Miscellaneous NHL Discussion XCIII: Spring has Sprung

[deadhead]

Interesting the change started in 2017-18. That's when the league started enforcing rules on slashing, grabbing, interference, etc. more strictly.
The changes before then, eliminating the red line on two line passes, smaller goalie equipment, etc. had a far smaller impact.

The recent jump in scoring probably reflects the league accepting the changes are permanent, and thus changing their player evaluation and scouting, which would take 3-4 years to bear fruit (i.e. an 18 year old drafted in 2018 would be 22 in 2022-23 and in his first to third season).

The counter move will be faster players in the bottom six, able to more closely check the smaller, quicker players favored in the new enforcement regime. Big guys who can't skate are being phased out. The average weight has declined by 5-10 lbs the last five years.

 

[Beef Invictus]

The league is starting to catch on as a whole.

The Flyers aren't

 

[Beef Invictus]

Interesting the change started in 2017-18. That's when the league started enforcing rules on slashing, grabbing, interference, etc. more strictly.
The changes before then, eliminating the red line on two line passes, smaller goalie equipment, etc. had a far smaller impact.

The recent jump in scoring probably reflects the league accepting the changes are permanent, and thus changing their player evaluation and scouting, which would take 3-4 years to bear fruit (i.e. an 18 year old drafted in 2018 would be 22 in 2022-23 and in his first to third season).

The counter move will be faster players in the bottom six, able to more closely check the smaller, quicker players favored in the new enforcement regime. Big guys who can't skate are being phased out. The average weight has declined by 5-10 lbs the last five years.

It also matches the timeframe where kids and teenagers who could focus more on skill and creativity than keeping their head up start hitting the league

 

[kudymen]

I want to see that chart for 2022-23 season only, but split into segments before and after December 7th.

 

[landsbergfan]

It is just sinking in how dumb Columbus and Chicago are for blowing the #1 pick seeding. I guess I am okay with him going to Anaheim over either of those two, but having McDavid and Bedard on the west coast is a crime.

There honestly isnt a single team that can get him that I want him to go to

 

[Magua]

It is just sinking in how dumb Columbus and Chicago are for blowing the #1 pick seeding. I guess I am okay with him going to Anaheim over either of those two, but having McDavid and Bedard on the west coast is a crime.

There honestly isnt a single team that can get him that I want him to go to

It’s really Anaheim or I’ll be mad. Scratch that: Columbus is fine by me too. I really have no animosity directed towards that team or fanbase — frankly, they’ve put up with a lot of crap. Also, the idea of Columbus getting Gaudreau AND Bedard (“Did you want the Flyers to sign Gaudreau or tank?!”) is such a funny idea that makes the Flyers look like dumbasses in every way. I don’t think the Flyers will be competitive until Bedard retires, so that part doesn’t concern me.

Chicago and Montreal are worst case. Anyone below the Flyers is next worst case, mainly the Capitals. Arizona/Houston just sounds like a waste of his talents, but that’s an NHL problem, not a personal gripe. I wouldn’t normally care about the Sharks either, but I have a Sharks friend, and I can’t watch that gloat fest.

 

[Strawberry Fields]

Looks like the Pens did indeed fire Sully and he already found another job.

 

[Curufinwe]

In Brind'Amour's interview with Friedman he said that the Selke definition had changed in the last 25 years to reflect the best two-way forward instead of the best defensive forward.

Makes sense given who has won it in that time frame, for the most part, though the best two-way forward of this generation is also the best defensive forward of this generation....

Listening to him talk was like chalk and cheese compared to BS we get from the phony tough guy Tortorella.

 

[GapToothedWonder]

The league is starting to catch on as a whole.

I think one of the biggest changes is that there is a generation of defenceman that have grown up their whole lives after the 2004 lockout rule changes. Before those changes there would routinely be 2-4 or more guys on the ice that effectively weren't offensive threats. Now even the depth defenceman are largely able to help facilitate offensive flow. Not all at a great level, but it's not like 20 years ago where a lot of teams better defenceman might as well have no crossed center ice.

It's just going to keep accelerating too, if you can't produce offense as a defenceman at lower levels you aren't going to be looked at as a draft worthy prospect.

...at least by teams that aren't run by dinosaurs.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

The playoffs starting in May?

 

[Starat327]

The playoffs starting in May?

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Interesting the change started in 2017-18. That's when the league started enforcing rules on slashing, grabbing, interference, etc. more strictly.
The changes before then, eliminating the red line on two line passes, smaller goalie equipment, etc. had a far smaller impact.

The recent jump in scoring probably reflects the league accepting the changes are permanent, and thus changing their player evaluation and scouting, which would take 3-4 years to bear fruit (i.e. an 18 year old drafted in 2018 would be 22 in 2022-23 and in his first to third season).

The counter move will be faster players in the bottom six, able to more closely check the smaller, quicker players favored in the new enforcement regime. Big guys who can't skate are being phased out. The average weight has declined by 5-10 lbs the last five years.

I think equipment is the #1 factor.

Stricter goalie equipment limitations, combined with continued advancements for skaters which makes them skate faster & shoot quicker & harder.

Secondarily, I think defenders know they’ll get called for penalties on slashing-type defensive plays that they formerly used to prevent scoring chances.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I think one of the biggest changes is that there is a generation of defenceman that have grown up their whole lives after the 2004 lockout rule changes. Before those changes there would routinely be 2-4 or more guys on the ice that effectively weren't offensive threats. Now even the depth defenceman are largely able to help facilitate offensive flow. Not all at a great level, but it's not like 20 years ago where a lot of teams better defenceman might as well have no crossed center ice.

It's just going to keep accelerating too, if you can't produce offense as a defenceman at lower levels you aren't going to be looked at as a draft worthy prospect.

...at least by teams that aren't run by dinosaurs.

Not a coincidence that a ton of the most effective offensive defensemen came up in the 80s and 90s before the DPE. The DPE is hockey's dark age and it took the game a decade to recover.

 

[kudymen]

Ah Seattle against Avalanche. I can’t wait for some outcomes of this series become “Halkskork >>>>>>> SC winner”

 

[DancingPanther]

The league is starting to catch on as a whole.

And then there's the Flyers

 

[kudymen]

Seems like NHL facebook guys got inspired

 

[BernieParent]

The league is starting to catch on as a whole.

This isn't the playoffs.

 

[Curufinwe]

Seems like NHL facebook guys got inspired

View attachment 689423

I wish they had started the X scale at 0

 

[DancingPanther]

I wish they had started the X scale at 0

I follow a page on FB called "your data presentation is bad and we've rejected your paper" and I submitted this lol

 

[Cody Webster]

He's really pushing this NHL in Georgia thing...

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Rossi put out a piece on the Pens' potential candidates. Tulsky, Dellow, Ventura, Mandrycky, and Cam Lawrence all mentioned. The Flyers sent Danny Briere to business school. Just kill me now.

 

[Starat327]

Rossi put out a piece on the Pens' potential candidates. Tulsky, Dellow, Ventura, and Cam Lawrence all mentioned. The Flyers sent Danny Briere to business school. Just kill me now.

It's no Harvard Degree, but it'll do, I guess.

 

[Rebels57]

Rossi put out a piece on the Pens' potential candidates. Tulsky, Dellow, Ventura, Mandrycky, and Cam Lawrence all mentioned. The Flyers sent Danny Briere to business school. Just kill me now.

Fenway Sports Group vs. Dan Hilferty, Val Camillo, Billy King, and the Organizational Titans. Who ya got?

 

[DancingPanther]

Fenway Sports Group vs. Dan Hilferty, Val Camillo, Billy King, and the Organizational Titans. Who ya got?

Foundational* titans

 

[deadhead]

I think one of the biggest changes is that there is a generation of defenceman that have grown up their whole lives after the 2004 lockout rule changes. Before those changes there would routinely be 2-4 or more guys on the ice that effectively weren't offensive threats. Now even the depth defenceman are largely able to help facilitate offensive flow. Not all at a great level, but it's not like 20 years ago where a lot of teams better defenceman might as well have no crossed center ice.

It's just going to keep accelerating too, if you can't produce offense as a defenceman at lower levels you aren't going to be looked at as a draft worthy prospect.

...at least by teams that aren't run by dinosaurs.

Things will stabilize, sports is empirical game theory at its best.

Just look at last year's POs, both TB and Colorado employed a tight checking game using speed to harass opposing offenses. That will spread throughout the league, guys who can skate and defend will be valued higher b/c they can slow down those smurf offenses.

The players who will drop in value are offensive players without the speed to compete at a NHL level, as the game gets faster, their windows get smaller. And of course the big lumbering guys, but they've already been devalued, though L Schenn keeps getting employed. What has changed is the minimal threshold in terms of skating and agility. Big D-men who are decent skaters will still have jobs.

There is still a limited supply of offensively talented players, the supply expanded as the new rule enforcement enabled smaller players to compete, but there are only so many with the agility, vision and skills to thrive even in the new NHL.