Game #4: FLAMES (3-0-0) vs. SABRES (2-1-0)7:30 p.m. MT | TV: Sportsnet

[super6646]

At some point this season Darryl is going to have try numerous youngsters up front. Lewis is what he is; he ain't getting better. He's sound defensively but he's an anchor offensively to Backlund and Coleman. If you move him down one and Ritchie to pressbox then that 4th line is a bit more dependable. Right now the lineup screams Ruzicka in, Ritchie out. Yep Ritchie hasn't been terrible but need some skill in there.

Good f***ing luck with that.

 

[Yepthatsme]

Lindholm is sitting at an xGF% of 31.9% at even strength, While Toffoli and Huberdeau are both above 50.

Toffoli/Huberdeau have an xGF% of 86.04% without Lindholm albeit in 8 1/2 minutes of ice time.

Lindy needs to get his ass in gear.

The reason that group has such wildly different numbers at 5v5 is because of the PK ironically. Good PKers get their xGF% punished because after a successful kill, the opposing team usually still keeps you hemmed in for an additional 15-30 seconds until you regain possession. Then after a PK we usually roll out Huberdeau-Kadri-Toffoli to retake momentum while Lindholm rests. It’s why Lindholm had the lowest xGF% of our top line last year as well. When lines almost exclusively play together, it’s these small situations that have the biggest effect. There are articles about this if people would like, also has the inverse effect where bad PP players actually get a boost in xGF% when comparing small sample sizes or with/with you charts.