Probsbly not worth having this conversation if you think the faceoffs are insignifican, but whatever. What happens after matters but if you start with the puck even 55% of the time vs 38% you have a better chance of winning... if you havent noticed possession has become a pretty strong indicator of success in the NHL.. and again in the offensive zone (where you generally score most of the goals) it doesnt matter your position. I will give you that he's better on the rush as a center
- sabres2016

Winning a faceoff has nothing to do with being a good puck possession team. The rangers for example were less than 50% on the draw and they were in the cup finals and the 6th best puck possession team in the league. Your entire argument is based off a made up fact that winning a faceoff leads to being a better puck possession team and that is just wrong.

In fact the Kings were the best puck possession team in the league and weren't in the top 10 in faceoff percentages last season.

Edit: On top of that the Sabres forward with the best puck possession stats was Girgensons (who is only 41% on the draw) the second best forward is Ennis.

GARTH'S CORNER: Nolan Likes What He's Seeing
- garth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc

Winning a faceoff has nothing to do with being a good puck possession team. The rangers for example were less than 50% on the draw and they were in the cup finals and the 6th best puck possession team in the league. Your entire argument is based off a made up fact that winning a faceoff leads to being a better puck possession team and that is just wrong.

In fact the Kings were the best puck possession team in the league and weren't in the top 10 in faceoff percentages last season.

Edit: On top of that the Sabres forward with the best puck possession stats was Girgensons (who is only 41% on the draw) the second best forward is Ennis.
- Stripes77

Again... not saying its end all be all. Its just if they have a better guy it helps. You win a faceoff, you have the puckkl. Then you have to do something with it. But if you start with the puck and extra 12% of the time you have that many more chances to do something with it. I am NOT saying that winning more draws makes you a better all around player. I am saying that if you have a chance to win more draws , then you should do it.

Edit: you can have good possession stats if you are not a center as well. See: every single other player who isn't a center.

Winning a faceoff has nothing to do with being a good puck possession team. The rangers for example were less than 50% on the draw and they were in the cup finals and the 6th best puck possession team in the league. Your entire argument is based off a made up fact that winning a faceoff leads to being a better puck possession team and that is just wrong.

In fact the Kings were the best puck possession team in the league and weren't in the top 10 in faceoff percentages last season.

Edit: On top of that the Sabres forward with the best puck possession stats was Girgensons (who is only 41% on the draw) the second best forward is Ennis.
- Stripes77

So I guess when Drury won that faceoff then scored the game tying goal against the NY Rangers in the playoffs I guess that was nothing? lol, Rod Brindamour was a great two way center who scored huge playoff goals and was amazing at faceoffs, stats are for nerds. Matthew Collier said Grigensons is "one of the best two way centers in the entire NHL"...lol, all because of some stupid geek stat, he also said "I wouldn't trade Girgensons for Mckinnon" ...What kind of silly person would rather have a non scoring slow, terrible passing center who can't win a faceoff over a high end talent who skates like a demon and already at age 18 showed he can score in the playoffs?

Those geek stats are silly, if you play on a line with Zetterberg and Datsyuk with Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey on defense you will have great possession stats, now trade that guy to Florida and have him play with low talent goons, I'm sure his stats will be different....Possession is great but you also have to score to win games, Max Afinogenov could hold onto the puck for 30 seconds but couldn't score.