-times there's a circus-like quality to his pressers. His return to NY/NJ was no different, save for the fact that it was during short week. The Ryan pre-game circus got going on Tuesday when he donned a Clemson helmet (a prop that helped diffuse a Monday tweet by his former player, Calvin Pryor, a Louisville alum) and ended with him walking into Met Life Stadium flanked by two men, one of them in a Kansas City Royals cap (The royals defeated the NY Mets in the World Series.)
He'd said all along that it was about the game. About his 4-4 Bills chasing a division rival, the 5-3 Jets, for playoff positioning. And at the end of a pretty tough game which saw his team hold off the Jets, we had a glimpse of just how much this game meant to him personally, something he never let known pre-game. The team played well in all facets of the game. The offense got a touchdown, special teams added another on a fumble recovery and his much-maligned defense chimed in with two INT's, a fumble recovery, two fourth-down stops and a sack (good for an 18 point contribution to my fantasy team.)
The Sabres PR department alerted us to that little stat about the Buffalo Bills and Sabres. They also mentioned that Sabres are 113-64-33 when playing on the same day while the Bills are 89-119-2. Pretty easy to see who's not pulling their weight in that department.
For those who are not football fans, I'll make this part pretty brief.
Head coach Rex Ryan and the Buffalo Bills pulled out a 22-17 victory last night at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey against the NY Jets, the team that fired him after six seasons. Ryan likes to have fun with the media leading up to the game and oft-times there's a circus-like quality to his pressers. His return to NY/NJ was no different, save for the fact that it was during short week. The Ryan pre-game circus got going on Tuesday when he donned a Clemson helmet (a prop that helped diffuse a Monday tweet by his former player, Calvin Pryor, a Louisville alum) and ended with him walking into Met Life Stadium flanked by two men, one of them in a Kansas City Royals cap (The royals defeated the NY Mets in the World Series.)
He'd said all along that it was about the game. About his 4-4 Bills chasing a division rival, the 5-3 Jets, for playoff positioning. And at the end of a pretty tough game which saw his team hold off the Jets, we had a glimpse of just how much this game meant to him personally, something he never let known pre-game. The team played well in all facets of the game. The offense got a touchdown, special teams added another on a fumble recovery and his much-maligned defense chimed in with two INT's, a fumble recovery, two fourth-down stops and a sack (good for an 18 point contribution to my fantasy team.)
Friday, November 13, 2015
Can Rex Ryan help change the Buffalo underdog mentality?
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
The city of Buffalo
The Bills have been to the Super Bowl four times (all
consecutive) but came out on the losing end every time. The Buffalo Sabres
have made it to Stanley Cup Finals twice (1975 and 1999) losing both times in six
games. The city of Buffalo also had an NBA franchise, the Buffalo Braves (1970-78,) now the LA Clippers
via the San Diego Clippers (and Boston Celtics.) They made the playoffs three consecutive years (1974-76)
but made it past the first round only once.
Being a small-market city in big-time sports has been a
difficult task and it became even more difficult as the price to compete went
up while the standard of living in Buffalo
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Big win for Buffalo as they avoid the series sweep.
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Buffalo's win last night over the Tampa Bay Lightning was pretty big. The Sabres headed into Amalie Arena last night having lost all three games against Tampa this season and hadn't beaten them since December 3, 2014, a 2-1 shootout win at home. Since that win the Sabres went 0-7 vs. the Lightning and were outscored 25-5 over that span while never scoring over one goal in any single game.
So taking down the defending eastern conference champions 4-1 last night on the road was a major up-tick for a team that's been trending upward over the last few weeks. Since getting blown out by the Montreal Canadiens on October 23, Buffalo has gone 5-3 and has played very well even in the losses. And after scoring only 12 goals in their first seven games (which includes Montreal) they scored 23 over their last eight games.
At 7-8 the Sabres are inching towards that .500-mark, a place they hadn't been all season. Granted, it's only November and there are always plenty of teams looking like contenders, but taken in context--with the back-drop of two 30th place finishes and the team missing their top LW in Evander Kane, a No.2/3 defenseman in Zach Bogosian as well as Robin Lehner, their starting goalie for he year--there's a lot to be excited about.
And it really starts with rookie Jack Eichel.
Buffalo's win last night over the Tampa Bay Lightning was pretty big. The Sabres headed into Amalie Arena last night having lost all three games against Tampa this season and hadn't beaten them since December 3, 2014, a 2-1 shootout win at home. Since that win the Sabres went 0-7 vs. the Lightning and were outscored 25-5 over that span while never scoring over one goal in any single game.
So taking down the defending eastern conference champions 4-1 last night on the road was a major up-tick for a team that's been trending upward over the last few weeks. Since getting blown out by the Montreal Canadiens on October 23, Buffalo has gone 5-3 and has played very well even in the losses. And after scoring only 12 goals in their first seven games (which includes Montreal) they scored 23 over their last eight games.
At 7-8 the Sabres are inching towards that .500-mark, a place they hadn't been all season. Granted, it's only November and there are always plenty of teams looking like contenders, but taken in context--with the back-drop of two 30th place finishes and the team missing their top LW in Evander Kane, a No.2/3 defenseman in Zach Bogosian as well as Robin Lehner, their starting goalie for he year--there's a lot to be excited about.
And it really starts with rookie Jack Eichel.
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