Player Discussion Sens sign free wallet defenseman Nikolas Matinpalo

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I would keep him as the number 6 D. He obvi has experience. Hamonic can be the extra and JBD no idea. Maybe trade him for some help upfront. Or keep two extra D
 
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,



[td]
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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[td]
1.49

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[td]
1.90

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[td]
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.

The numbers are still hard to read. I'm comfortable with the Top-6 as it is right now. JBD, Sebrango and Hamonic as replacements, all good for me.
 
The numbers are still hard to read. I'm comfortable with the Top-6 as it is right now. JBD, Sebrango and Hamonic as replacements, all good for me.
I fixed the table (sort of). It seems the update killed copying tables in from spreadsheets...
 
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My man all over the offensive zone recently trying to get his fist goal or point.

No way in hell should he be sitting out when Jensen comes back.

Agree. As much as Hamonic has been serviceable lately, Matinpalo has shown he's much better and deserves to stay in the lineup over him.

And is there any doubt left over who is better between him and JBD at this point?
 
He flashed some nice wheels a couple of times last night. Definitely our 3rd best RD when Jensen is back. I would not put this guy on waivers.
I hadn't even considered that he was waiver eligible, yeah, idk if you can waive this guy and have any hope of him passing through.

I'd have him ahead of JBD for sure, and even if you do like the way Hamonic is currently playing over him (I don't but Green might, it's hard to compare given Hamonic has been used in tougher deployment), Hammer is likely gone after this year, while Matinpalo has a decent future ahead of him.

We probably don't need to make a decision any time soon with Norris, Gregor, JBD and Cousins out
 
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Can't take him out and leave Hamonic in.

3rd pairing has been doing its job well.

Hamonic nukes every pair he's on. He's a wiley vet, but he isn't good anymore, hasn't been in 3+ years.

I think he (Hamonic) has been pretty good relative to expectations. He's got the best GA/60 of all D on the team (sorry. 2nd best slightly behind Kleven), compared to the absolute worst last year. That's while clearly playing above where he should be (over 500 of his 628 5v5 mins in the top 4...) for most of the year.

He absolutely kills any offense though...

I do agree that you can't break up Kleven and Matinpalo the way they are playing, so he should come out, but he deserves some credit for a much better season. I think this has been his best season as a sen. Low bar but I don't hate his game this year, just his penchant for needlessly icing the puck...
 
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He's been very solid and you can tell he has a history of playing with Kleven. Those two have good chemistry together.

I suspect he'll leave the lineup once Jensen is back, but he absolutely deserves to be playing every night over Hamonic.

I think he's earned a 1-way extension for next season.
 
He has been so solid and does everything better than JBD or Hamonic.

Skates better, handles the puck better, more physical, better shot (although he keeps going for top cheese) and he has a very calm presence.

He probably comes out of the line-up just because vet stuff, but with what he has shown, I think he gets picked off the waiver wire if we try to send him down.

It doesn't seem we have had nice surprises like him in a LONG time.
 
He's been very solid and you can tell he has a history of playing with Kleven. Those two have good chemistry together.

I suspect he'll leave the lineup once Jensen is back, but he absolutely deserves to be playing every night over Hamonic.

I think he's earned a 1-way extension for next season.

I’d agree he gets an extension but I’d also resign Hamonic to a 1 year and let those guys be your 6-7 Dman on the right side. Trade JBD
 
I figure at this point you could call any of the top 4 D up from the minors. They would all look pretty fine on the 3rd pairing for Ottawa. Having an actual system all 5 guys understand and defensive zone structure (i.e. forwards knowing and understanding what they are supposed to do) is of huge help to defensemen.
 
I’d agree he gets an extension but I’d also resign Hamonic to a 1 year and let those guys be your 6-7 Dman on the right side. Trade JBD
Oof...I can't see us bringing Hamonic back. He has been a great vet for us, but this extra year this year was a bonus for him. I think we could get an upgrade, while still getting his type of player, if we needed it.
 
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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,




With Kleven TOI With xGF/60 xGA/60 xGF% With
Travis Hamonic 124.10 1.49 1.90 43.93
Nikolas Matinpalo 85.75 1.71 2.26 43.08
Jacob Bernard-Docker 259.28 1.70 2.37 41.75

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.
Would be nice to reduce the xGA/60 of those pairs to even out with the xGF/60.

Are stats available to indicate the effect of the Fs that they played with? For example, If they played with the 4th liners, the stats might show that the 4th liners were a causal factor for the poor xGA/60.
 
I agree. Skates just about as well but has much better reach, strength and poise, IMO.
He seemed to have a higher gear in the other game where he caught the F from behind. Could have been a slow F though. :)

Still I want to acquire a big tough mean D who can and will clear the crease of opposing Fs. We seem to have soft D.
 

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