There was an analysis done a few years to try a determine what measurable preceding play was most predictive of drawing a penalty. Shots on goal, scoring chance, goal, hit, etc.I don't mean to ask when fans will start complaining about this.
What I'm asking is at what point does the team and the media start making mention of this?
A few years ago, Edmonton was at the bottom of the list in terms of calls.
The players, the team management, and especially the media stirred up a furor and they shot to the top of the list.
Mike Johnson has mentioned it a few times, in passing, during games how the team doesn't draw penalties.
Good Miller brought up the 0 instances of 5 on 3 this year, just last night, and he made reference to it a handful of times last year.
There isn't much focus on it outside of this though.
It's something that defies all of the typical correlary factors for drawing penalties:
Puck possession
Team speed
Offensive zone time
Style of play
Star players and their reputation
Team success
Toronto consistently finds itself at or near the top of all these aspects of the game, and they have played a fast paced, offensively driven style of hockey for 8 years now, have a Hart winner and a few other star players, yet they seem to break all of the unwritten rules in this subject.
To the surprise of no one who watches hockey the only correlation that could be found for drawing a penalty was taking a penalty.
It's game management plain and simple. If you don't take many penalties you wont get many power plays. Refs typically won't give you a 6-2 power play advantage, regardless of what the actual on ice play suggests. They'll ignore penalties or find some on you, one way or another they will even it out.
Tampa over the last several years has really mastered this. They believe they will beat you on special teams so they get the game greasy (especially if they're losing) knowing that no matter how restrained or disciplined the opponent is the refs will make sure at the end of the night the PPs are 5 each.