How Good Are the 2013-14 Rangers (Part II)

[SnowblindNYR]

We've been on a bit of a slide with the PP the last 20 games or so. We generate some good chances, haven't been able to finish them properly. Hopefully it'll sort itself out before the playoffs.

We also have been generating fewer chances than before but not THAT fewer.

 

[Thirty One]

I'm having trouble, can you explain how to read this? Not sure if left to right, or top to bottom. I is confused.

Going counter-clockwise starting at the right horizontal it goes from bad possession to good possession. From the middle of the circle to the outside it goes from Stanley Cup Winners to missing the playoffs.

In each corner it gives the stats for each quadrant (FF% <45%, 45-50, 50-55, 55+).

 

[Thirty One]

I mean it makes sense. Whenever I've seen the Devils it seems like their strategy has been put it in the other teams corner and cycle until the games over. I'd be curious to see how many shot attempts they make per 60 compared to the other top possession team. That might help explain it, as there's never a perfect stat but possession metrics have proven to be pretty accurate.

And they're just that: possession metrics. They're a good predictor of who is good and bad, but you can be a good possession team and still be bad, it's just a lot harder.

Hint: who's that big fat goalie the Devils have played 35 games this year?

 

[TheDirtyH]

They have the fewest shots on goal for and against, you're right. That said if half the league did that I somehow doubt those teams would be winning that much. It's a ****** strategy for winning consistently I think, so it's still a loophole isn't it?

Yeah I agree that in general it does disagree with the usual interpretation of possession statistics. But I think that's where certain things that can't have a place in stats comes in. The devils are an old team. I remember listening to podcast in which the devils were the topic and the one guy was saying that the devils seem to float or that the game looks really slow for the first two periods, then turn it up a lot at the end. He was commenting on that having to do with veteran savvy. Like we know how not to lose a game for two periods, save up energy for the end and win it right at the wire...which fits pretty well with how they have won games. And I also don't know that they're winning "that much" they're going to miss the playoffs in a division that probably made it easier on them for a long time then any other would have.

 

[Emptyvoid]

Thank you, makes a lot more sense now. Pretty telling I'd say. 8/10 cup finalists.

 

[Thirty One]

Thank you, makes a lot more sense now. Pretty telling I'd say. 8/10 cup finalists.

Yep, only two that aren't are Pittsburgh. So if you want to get to the Cup Finals, you can either:
(a)possess the puck
(b)shoot like Crosby and Malkin

 

[Emptyvoid]

Yep, only two that aren't are Pittsburgh. So if you want to get to the Cup Finals, you can either:
(a)possess the puck
(b)shoot like Crosby and Malkin

This is since the 2004 lockout, correct?

Edit: Amazing how consistent Detroit has been.

 

[Thirty One]

This is since the 2004 lockout, correct?

2007-08. That's as far as most possession stats go back.

 

[Emptyvoid]

2007-08. That's as far as most possession stats go back.

What other kind of stats do you personally like to use when determining how good a team is?

 

[Thirty One]

What other kind of stats do you personally like to use when determining how good a team is?

Basically just Fenwick, 5-on-5 goal differential, regulation record

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I thought that the 07-08 Wings were the best team in terms of possession, that graphic shows the Sharks as #1.

 

[Thirty One]

I thought that the 07-08 Wings were the best team in terms of possession, that graphic shows the Sharks as #1.

Nope. Detroit is the closest to the horizontal.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Nope. Detroit is the closest to the horizontal.

Congrats on posting the most confusing graph ever.

The Sharks are more towards the right than Detroit. I thought vertically was in regards to where they finished.

 

[True Blue]

It's amazing how good our PP has looked most of this year yet the numbers are mediocre. I think it's a lot better than the numbers though.

How is that possible? You cannot be a good PP if you produce mediocre numbers.

 

[True Blue]

Edit: Amazing how consistent Detroit has been.

Building a franchise with vision and a game plan does have its merits

 

[Jersey Girl]

Congrats on posting the most confusing graph ever.

The Sharks are more towards the right than Detroit. I thought vertically was in regards to where they finished.

Lol I feel like if Brian Burke were an internet poster he would come in here and, not unlike grabbing the microphone at a Comic Con convention, say 'you guys know none of this is real, right?'

 

[Thirty One]

Congrats on posting the most confusing graph ever.

The Sharks are more towards the right than Detroit. I thought vertically was in regards to where they finished.

It is confusing.

Inside to outside is how they finished.
Clockwise is how high they were Fenwick wise.

Building a franchise with vision and a game plan does have its merits

Yep Detroit definitely would have traded Callahan for picks. They've made many comparable moves.

 

[aufheben]

Hottest team in the conference right now. Getting hot at the right time? Hopefully it continues into the playoffs.

Edit: Well except Boston haha, but their win streak ended.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Hottest team in the conference right now. Getting hot at the right time? Hopefully it continues into the playoffs.

Edit: Well except Boston haha, but their win streak ended.

Flyers are hot too, getting hot at the right time, but also had a win streak that just ended. Hopefully they don't start a new one tonight.

 

[True Blue]

Yep Detroit definitely would have traded Callahan for picks. They've made many comparable moves.

Let me know when the two franchises belong in the same breath when it comes to success.

 

[True Blue]

Flyers are hot too, getting hot at the right time, but also had a win streak that just ended. Hopefully they don't start a new one tonight.

Tonight should be a very telling game. Last time, the size difference really showed up. And the willingness to engage.

 

[Thirty One]

Let me know when the two franchises belong in the same breath when it comes to success.

My bad, I thought we were discussing the methods and not the success.

 

[McRanger]

Yep Detroit definitely would have traded Callahan for picks. They've made many comparable moves.

I think the "game plan" he wanted to follow was drafting Datsyuk and Zetterberg in the 6th and 7th round in '98 and '99 and then not having a impact 1st rounder for a decade.

So.... unless I am completely misreading this....I think he is blaming Neil Smith for everything.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

How is that possible? You cannot be a good PP if you produce mediocre numbers.

Sure you can. The Rangers in previous years would often take the wind out of their sails by having a horrible PP that got no shots off and would lose momentum, happens a lot less this year. You can have the same percentage as another team but if you put way more pressure you're a better PP. You look at things as too black and white.

 

[Holocene]

I love this. A Sens blogger looks at the makeup of a Cup Contender, a topic discussed much on here. Warning: Longness and Fancystats.

http://www.silversevensens.com/2014/3/25/5545016/the-anatomy-of-a-cup-contender



He's clearly just an optimist for the Rangers.

"Size does not appear to play a role in declaring a team a cup contender, and shouldn't be emphasized as a key contributor to NHL success."

Try telling that to most of our fanbase haha

Good article, 31, very informative