Player Discussion Sens sign free wallet defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo

[Joeyjoejoe]

Giant Tiger Zub

 

[Spinal tracker]

Yeah I thought he was a Zub like free wallet, now he is bringing the same type of defensive defenceman mentality to the NHL. Kleven looked his best playing with Jensen and Zub at times last night, but his game started to steady since Matinpalo became his partner. JBD and Hamonic weren’t sheltering or really mentoring the rookie, who is improving game by game. His K-Bomb resulted in Gaudette’s game winning goal and he is using his size more and more. Another legit 2020 draft prospect. We always lacked that 3rd pairing guy for Kleven, thus far Matinpalo looks to be a fit.

Kleven and Matinpalo have played extensively together with the B Sens and are comfortable with each other as D-partners. This is clearly evident in their recent play with Ottawa.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

there doesn't seem to be anything hamonic does better than matinpalo from what we've seen so far.

this is a young man's game and especially for players like hamonic who relied on physicals rather than hockey sense to be a good player.

it sucks trying to be a competitive team where you wanna win every night but you have a player who is a liability.

great teams don't have liabilities.

 

[KevinRedkey]

there doesn't seem to be anything hamonic does better than matinpalo from what we've seen so far.

this is a young man's game and especially for players like hamonic who relied on physicals rather than hockey sense to be a good player.

it sucks trying to be a competitive team where you wanna win every night but you have a player who is a liability.

great teams don't have liabilities.

Hamonic must be some sort of Locker Room gem, because the coach loves him and it cant be because of his on-ice play.

 

[coladin]

All of a sudden, thanks to guys like Matinpalo and Zebrango, and the maturation of Kleven playing top 4 minutes the last two games, this team's depth on defence is looking brighter

 

[Bileur]

All of a sudden, thanks to guys like Matinpalo and Zebrango, and the maturation of Kleven playing top 4 minutes the last two games, this team's depth on defence is looking brighter

That’s a lot of different ways of saying “not playing Hamonic”

 

[Adrianopolous]

I like him he should stay up

 

[aragorn]

The biggest improvement with this team has been in net this yr with Ullmark when he is healthy & with Merilainen G who has come in & played solid keeping them in games & giving them a chance to win while Ullmark has been out. They have also improved on defence reducing the goals against, moving the puck out of their end much quicker & making better decisions with the puck & not getting hemmed in as often. They still make mistakes & bad decisions at times, but they have cut down on them substantially & goaltending has been there to save them when it's needed.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Absolutely solid. He has given us a much needed physical dimension as well that we desperately need more of in the back-end. Also mobile and doesn't panic.

Has impressed and much more.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Is there a complaint about his game?

 

[aragorn]

Absolutely solid. He has given us a much needed physical dimension as well that we desperately need more of in the back-end. Also mobile and doesn't panic.

Has impressed and much more.

How would Brannstrom have done in that Boston game?

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

How would Brannstrom have done in that Boston game?

I'd wager it's the type of game they wouldn't have even dressed him.

 

[Senscore]

Possible he has an advantage because of his familiarity with Kleven but end of the day he's looked great in his role

 

[zenator]

Very serviceable.

Calm, takes few risks, has size, reach, reasonably mobile. No glaring mistakes.

Not dynamic, but that's not why he's here.

Advantage of having a Euro league vet in this role, he is poised and experienced.

I'd be comfortable with Mat as the #7 next year, competing with JBD for #6. Yak up from the AHL for looks / injuries.

 

[Laphroaig]

I was concerned when we signed Jeremy Davies and Filip Roos that they were going to be our first two defensive callups. I'm delighted that Matinpalo and Sebrango were given that opportunity and have have been more than equal to the task.

 

[OD99]

Mantipalo changes the makeup of the D in such a positive way. I am sure Hamonic gets back in right away, but I would hope they would have some form of rotation.

He has been too good to just dismiss him when Hamonic is back.

 

[Xspyrit]

The perfect excuse to never have Hamonic draw back in the lineup!

Kleven, JBD and Matinpalo should absolutely be the #5-6-7 guys. Actually, Morningpalo might be our 5th best D right now.

 

[Dionysus]

Very serviceable.

Calm, takes few risks, has size, reach, reasonably mobile. No glaring mistakes.

Not dynamic, but that's not why he's here.

Advantage of having a Euro league vet in this role, he is poised and experienced.

I'd be comfortable with Mat as the #7 next year, competing with JBD for #6. Yak up from the AHL for looks / injuries.

He's better than JBD and Hamonic at this point. Likely next year too.

Should stay in the lineup even if either guy comes back. For this season, probably see Hamonic at some point again. Currently really like what Matinpalo brings though. Steady, physical, good size. Skates fairly well, and makes simple smart breakout passes. Doesn't panic, so he is able to take a second and make a good pass that relieves pressure.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Honestly our Euro pro-scouting is surprisingly not terrible being able to get Zub and Matinpalo. When has Detroit or Buffalo ever got an Euro free agent that played nearly as well as Zub or even better than Matinpalo? Our North American pro-scouting needs a massive overhaul though.

 

[Tuna99]

That’s a lot of different ways of saying “not playing Hamonic”

One of the effects is the veterans are playing more because Matinpalo isn’t playing as many minutes as Hamonic would. I like Matinpalo but we need Hamonic too. They’ve all given us good minutes and the depth has really been what’s gotten us into a playoff spot

 

[BondraTime]

One of the effects is the veterans are playing more because Matinpalo isn’t playing as many minutes as Hamonic would. I like Matinpalo but we need Hamonic too. They’ve all given us good minutes and the depth has really been what’s gotten us into a playoff spot

Veterans have been playing essentially the same as they have been with Zub in, ~23/24 minutes a night in a regular 60 minute game

2 games in a row of nearly full OT where they only use their top 2 D, and a game where Sanderson got force fed minutes because Chabot left the game a few minutes in skews ice time numbers a gigantic amount during Mantipalo's small 8 game sample

 

[Xspyrit]

One of the effects is the veterans are playing more because Matinpalo isn’t playing as many minutes as Hamonic would. I like Matinpalo but we need Hamonic too. They’ve all given us good minutes and the depth has really been what’s gotten us into a playoff spot

No. In the 9 games Hamonic didn't play, we only gave up 19 goals so 2.11 GA/GP, which would be 1st in the NHL this season (Jets are currently 1st at 2.40 GA/GP)

OK so it's because Hamonic is unlucky? No, he has the worst defensive metrics on the Sens. He's actually been lucky, having a 2.63 xGA/60 at ES vs a 2.27 GA/60, goalies probably saving his butt a lot.

Chabot - Jensen
Sanderson - Zub
Kleven - Matinpalo
Sebrango - JBD

It should be like this if we're serious about making the playoffs.

 

[Cosmix]

All of a sudden, thanks to guys like Matinpalo and Zebrango, and the maturation of Kleven playing top 4 minutes the last two games, this team's depth on defence is looking brighter

Add a Yak to that and we could be "golden" soon.

 

[Senscore]

If Yak is who we think he can be, he's going to be such a game changer.

Teams know that our blueline isn't much of an offensive threat. But if you have to cover threats both down low and up high then that can be absolute chaos for opposing defenses.

 

[Micklebot]

No. In the 9 games Hamonic didn't play, we only gave up 19 goals so 2.11 GA/GP, which would be 1st in the NHL this season (Jets are currently 1st at 2.40 GA/GP)

OK so it's because Hamonic is unlucky? No, he has the worst defensive metrics on the Sens. He's actually been lucky, having a 2.63 xGA/60 at ES vs a 2.27 GA/60, goalies probably saving his butt a lot.

Chabot - Jensen
Sanderson - Zub
Kleven - Matinpalo
Sebrango - JBD

It should be like this if we're serious about making the playoffs.

If you're going to compare defensive metrics, you need to control for variables. Hamonic played a lot slotted too high, in much tougher deployment than JBD or Matinpalo, he also played a lot of that when the goaltending was not doing well, unlike Matinpalo who's come in with Levi playing great.

If you want to try and control for that, one way to go might be looking at how each of them played while paired with Kleven,

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With Kleven​

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TOI With​

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xGF/60​

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xGA/60​

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xGF% With​

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Travis Hamonic​

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124.10​

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1.49​

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1.90​

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43.93​

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Nikolas Matinpalo​

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85.75​

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1.71​

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2.26​

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43.08​

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Jacob Bernard-Docker​

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259.28​

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1.70​

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2.37​

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41.75​

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Kleven has also grown as a player over the year, so there's probably a bit of that impacting the numbers, no comparison is going to control for all the variables, but I do think we you apply a bit of control to the analysis, there's a strong argument to be made that Hamonic has been better than JBD.

Matinpalo has looked solid so far, small sample though, so tough to judge, I don't think our depth on D is actually all that bad, we have 4 guys in Hamonic, Sebrango, JBD and Matinpalo that can all play at this level. The issue imo is only Kleven is at a level where I'm comfortable with him moving up the lineup into the top 4.