I love Simmonds, but Letang is a top pairing defenseman. We don't have any of those and our young guys are still a ways away. As much as I love both Read and Simmonds, They are 3rd and 2nd line players on this team.
- PhillySportsGuy

yeah. letang would make you guys night and day better.

yeah. letang would make you guys night and day better.
- stayinthefnnet

Pretty much all of Letang, Niskanen, Martin and Maata would make this team significantly better. Orpik is solid too, but we have players similar to him already.

one hour left, so i had to get it in. again.

re: phantoms - great to see heeter having a terrific season. there's a shot he could back up next season, assuming emery doesn't get re-signed.

also happy to see over 16k at the game. what a waste that phillylive is.

and the superbowl? a complete clown show. not surprising. most overhyped event ever and it rarely delivers.

Are we gonna have a steel cage match debate between you and jsaq on grossman? If so i will risk failing all four classes this semester to watch and read! Btw im on the fence how i feel. And not sure if i said it already but welcome back!
- JoeRussomanno

You get 2 for instigating!

That's the main problem with corsi/fenwick numbers. They don't and can't isolate the player from the other variables on the ice, to give a true reflection of the player.
- MJL

FYI, Corsi/Fenwick-Rel (Corsi/Fenwick of entire team when player is on ice, versus when he is off) and WOWY (with or without you analysis) are just a few of the ways that statisticians are using to isolate a players net effect on team possession, and remove teammates from the equation.

There are situation subsets to Corsi/Fenwick to adjust for score effect variables as well.

Pretty much all of Letang, Niskanen, Martin and Maata would make this team significantly better. Orpik is solid too, but we have players similar to him already.
- PhillySportsGuy

its hard to explain. for the penguins, with the team they have and the way they play, martin is currently their most important guy back there when he is healthy. for you guys though, i think letang would really make his mark. take a ton of offensive pressure off of the forwards, get it out in transition, and still be tenacious physically. if anything, i think playing in a more structured system would actually really benefit him.

FYI, Corsi/Fenwick-Rel (Corsi/Fenwick of entire team when player is on ice, versus when he is off) and WOWY (with or without you analysis) are just a few of the ways that statisticians are using to isolate a players net effect on team possession, and remove teammates from the equation.

There are situation subsets to Corsi/Fenwick to adjust for score effects as well.


- Tomahawk

They can't isolate a players net effect on team possession, no matter how much they try or say they can. Hockey is too much of a team sport to do so.

They can't isolate a players net effect on team possession, no matter how much they try or say they can. Hockey is too much of a team sport to do so.
- MJL

Whatever you say. Just an FYI, thought you'd like to know.

Whatever you say. Just an FYI, thought you'd like to know.
- Tomahawk

Already aware of all of it, but thanks anyway.

They can't isolate a players net effect on team possession, no matter how much they try or say they can. Hockey is too much of a team sport to do so.
- MJL

the stats don't support your opinion, so they must be invalid.

the stats don't support your opinion, so they must be invalid.
- ZaphodB

And what is my opinion that you refer to?

And what is my opinion that you refer to?
- MJL

this

They can't isolate a players net effect on team possession, no matter how much they try or say they can. Hockey is too much of a team sport to do so.
- MJL

simply untrue. there is more to it than just corsi or fenwick.

its hard to explain. for the penguins, with the team they have and the way they play, martin is currently their most important guy back there when he is healthy. for you guys though, i think letang would really make his mark. take a ton of offensive pressure off of the forwards, get it out in transition, and still be tenacious physically. if anything, i think playing in a more structured system would actually really benefit him.
- stayinthefnnet

I agree. The big fish, for me, would be Maata. I like Letang too. He would be a good compliment to Coburn and give us a legit top pairing. I think Letang would relish the opportunity to be a true #1 defenseman.

I agree. The big fish, for me, would be Maata. I like Letang too. He would be a good compliment to Coburn and give us a legit top pairing. I think Letang would relish the opportunity to be a true #1 defenseman.
- PhillySportsGuy

he has that opportunity on pittsburgh still though.

yeah, its arly but maatta is looking like a crown jewel right now. realistically, i see him and letang being the pens top pairing in the not too distant future.

he has that opportunity on pittsburgh still though.

yeah, its arly but maatta is looking like a crown jewel right now. realistically, i see him and letang being the pens top pairing in the not too distant future.
- stayinthefnnet

He needs to get better defensively. Do you see the Pens being able to rely on him to shutdown top lines and provide some points?

He needs to get better defensively. Do you see the Pens being able to rely on him to shutdown top lines and provide some points?
- PhillySportsGuy

letang, or maatta?

i know it doesnt appear to be the case, but letang's issues arent really defensively. he isnt a mike green type. its actually his puck handling that causes him problems.

this



simply untrue. there is more to it than just corsi or fenwick.
- ZaphodB

No it absolutely is true. And whether you want to look at CorsiRel, CorsiQOC, or Corsi/60, or any of the other subsets that are out there. They cannot eliminate all the other variables on the ice and the impact that other players have, to come up with a definitive statistical number for one player. All of these statistics simply lack context. And I question the data input also, which has a human element to it.
Instead of just blindly looking at numbers and using it to say this player is good or bad. Delve deeper, and look into why is one players numbers are this way, what's the situation. Why is a players numbers better playing with one group of players versus another. I guarantee you that NHL Coaches aren't looking at this data without context and using it to judge their players. They're looking at game film, and the situations, and making an accurate assessment of a player. Instead of looking at a flawed mathematical ideology without context, to judge players.

No it absolutely is true. And whether you want to look at CorsiRel, CorsiQOC, or Corsi/60, or any of the other subsets that are out there. They cannot eliminate all the other variables on the ice and the impact that other players have, to come up with a definitive statistical number for one player. All of these statistics simply lack context. And I question the data input also, which has a human element to it.
Instead of just blindly looking at numbers and using it to say this player is good or bad. Delve deeper, and look into why is one players numbers are this way, what's the situation. Why is a players numbers better playing with one group of players versus another. I guarantee you that NHL Coaches aren't looking at this data without context and using it to judge their players. They're looking at game film, and the situations, and making an accurate assessment of a player. Instead of looking at a flawed mathematical ideology without context, to judge players.
- MJL

Yawn
We're still going on about this??

Yawn
We're still going on about this??
- BiggE

You seem surprised.

one hour left, so i had to get it in. again.

re: phantoms - great to see heeter having a terrific season. there's a shot he could back up next season, assuming emery doesn't get re-signed.

also happy to see over 16k at the game. what a waste that phillylive is.

and the superbowl? a complete clown show. not surprising. most overhyped event ever and it rarely delivers.
- hammarby31

Heeter's made himself into an interesting case with his play this season. I still think the Flyers get a more experienced back up for Mason, but Heeter's definitely a good darkhorse.

You get 2 for instigating!


- Tomahawk

Oh and btw... Kudos to jsaq and mjl... Good clean discussion with opposing views. Im rather neutral on the topic but i liked what i read from both guys.

Oh and btw... Kudos to jsaq and mjl... Good clean discussion with opposing views. Im rather neutral on the topic but i liked what i read from both guys.
- JoeRussomanno

New blog, BTW

New blog, BTW
- Jsaquella

Thx