"How can people who have no other jobs but watching and learning about hockey be this bad at understanding hockey. "

Says the blogger who admittingly doesn't watch the team he blogs for.
- Tanuki

Well, here is your answer.

When you consider that when healthy basically no one has been better than Raanta, I have to disagree. Nothing against Kuemper, who's been great, but Rannta is a top 1-5 goalie.
- James_Tanner

Well, here is your answer.
- tomburton99

Thank you I never understood people who brag so much about their advanced education, yet are devoid of critical thinking and blind to their own hypocrisy.

You mean bad players who were also *gasp* on bad teams??

Shocking?

You're an idiot. So what's your excuse for going into Montreal and dropping 5 on them in their own barn with "2 of the worst players in the NHL"?

I'm sure JR is going to re-sign them to multi year deals, right?

You're seriously retarded. I suppose he shoulda sat on his hands and iced AHL D guys so the Pens could miss the PO"s lmfao
- DutchCanSaveUs

You seem like a really cool guy, and I'd just like to say that yes, they should have dressed random AHL players who would be significantly better, and that winning a single game doesn't prove anything one way or the other.

Look for the long version of the Perfect Kiss video. I used to pay to go watch it in NY in the 80's. They played it in a lot of the movie houses in Greenwich Village. 4 musicians playing a great song for no one but themselves. Brilliant
Found it. https://youtu.be/x3XW6NLILqo
- duxcup07

That is awesome. I thought the 12" version I posted was the longest version. I'll have to watch yours to see if it's the same as the one I posted or more like the album version. New Order is weird in that almost all their best songs are better in non-album versions.

The Leafs fans you mention actually believe they know more about hockey than Babcock. That should explain everything.
- shack67

I don't think we know more than he does, but that doesn't mean he can't make mistakes and that we can't criticize him for them.

For instance, Babcock is 100% wrong to play Zaitsev for more minutes than Muzzin. I don't care how good of a coach he is, that's a very stupid decision.

I don’t know, man. I’ve tried to appreciate Delillo, but I just can’t get there

Read “Great Jones Street” recently, and thought it was some pretentious nonsense. White Noise is supposed to be his masterpiece, so I’ll give that one a shot before throwing in the towel. My wife also bought me his latest one, but I’ll wait to see how White Noise goes first...

So did I just pick a bad one with Great Jones Street? Or is that indicative of all his work? Maybe he’s just not my guy. Give me Irvine Welsh any day...

That’s a lot of terlits to clean.

You equate a one bath house to living in Cuba? Something very wrong with you man.
- shack67

You’re right. Not Cuba. Estonia.

5v5 goal differential and plus minus are not the same thing. However, even if they were, there's nothing wrong with using it in the context that I was using it in, which is to say that whether you go by shot-attempts, shots, scoring chances, high danger scoring chances, or goals he's been a positive impact.

Like Jake Gardiner, if a guy is a positive in every single one of those categories, he's a good player end of discussion.
- James_Tanner

Explain.

James Tanner: PLUS/MINUS: Extended 12" Mix (Playoff Run Edition)
Coyotes, Leafs, Oilers, Penguins and more!
"Other than my friend Johnny, and my mother (who definitely should not have read it) it has received universal acclaim and is available for about 10 dollars or as a $3 e-book. This book has absolutely nothing to do with hockey, but I strongly suggest you buy it as I have sold over 60 copies and one day hope to hit at least 100."

- James_Tanner

Good luck to that, esteemed colleague.

I don’t know, man. I’ve tried to appreciate Delillo, but I just can’t get there

Read “Great Jones Street” recently, and thought it was some pretentious nonsense. White Noise is supposed to be his masterpiece, so I’ll give that one a shot before throwing in the towel. My wife also bought me his latest one, but I’ll wait to see how White Noise goes first...

So did I just pick a bad one with Great Jones Street? Or is that indicative of all his work? Maybe he’s just not my guy. Give me Irvine Welsh any day...
- AxlRose91

Great Jones Street is not really indicative of his best work. I liked it, but it's definitely one of least important novels, and probably not the best place to start. White Noise is one of my favorite books = funny story, when I first started writing and had to get a twitter account, i made the book's cover my avatar, but people don't read books and some actually took it as a racial thing, which was unfortunate, but obviously I changed it.

His newest, Zero K is definitely good, but it's not anything close to White Noise, which you'll love - no one hates that book. Libra and Underworld are his other two big ones, both also good. Other than his three big books, I think most of his stuff is more or less for fans.

Explain.
- Aetherial

Plus minus includes any 4 on 4 or 3 on 3 situation, and also short-handed goals for and against. 5v5 is just 5v5 only. So, if you look up the two numbers separately they'll be different, usually.

Plus minus includes any 4 on 4 or 3 on 3 situation, and also short-handed goals for and against. 5v5 is just 5v5 only. So, if you look up the two numbers separately they'll be different, usually.
- James_Tanner

So let me get this straight.

According to you, +/- is the worst stat ever. You have said this multiple times, for years.

BUT... you, and other advanced stats proponents refer to ES goal differential.

Then you tell me that the difference is 4 on 4 and 3 on 3 and SH situations are not included in ES goal differential.

So a stat goes from being the world's worst stat to something you quote and THAT is the difference? Counting ALL ES and SH situations makes +/- useless?

OR... are you just quoting something equally useless.


Good lord.

PLUS: Once again if you've read this blog all the way to here, then you've made it to that special portion where I try to sell you the book I wrote. Self released on Amazon under an alias due to it's extreme content, this book is NSFW or for reading on the bus.

Other than my friend Johnny, and my mother (who definitely should not have read it) it has received universal acclaim and is available for about 10 dollars or as a $3 e-book. This book has absolutely nothing to do with hockey, but I strongly suggest you buy it as I have sold over 60 copies and one day hope to hit at least 100.
- James Tanner

I gotta be honest, you're not doing a great job. You've never mentioned the title, or your pseudonym, so how is anyone supposed to find it?

I'd take a shot on it for $3

Plus minus includes any 4 on 4 or 3 on 3 situation, and also short-handed goals for and against. 5v5 is just 5v5 only. So, if you look up the two numbers separately they'll be different, usually.
- James_Tanner

Don't forget empty-net situations, while still "even strength" count against the team that has the goalie pulled.

Rich? Lmfao!

You raised 3 kids in a one bedroom apt. you likely rented in college? Lol. K buddy.
- DutchCanSaveUs

I've lived in a 4 bedroom, 1,800 sq/ft, and a 5 bedroom 2,000 sq/ft house with only one bathroom. Having multiple bathrooms wasn't considered important until very recently.

I've lived in a 4 bedroom, 1,800 sq/ft, and a 5 bedroom 2,000 sq/ft house with only one bathroom. Having multiple bathrooms wasn't considered important until very recently.
- Wetbandit1

you third world uncultured ingrate!

So let me get this straight.

According to you, +/- is the worst stat ever. You have said this multiple times, for years.

BUT... you, and other advanced stats proponents refer to ES goal differential.

Then you tell me that the difference is 4 on 4 and 3 on 3 and SH situations are not included in ES goal differential.

So a stat goes from being the world's worst stat to something you quote and THAT is the difference? Counting ALL ES and SH situations makes +/- useless?

OR... are you just quoting something equally useless.


Good lord.
- Aetherial

I find it hard to take this comment seriously because clearly everything has a context, and I doubt that you're that obtuse you don't see it. But if you insist on an explanation: Plus/ Minus is often quoted without context "Ron Hainsey is a plus 30 so obviously he's doing well," when in fact he is terrible.

Plus minus has many problems, among them that it is goaltending dependent, and that goals are random events that take an extremely long time to get a useful sample size.

So that is why it's no good. I don't use it, and I don't even ever mention goal differential at all, but in the example from this blog where I did use it, I also put it in the context of one of five total metrics (shot attempts, shots, scoring chances, high danger scoring chances, that together make up virtually anything worth knowing about a hockey player.

If he is a positive in all five, I think it's pretty clear that he's a good player. Honestly, I find it really sad that you pretend not to understand this in order to troll me. If you seriously needed it explained, well there you have it.

I gotta be honest, you're not doing a great job. You've never mentioned the title, or your pseudonym, so how is anyone supposed to find it?

I'd take a shot on it for $3
- Wetbandit1

The title can't be printed, and if I say the alias, someone will just come post it in here. DM me and I'll send you a link. Appreciate it!

The cap problems will be an issue, but it's counterbalanced by the fact they're exempt from the expansion draft.
- James_Tanner

I would think that's more stifling. They could at least shed a bad contract that way; like Smith.

I've lived in a 4 bedroom, 1,800 sq/ft, and a 5 bedroom 2,000 sq/ft house with only one bathroom. Having multiple bathrooms wasn't considered important until very recently.
- Wetbandit1

It's really only important if you have multiple people all needing to be somewhere at the same time. But our townhouse that we've lived in for ten years is pretty decent. It's not exactly gonna be featured on Cribs, but certainly this guy is on crack.

I would think that's more stifling. They could at least shed a bad contract that way; like Smith.
- Wetbandit1

I guess that's a fair point, but the expansion draft would cost them a really good player.

you third world uncultured ingrate!
- DeflatedPucks

I mean I DO live in Buffalo.

Seriously, what a weird thing. Where does one live where they think a house with one bathroom is equivalent to a literal third world country?

I mean I DO live in Buffalo.

Seriously, what a weird thing. Where does one live where they think a house with one bathroom is equivalent to a literal third world country?
- Wetbandit1

Heres a good rule of thumb
People in a household × 1.5 = number of bathrooms needed
Plus throw in a few powder rooms for high class ladies

I don't think we know more than he does, but that doesn't mean he can't make mistakes and that we can't criticize him for them.

For instance, Babcock is 100% wrong to play Zaitsev for more minutes than Muzzin. I don't care how good of a coach he is, that's a very stupid decision.
- James_Tanner

Seems to me that every player under his charge improves immensely. And he brings new players along slowly instead of overloading them and putting too much pressure on them. I think he’ll have everyone peaking just in time for the playoffs.