By your logic, every team has improved because every team's players develop and should have better seasons than last years. It's a wash.
- rangerdanger94

The list I mentioned are young players , not the middle of the road guys, and for the record we were winning games without Gaborik (who was mostly hurt) and Horton (who was also mostly hurt).

Ah there it is again. We can excuse Sutter's terrible Corsi because he played with bad linemates. Tanner Glass' Corsi though? Nope, inexcusable.
- rangerdanger94

Sutter's Corsi wasn't AS BAD as Glass', despite playing on a line with him at times.

In his mind, all of the young players for the Rangers will vastly improve and be difference makers, but all of the young players for other teams will do nothing but make the team worse.
- cap1681

Beacuse some Ranger fans only consider big name FA has addons or improvements.

I see it all the time.

"Phaneuf's terrible Corsi should be ignored because he plays the toughest QoC!"

or

"Stralman is an elite possession play."
"But he plays the easiest QoC of any player on the Rangers when adjusted for zone starts."
"QoC doesn't matter."

or

"Glass is the worst player in the NHL because of his Corsi."
"But he played on the worst 4th line in the league."
"That doesn't matter!"

or

"Erhoff's possession numbers were terrible."
"That's because he played on the worst team in the league!"
- rangerdanger94

Tanner Glass is that bad. I watched 95% of Penguins games last year, and he was a big part of the reason why we had the worst 4th line in the NHL.

Tanner Glass is that bad. I watched 95% of Penguins games last year, and he was a big part of the reason why we had the worst 4th line in the NHL.
- cap1681

But, you are failing to account for is how unbelievably awesome he was in the 5% of the games you missed.

But, you are failing to account for is how unbelievably awesome he was in the 5% of the games you missed.
- Pete V

Nah, i think he was a healthy scratch for those games...

Glass and Adams were two of the worst possession players in the league. It's all relative and relevant.
- BINGO!

Of course, it's all relative and relevant depending on how you want to twist the stats and what factors such as QoC and QoT you choose to include or exclude depending on how it favors your argument at the moment in time. Sutter is a bonafide 3rd line center, one of the best in the league in fact, with a 42.7% CF% when adjusted for zone starts and close situations. But Tanner Glass sitting less than 3% back from that number is easily the worst player of all time.

Erhoff with a whopping 44.6% CF% is a definite upgrade to Niskanen's 54.4% CF% though. Oh wait...let's make up excuses for why Erhoff's was that bad.

Let's just not play the season, and put the eight teams with the best combined Corsi numbers into the playoffs. That would save us a hell of alot of time, I'll tell you.
- Pete V

I'm sure Devils fans would love this until they figure out a way to "possess" the puck into the net.

Beacuse some Ranger fans only consider big name FA has addons or improvements.
- Alexzanki

I think that stereotype is a little outdated. I know a lot about growth from within. See: Stepan, McDonagh, Lundqvist, Hagelin, Callahan, Dubinsky, Anisimov, Staal, Girardi, Kreider, Talbot, Del Zotto.

Of course, it's all relative and relevant depending on how you want to twist the stats and what factors such as QoC and QoT you choose to include or exclude depending on how it favors your argument at the moment in time. Sutter is a bonafide 3rd line center, one of the best in the league in fact, with a 42.7% CF% when adjusted for zone starts and close situations. But Tanner Glass sitting less than 3% back from that number is easily the worst player of all time.

Erhoff with a whopping 44.6% CF% is a definite upgrade to Niskanen's 54.4% CF% though. Oh wait...let's make up excuses for why Erhoff's was that bad.


I'm sure Devils fans would love this until they figure out a way to "possess" the puck into the net.


I think that stereotype is a little outdated. I know a lot about growth from within. See: Stepan, McDonagh, Lundqvist, Hagelin, Callahan, Dubinsky, Anisimov, Staal, Girardi, Kreider, Talbot, Del Zotto.
- rangerdanger94

See Callahan traded for a big name, see Dubinski and Anisimov traded for a big name, see Del Zotto unable to get an NHL contract.

See Callahan traded for a big name, see Dubinski and Anisimov traded for a big name, see Del Zotto unable to get an NHL contract.
- smellmyfinger

That statement about MDZ proves my point...

Todd Cordell: Early Metro Division Predictions
- Todd.Cordell

Philly fans must be heated right now

How dare you

That statement about MDZ proves my point...
- rangerdanger94

What's the problem with MDZ? Work ethic? Does he thinks he's a budding star?

Philly fans must be heated right now

How dare you
- shvingter88

So heated.

Love how everybody is comparing possession numbers between Hartsy and Umberger. All Hartnell did was one time a pass, or receive a pass at the blue line, skate in 8 feet and shoot. Watch that serries against NY over again and tell me how man time he tried a cross ice pass that ended up going the other way for a goal. Meanwhile, when RJ was playing, his role was to help cycyle the puck and create offense. He had similar number to Hartnell over the pass 5 seaons with the exception of this one because of his injuries. And that was Hartnell playing with Briere, Grioux, Voracek, VL, and others. Who did RJ have? Exactly!!!

Let's just not play the season, and put the eight teams with the best combined Corsi numbers into the playoffs. That would save us a hell of alot of time, I'll tell you.
- Pete V

Devils #1 seed in the east

Devils #1 seed in the east
- MannySilvers

Just give us the cup now!

What's the problem with MDZ? Work ethic? Does he thinks he's a budding star?
- Barnaby36

Confidence more than anything I think. He started playing poorly, then he got scratches or minutes cut, and now he's thinking too much instead of reacting which results in even more mistakes.

I posted at the end of Yost's thread but here are my predictions again:

Rangers
Penguins
Blue Jackets
Islanders
Devils
Hurricanes
Flyers
Capitals

Todd Cordell: Early Metro Division Predictions
- Todd.Cordell

Flyers hater much? Get real dude. lol

Never has a player been as inconsequential in a 7 game series as Scott Hartnell was in the Flyers first round series vs the Rangers. If that's an example of how important a great "possession" player is for a team I still am not too
convinced about these advanced stats being so important.

As for the Rangers... Dan Boyle and Stempniak will definitely provide more offense. ...JT Miller and Lombardi definitely have the potential to at least match Pouliot and Richards' combined point production. If they breakout, we will be a contender for the Eastern title.

Predictions:
Rangers
Everyone else
- rangerdanger94

Neal has always been a gifted goal scorer before playing with Malkin. In his rookie and sophomore seasons, he scored 24 and 27 goals respectively. This was when he was a young 21 and 22 year old. As a 23 year old, he scored 21 goals in 59 games before being traded to the Penguins (where he only scored 1 goal in the final 20 games of the season). He most likely benefited from playing with Malkin, but given his progression since his rookie season, 35 goals on any team in the league is not out of the question.

Don't let one (or even two) bad postseasons take away from a player's entire career.
- rangerdanger94

Neal and his antics were a distraction. While being a gifted goal scorer, he can not create on his own, or drive possession or play. He is a power play specialist. He will be a 30 goal scorer, but I bet his numbers dip a bit. Neal was a luxery that the Pens did not need. A player like Hornqvist is exactly what the Pens need. I will bet you Malkin scores 40-50 again as he will not be trying to set Neal up for his wicked wrist shot. Malkin will have more shot attempts and Hornqvist will bang in garbage. The Pens top 6 will put up close to the same numbers as seasons past, the bottom six is vastly improved. This is a better team than hit the ice last season.

I like to call a spade a spade, and this comment is not for the sake of trolling.

But how in God's green Earth do Rags commenters have sky high expectations for Lombardi and Stempniak? You're delusional if you're excited for that.

I strongly disagree.

1st in the Metro is the Pens, obvious choice. MAF always has a strong Regular Season, Malkin and Crosby can carry the team the entire year as long as they are healthy. Pens are still likely to lose 1st round of the playoffs due to the fact, teams just have to shutdown 2 players.

2nd I believe would be the Rangers again. Basically the same team, changed up some depth guys. Rangers are a strong team and will be a strong playoff team

3rd Flyers. Flyers are the same team, they lost Hartnell but people forget he played with Giroux, they definitely made him play better. They Flyers did not overachieve, they actually underachieved since they threw away their 1st 15 games due to Giroux injury and a coaching/system change. This Flyers team will likely lose 1st or 2nd round, really depends on opponent.

4th Columbus. Forget Hartnell. He is one change from the wild card bubble team that jut made the playoffs. That will not change. Columbus may be slightly better than last season but Id put my money on being the same as last season.

5th Washington. Washington improved their defence and with the addition of Trotz should be a much better team in their own end. Question mark will be whether or not Holtby is the answer in goal.

6th NYI. The additions of Grabovski and Kulmin should give them some much needed secondary scoring and the signing of Halak stabilizes their goaltending situation. They still lack defence however.

7th New Jersey Devils. I feel as if NJ is trending downward. Jagr is well into his 40s and it is going to start showing eventually. Elias is regressing, Clowe is a wasted roster space and the defence is nowhere near as good as it once was. NJ took a good step forward last year getting Schnieder but they really need an upgrade on either D or forward. I am not so sure Camellerri will have a good season.

8th Carolina. No Joni Pitkanen, Sekera likely had a fluke season. This team just isn't close to being the playoff team it once was. Kudobin had a great season and he will have to prove he can do it again. Offensively J. Staal just has not been that good of a player, we all know about Semins issues with consistency.

I'd say the reason is that both their bottom-6 and their defense are vastly improved, not to mention they lost the most man games due to injury in the NHL last year and still won the division...pretty good reasons.
- jmatchett383

No disagreement here, sounds fair to me

Be all "Isles are the Isles" and be blinded by the blue and orange all you want but:

Nelson-Tavares-Okposo
Kulemin-Grabovski-Strome
Lee-Nielsen-Grabner
Bailey-Cizikas-Clutterbuck (plus Conacher and Martin)

That is deeper than any other team in the division hands-down right now.