What’s your unpopular hockey opinion?

[KWP]

Not an unpopular opinion per se but something lots of casual fans might not understand...

Analytics is all about 'entry with possession' and how successful that is relative to dumping it in. (of course you'd prefer to have the puck instead of having to get it back first). What lots of casuals don't realize is there is a compromise, that is if your team elects to try and gain the zone with possession more, good chance you'll be giving up your zone with possession more the other way.

dumping the puck in and managing it (getting it behind the opposition) forces them to go ~200 feet each time and lets you establish your neutral zone forecheck if you can't recover the puck and avoids turnovers and transition chances. Boston and St Louis has 2 of the highest dump in rates and were 2 of the best defensive teams in the league.

A team like the Blackhawks had one of the highest rates of making plays into the zone but also had the worst rate the other way. Same with Ottawa.

Obviously you're more likely to generate a chance when you can control the puck when crossing the blue line (duh) but the value of it in the grand scheme and over the long haul isn't as valualbe as led to believe.

I cannot stand "dump & chase" hockey but your point is well taken. As a fan tho. the high risk high reward entry (w/ possession), I'll take that over "turn the dman & race the puck" for sure.
(And believe me, us Blackhawk nuts know all about brutal goals against average.)

PS - And 5 more seasons of Brent Seabrook's No Movement Clause. Way to go Stanley.

 

[HanSolo]

ive got a few

skater defense especially forward defense is hella underrated
there are many nhl level players not on nhl teams and league expansion would be good
raw pts is the laziest form of player analysis ever

While I cringe at Hella as someone who used to say it all the time, point 1 is a good one. Best evidence I can give is my two teams. Vegas doesn't have a world class blueline and never has. Outside of Theodore and Schmidt the quality of the blueline group really starts to drop. But they've gotten by and made Fleury's job easier, for the most part, by having a good group of defensively strong forwards and a coach who insist that all five skaters play active, high tempo defense.

With Anaheim under Carlyle, it really wasn't that long ago that they were among the league's best in lowest SA/g and GA/g with pretty much the same goalie and core. Anaheim doesn't have bad defenders but the biggest issue with Anaheim was lack of structure from forward contribution in the defensive zone. As the game got faster and required more endurance, Carlyle didn't keep up and the forwards resorted to cheating up high waiting for the defensemen to clear the zone because they weren't fast or well conditioned enough to help defensively. And that translated to Anaheim's defensemen doing a lot of swimming in the slot and surrendering way too many high danger chances and praying Gibson or Miller would stop them all.

10+ years ago, great shutdown defense from a forward group was nice to have but it wasn't mandatory. There's a reason Anaheim's 07 line of Pahlsson, Moen, and R. Niedermayer are remembered as being so crucial to their cup win. These days all forwards on a roster need to at least try to replicate that level of defensive responsibility with tight positioning and good stick work. When they don't, you get a performance like the Ducks or the Senators, or even the Blackhawks last year.

Defensive participation from the forwards is massively slept on as a key factor in today's game.

 

[BatVader]

The Presidents Trophy is the true indication of the best team in the league, not the Stanley Cup.

I’d rather win one Stanley Cup over 10 presidents trophies

 

[JasonRoseEh]

That NHL players would be more successful if they passed a little less when attacking and shot the puck more. I know former players laugh and make fun of fans for screaming JUST SHOOT, but they're right most of the time. I can't count how many times a PP falls apart from over passing when all you need to do is put the puck on the net and see what happens.

Goal scorers in the modern NHL seem undervalued by analysts and pundits.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

That hockey has become too soft overall.

It's borderline, any further and it'll be a pillow fight. The modern NHL pundit seems to want hitting gone, it's weird.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

That’s 1 thing I find overrated about ovie ppl talk about his hits they mean something. Like he’s a power forward or something ya right.

Hitting is overrated although it does make more entertaining hockey that’s why I’m pro-fighting in hockey

Your take is that hits don't mean anything? And yes, Ovechkin is literally a power forward in the NHL, likely the greatest to ever play.

 

[Aladyyn]

This opinion and the “playoffs are mostly luck” opinion should die in the dumpster where they belong (no offense)

It's good that luck plays such a large factor imo. It's what creates a fake image of the so called parity that everyone loves.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

That NHL players would be more successful if they passed a little less when attacking and shot the puck more. I know former players laugh and make fun of fans for screaming JUST SHOOT, but they're right most of the time. I can't count how many times a PP falls apart from over passing when all you need to do is put the puck on the net and see what happens.

Goal scorers in the modern NHL seem undervalued by analysts and pundits.

I think there's usually a good reason on the PP- if you don't get the one-timer off but fans still think there's a shot- there usually isn't. There's a blocked shot going the other way, the fans just don't have the angle to see it. That said, sometimes the points pass back and forth and there are times where a one-timer or a quick move before a shot would be a good idea, and the Bruins definitely overpassed at times during the playoffs. The 2-on-1 pass is the one that drives me nuts. If it's there, great, but if the dman plays it well then take your space and fire one. In general I think players should shoot for rebounds more, banking one off the goalies pad and to the other forward was always fun to me.

Agreed on goal scorers.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Visors should not be mandatory.

Agreed.

Visors only make a small difference, and players who don't like them just tilt them up making them even less effective.

It seems like a half-measure. Either have full cages/face shields or have nothing mandatory.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

I’d rather win one Stanley Cup over 10 presidents trophies

I disagree. Just compare Carolina to SJ. Carolina has won a cup in recent memory yet are a 2nd tier franchise because they rarely make the playoffs.
Compare them to the Sharks who are always competitive and employ elite talent.

I would prefer SJ's success over the past 15 years than Carolina's.

 

[BatVader]

I disagree. Just compare Carolina to SJ. Carolina has won a cup in recent memory yet are a 2nd tier franchise because they rarely make the playoffs.
Compare them to the Sharks who are always competitive and employ elite talent.

I would prefer SJ's success over the past 15 years than Carolina's.

But you are ignoring all of Carolina’s off ice issues that had a play in this.
When was the last time you heard about SJ having money issues? Or hearing SJ relocation rumours? Or ownership changing hands?
Stability is huge to a franchise.

 

[x Tame Impala]

It's good that luck plays such a large factor imo. It's what creates a fake image of the so called parity that everyone loves.

What are you basing this on?

 

[brachyrynchos]

It's borderline, any further and it'll be a pillow fight. The modern NHL pundit seems to want hitting gone, it's weird.

I happen to think part of the problem is that too many players don't know how to take a hit and I guess some of that has to do with how the game is being played and regulated at the youth level (again, I'm just guessing on that).
At the pro level I should know better than to skate with my head down and that you're out there lining me up in the neutral zone. My potential/probable injury and lack of common sense shouldn't lead to your penalization (clean hit), the problem isn't in the check but my own stupidity. Like if I dumped the puck down into the corners and you saw me coming and you turn to face the boards last second when you know I'm gonna hit you... we both deserve what we get and so do those who continue to put themselves in such scenarios as long as it's clean. Cheers.

 

[Butch 19]

What are you basing this on?

anger

(well, the other poster that is...)

 

[TheOtherOne]

I don't know how unpopular this is but refs should be able to change their minds. Say one blows the whistle for hooking, quick glance at the video, quick conference with a linesman with a better view angle, then "never mind I was wrong, the faceoff will be at center ice."

 

[heysmilinstrange]

I disagree. Just compare Carolina to SJ. Carolina has won a cup in recent memory yet are a 2nd tier franchise because they rarely make the playoffs.
Compare them to the Sharks who are always competitive and employ elite talent.

I would prefer SJ's success over the past 15 years than Carolina's.

On the other hand, San Jose fans might prefer they had a championship instead of 15 years of near-misses.

 

[Deuce Awesome]

The 2010 Bruins were the closest thing i will ever see to a "perfect" team


(i hate the bruins btw)

 

[Chips]

I’d rather win one Stanley Cup over 10 presidents trophies

Depends, if not winning presidents trophies, how good is my team doing?

If we’re a winning team generally then sure I’d take the cup...

But id absolutely take 10 years of all round great 82+ game hockey without a cup, over 1 or just a few okay years and a cup.
As a Caps fan the end of every season was obviously disappointing, but the vast majority of the year was still mostly super fun.

The playoffs are amazingingly intense, but they’re way too short and the regular season is still really fun hockey played by the all round best players in the world.
I’m not one to stop watching the playoffs because my main team is out, I’m a general hockey fan.

 

[Chips]

I don't know how unpopular this is but refs should be able to change their minds. Say one blows the whistle for hooking, quick glance at the video, quick conference with a linesman with a better view angle, then "never mind I was wrong, the faceoff will be at center ice."

The weird thing is, I’m pretty sure we’ve seen them do this, when they huddle up.

The huge problem seems to be nobody knows when the f*** they’re actually allowed to do it or not, because the same incident can happen multiple times with different teams and they’ll treat it differently, or they correct something small but not something huge later.

I always thought technically they weren’t at all, but they do it... sometimes

 

[BatVader]

Depends, if not winning presidents trophies, how good is my team doing?

If we’re a winning team generally then sure I’d take the cup...

But id absolutely take 10 years of all round great 82+ game hockey without a cup, over 1 or just a few okay years and a cup.
As a Caps fan the end of every season was obviously disappointing, but the vast majority of the year was still mostly super fun.

The playoffs are amazingingly intense, but they’re way too short and the regular season is still really fun hockey played by the all round best players in the world.
I’m not one to stop watching the playoffs because my main team is out, I’m a general hockey fan.

The presidents trophy is a silver medal..... I’d prefer the gold!

 

[GOilers88]

Advanced stats have become the bane of the hockey community. Apparently there's tons of players in the league who really aren't good at hockey but for some reason they keep getting contracts and ice time.

 

[Nithoniniel]

- Bettman is doing a fine job.
- President's Trophy should carry as much prestige as the Stanley Cup.
- Jack Edwards is actually a good announcer.

 

[BatVader]

- Bettman is doing a fine job.
- President's Trophy should carry as much prestige as the Stanley Cup.
- Jack Edwards is actually a good announcer.

Wow... wrong on all counts

 

[Chips]

The presidents trophy is a silver medal..... I’d prefer the gold!

Lol fair enough, I’m just a quantity over quality guy over the long haul. I wouldn’t have nearly as much fun collectively over 10 years if my team was no better than barely-over-.500 most of the time, even with the cup.

I mean, second best is still pretty good lol. You were still better than 90% of the teams for a lot longer.

More intense or not, you have to remember the playoffs are a much smaller sample size with so much larger impact from random chance , luck etc on our perception of a team’s ability.

+ the fact that every team will have their ups and downs. You don’t choose when you heat up or cool down, or when your opponents do.
—————————

Opinion:
I feel like people over blow the Bolts “needs” to revamp their team. They were overdue for a losing streak, and the Jackets were overdue for a win streak. They were a better team than people gave them credit for, things just weren’t clicking before.

The Pens were really bad parts of their cup seasons, no? Then they got super hot later in the year?
The Caps year was the same. They usually got hot too early and slowed down before the playoffs, but that year they had a terrible stretch early, Trotz was one loss away from being fired, and began to beat up.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

I think there's usually a good reason on the PP- if you don't get the one-timer off but fans still think there's a shot- there usually isn't. There's a blocked shot going the other way, the fans just don't have the angle to see it. That said, sometimes the points pass back and forth and there are times where a one-timer or a quick move before a shot would be a good idea, and the Bruins definitely overpassed at times during the playoffs. The 2-on-1 pass is the one that drives me nuts. If it's there, great, but if the dman plays it well then take your space and fire one. In general I think players should shoot for rebounds more, banking one off the goalies pad and to the other forward was always fun to me.

Agreed on goal scorers.

The forced pass on a 2 on 1 is one of the worst handled plays in hockey. Dman forces man with puck to shoot and rather than do what he should he forces a bad, telegraphed pass. JUST SHOOOOOOTTTT