Is this his second full year?
Just like McDonagh!
Hey being that Quinn scratched him for a quarter of last season maybe we can say this is technically his first "full" season. If we move the goalposts enough we might be able to make him a rookie. First player ever to play 180 NHL games and be in his 5th year of pro hockey but still be a rookie.
And when it has not been 3 rookies, it has been 2 rookies and Staal. Do you really think that swap strengthens your argument?
It is pretty much exactly as young as I think it is. Adding Staal to the mix certainly makes them seem older, but it certainly does not make them any better.
Yes I believe 2 rookies and zero sophomores is less than 3 rookies and 1 sophomore.
Our season basically breaks down to one full seasons rookie who is awesome and a one full season from a bunch of other rookies who range from bad to good.
Wait, it is illogical to say that young players need to learn to play and win? That is not logical? Fascinating. Fielding a team that is comprised of 2 or three rookies (and if not 3 it is a on his last legs Staal), a barely defensive playing DeAngelo does not sound to you like a defense whose struggles should not be surprising? Again, fascinating.
Its illogical that people without bad stats are responsible for bad stats. The Skjei and Trouba pairing has the worst stats on the team and when they are on... those other players are on the bench. They have nothing to do with their stats. Its not really complicated.
Not. To. You.
Come on. That is not the argument and you fully well know it. You are better than that.
That is the argument.
"We have bad D stats."
"The stats are bad because the D is young"
"The top pair is veterans and they have the worse stats."
"Yes, because the D is young."
"How can the young D make the veteran top pair have bad stats?"
"Because they are young."
Do Fox and DeAngelo play against top lines and take majority of defensive draws? If you believe that a DeAngelo is not being sheltered, that is your issue. Were Fox to start to play Trouba's minutes, his stats would, I believe, drop into the abysmal category.
Er well, I mean yes they do take the majority of the D zone starts. Trouba has taken 40% and Fox and Deangelo have taken around 30% each. The split just looking at Trouba and Fox is about 56% to 44%, respectively. Trouba and Deangelo is 57% to 43%. And yes they do play against the oppositions top lines even if Quinn tries to avoid it, that is just how hockey works. Like I said, the whole sheltered thing is overblown.
Its also changing. The Trouba-Fox D zone split has gone from 91-66 the first three quarters of the season to 26-24 the last quarter, which shockingly coincides with the teams stats being significantly better. I'm shocked.
The team is where I expected them to be or even overachieving. Are there things that one can criticize? Of course. But if they are performing to my expectations or a bit better, then why would I have a negative view overall?
25th in the league, after all is said and done, was probably on the low side of most peoples expectation range. Pessimistic but not unreasonable.
25th in the league before we sold off Kreider & co. and with Panarin having a Hart Trophy year is... probably not something most people would consider overachieving.
But to each his own.
