I hate this because why would Ovechkin block a shot? I'm sure he blocks some, i don't know the stats, but where is the risk reward of having him block shots, which is one of the dumbest things players do anyways.

If I was a coach, i'd tell my guys not to block shots. Goalies have pads for a reason.
- James_Tanner

Yep....Malkin just took himself out of the scoring race blocking a shot. Thankfully the Pens have a few other top end guys.

I hate this because why would Ovechkin block a shot? I'm sure he blocks some, i don't know the stats, but where is the risk reward of having him block shots, which is one of the dumbest things players do anyways.

If I was a coach, i'd tell my guys not to block shots. Goalies have pads for a reason.
- James_Tanner

Surely you realize a puck that doesn't reach the net or area of the net has a much less chance of going in the net or producing a rebound capable of being put in the net. Surely, as a hockey blog writer you get this.

Shot blocking is an extremely important thing to do in hockey. Take a look back at Stanley Cup winners and block shot totals for their playoffs that year.

Players who who are willing to pay the price (physically and mentally) to succeed are usually the ones who ultimately end up being successful...and by successful I mean championships. What really matters to the players. Rings.

Is this the first time in Ovechkin's career that hes had 2 assists in one game??

. First of all, that number is probably skewed by the dozens of interchangable rookies and ahl spot starts used throughout the year.

Wouldn't it be far more accurate to just look at whatever the average shooting percentage was?

I think if you looked at the history of the NHL's 11 shot games, I'd bet 90% of them had a goal.

That being said, I was mostly just trying to make a joke about scoring a half-goal , i didn't really think through what I was saying very deeply and I'm likely totally wrong no matter how you look arrive at the numbers.
- James_Tanner

fair enough.
And I think just taking average instead of qualifying as I did probably is more reflective.

But admittedly, those numbers that buddy provided were super conducive to framing the debate just as I wanted

Surely you realize a puck that doesn't reach the net or area of the net has a much less chance of going in the net or producing a rebound capable of being put in the net. Surely, as a hockey blog writer you get this.

Shot blocking is an extremely important thing to do in hockey. Take a look back at Stanley Cup winners and block shot totals for their playoffs that year.

Players who who are willing to pay the price (physically and mentally) to succeed are usually the ones who ultimately end up being successful...and by successful I mean championships. What really matters to the players. Rings.
- MattStrat

I actually think shot-blocking is BS.

It's counter-intuitive, I guess, but blocking shots doesn't have much correlation with winning.

This is partly bc if you're blocking shots, you don't have the puck, so that does make sense.

But also, a goalie can control a rebound better than a player. Blocked shot rebounds are unpredictable and I would wager often just go right back to the team that shot the puck.

The goalie can't see through you, so if you miss blocking the shot he might let in a bad one.

Theres a goal scored once ever two or three games off a blocked shot deflecting into the net, mostly with a stick.

Add in the injury risk and I don't think blocking shots does much for you.

Also, while Erik karlsson was leading the NHL in blocked shots, I saw an interesting piece that showed he was having less defensive impact this year than last year.

I'm not saying it like gospel, but I am very open to the idea of teams not blocking any shots.

I actually think shot-blocking is BS.

It's counter-intuitive, I guess, but blocking shots doesn't have much correlation with winning.

This is partly bc if you're blocking shots, you don't have the puck, so that does make sense.

But also, a goalie can control a rebound better than a player. Blocked shot rebounds are unpredictable and I would wager often just go right back to the team that shot the puck.

The goalie can't see through you, so if you miss blocking the shot he might let in a bad one.

Theres a goal scored once ever two or three games off a blocked shot deflecting into the net, mostly with a stick.

Add in the injury risk and I don't think blocking shots does much for you.

Also, while Erik karlsson was leading the NHL in blocked shots, I saw an interesting piece that showed he was having less defensive impact this year than last year.

I'm not saying it like gospel, but I am very open to the idea of teams not blocking any shots.
- James_Tanner

"This is partly bc if you're blocking shots, you don't have the puck, so that does make sense."

You wont usually have the puck on a PK. Blocked shots are even more important on a PK.


"But also, a goalie can control a rebound better than a player. Blocked shot rebounds are unpredictable and I would wager often just go right back to the team that shot the puck"

That's extremely debatable depending on the placement of the rebound.


"Theres a goal scored once ever two or three games off a blocked shot deflecting into the net, mostly with a stick"

Proof of this? Are shots off sticks counted as blocks? I think of a blocked shot as one blocked by the body.

How many goals have been prevented by blocked shots? Common sense would tell us that many more have been prevented than caused by them.

"This is partly bc if you're blocking shots, you don't have the puck, so that does make sense."

You wont usually have the puck on a PK. Blocked shots are even more important on a PK.


"But also, a goalie can control a rebound better than a player. Blocked shot rebounds are unpredictable and I would wager often just go right back to the team that shot the puck"

That's extremely debatable depending on the placement of the rebound.


"Theres a goal scored once ever two or three games off a blocked shot deflecting into the net, mostly with a stick"

Proof of this? Are shots off sticks counted as blocks? I think of a blocked shot as one blocked by the body.

How many goals have been prevented by blocked shots? Common sense would tell us that many more have been prevented than caused by them.
- MattStrat

the argument that common sense should prevail is horrible, overused and almost always used to prevent someone from thinking beyond the boarders of accepted dogma.

Blocking shots may be ideal defense. But it may also be something that is massively overrated that doesn't help you win as much as you think.

Like hitting, fighting, turnovers, faceoffs, quality of competition, save percentage, wins, the defensive abilities of offensive players etc. there are more than enough 'common sense' hockey thoughts that have turned out to be totally offbase that you'd think people would realize by now that counter-intuitive doesn't mean wrong.

I actually think shot-blocking is BS.

It's counter-intuitive, I guess, but blocking shots doesn't have much correlation with winning.

This is partly bc if you're blocking shots, you don't have the puck, so that does make sense.

But also, a goalie can control a rebound better than a player. Blocked shot rebounds are unpredictable and I would wager often just go right back to the team that shot the puck.

The goalie can't see through you, so if you miss blocking the shot he might let in a bad one.

Theres a goal scored once ever two or three games off a blocked shot deflecting into the net, mostly with a stick.

Add in the injury risk and I don't think blocking shots does much for you.

Also, while Erik karlsson was leading the NHL in blocked shots, I saw an interesting piece that showed he was having less defensive impact this year than last year.

I'm not saying it like gospel, but I am very open to the idea of teams not blocking any shots.
- James_Tanner

Have you ever even played a pick up game of ice hockey? Even as a child? You continually come off as someone who doesn't know what is involved with actually playing the game of hockey. You also continually put down athletes as being "stupid", in so many words.

It also seems that you don't even watch the full NHL games with your own eyeballs, instead picking up summaries, stat lines and highlights.

Why should anyone listen to you, for 2 teams no less? Is it the sheer traffic that you generate by irritating fans with grating contrarian nonsense? You don't seem like you'd be a "bad person" in real life, but your blogs depict you as an arrogant doofus.

Do you ever self-reflect on the drivel you post?

I actually think shot-blocking is BS.

It's counter-intuitive, I guess, but blocking shots doesn't have much correlation with winning.

This is partly bc if you're blocking shots, you don't have the puck, so that does make sense.

But also, a goalie can control a rebound better than a player. Blocked shot rebounds are unpredictable and I would wager often just go right back to the team that shot the puck.

The goalie can't see through you, so if you miss blocking the shot he might let in a bad one.

Theres a goal scored once ever two or three games off a blocked shot deflecting into the net, mostly with a stick.

Add in the injury risk and I don't think blocking shots does much for you.

Also, while Erik karlsson was leading the NHL in blocked shots, I saw an interesting piece that showed he was having less defensive impact this year than last year.

I'm not saying it like gospel, but I am very open to the idea of teams not blocking any shots.
- James_Tanner

How do you think players should defend then? A lot of blocked shots are simply the result of the defender keeping themselves between the puck and the net and not necessarily a plan of blocking any shot they can.

Have you ever even played a pick up game of ice hockey? Even as a child? You continually come off as someone who doesn't know what is involved with actually playing the game of hockey. You also continually put down athletes as being "stupid", in so many words.

It also seems that you don't even watch the full NHL games with your own eyeballs, instead picking up summaries, stat lines and highlights.

Why should anyone listen to you, for 2 teams no less? Is it the sheer traffic that you generate by irritating fans with grating contrarian nonsense? You don't seem like you'd be a "bad person" in real life, but your blogs depict you as an arrogant doofus.

Do you ever self-reflect on the drivel you post?
- kinigitt

First of all, I am so sick of people with no imagination who think that if you don't subscribe to the most boring, unthinking notion of the game of hockey that you've never played it and don't watch it.

Have you even seen or listened to the people who pass as "experts" at places like TSN?

I don't know man, you have 10000 s of options, but you seem to read me enough to have a very detailed opinion about what I'm all about.

So I'm probably doing something right.

Frankly, you seem like you're scared to challenge any kind of accepted thinking and ready to write off anyone who does as just some kind of troll. Which is exactly what the people and corporations who control your life want from their sheep.

From my perspective, that is sad and really sucks for you. I hope I come across as arrogant. Certainly if being arrogant means I think I'm better than the kind of people who complain about the one interesting hockey blog in the entire world, then you nailed that, at least.

How do you think players should defend then? A lot of blocked shots are simply the result of the defender keeping themselves between the puck and the net and not necessarily a plan of blocking any shot they can.
- rmdevil313

Don't you think there is a balance?

So I'm probably doing something right.

Frankly, you seem like you're scared to challenge any kind of accepted thinking and ready to write off anyone who does as just some kind of troll. Which is exactly what the people and corporations who control your life want from their sheep.

From my perspective, that is sad and really sucks for you. I hope I come across as arrogant. Certainly if being arrogant means I think I'm better than the kind of people who complain about the one interesting hockey blog in the entire world, then you nailed that, at least.
- James_Tanner

Haha. Wow.

Speaking of arrogant doofuses who lack the capacity for self-reflection:



So much alike, yet worlds apart.

Don't you think there is a balance?
- James_Tanner

Balance to what? Staying in front of a shot or getting out of the way?

Balance to what? Staying in front of a shot or getting out of the way?
- rmdevil313

I actually agree with Mr Tanner on this one. I think too many players attempt to block shots during 5 on 5 play when they'd be better off closing the gap and getting stick on stick. However, on the PK and after a rebound I'd do anything to give my goalie more time to recover. Some guys do it because they're too slow to pressure the puck carrier. Also, if it's a clear shot with no other defenders around most goalies don't want you anywhere near that shooting lane unless you're right on the shooter.

I actually agree with Mr Tanner on this one. I think too many players attempt to block shots during 5 on 5 play when they'd be better off closing the gap and getting stick on stick. However, on the PK and after a rebound I'd do anything to give my goalie more time to recover. Some guys do it because they're too slow to pressure the puck carrier. Also, if it's a clear shot with no other defenders around most goalies don't want you anywhere near that shooting lane unless you're right on the shooter.
- cranktheradio

I just don't see how you are going to position yourself as a defending player without being in the shooting lane 99% of the time.

Where this breaks down is in what it takes to get high shot volume.

There are tons of guys who have better shooting percentages than Ovechkin.

On the shootout, he actually does terrible. It's not that his shot and release aren't awesome - they are - they just aren't that much better than the average NHL player.

The average NHL player is so much better than people think - we're talking about the 700 best in the entire world.

What separates OV from other players is the ability to get off consistently high shot volumes. It's the ability to actually get open to take a shot.

I don't care who you are, if you get 11 shots, you'll score. The fact is, in the NHL, you can get a few weak shots on the goalie, but over time, you can't play effectively in a way where that happens a lot in the NHL.

It's like how people think guys will just make lousy shot attempts to drive their corsi up. It's stupid because in a real game situation it just isn't going to happen - and if it could, it might be a good strategy.

Just throwing pucks at the net is probably the best thing you can do. Most goals don't occur because the player shot it hard or picked his spot perfectly. Most goals are just random results of shots.

Signed, Darryl Sutter

Puck hog.
Great one though.

Ovechkin is a point-per=game playoff performer with 41 goals in 84 games and a 54% possession rating.

Whatever the reason that the Caps have never won, it sure has nothing to do with Ovechkin. What else is he supposed to do?

As Trotz says "he needs to play some defense in order to help the team win"

Ovie has looked great the last 2 weeks just hasnt been finishing like he's capable. Before that he was barely noticeable which is rare and concerning. Gotta wonder if Trotz's yearlong mandate to cut his top players minutes hasn't caused Ovie to pace himself

Ovie has looked great the last 2 weeks just hasnt been finishing like he's capable. Before that he was barely noticeable which is rare and concerning. Gotta wonder if Trotz's yearlong mandate to cut his top players minutes hasn't caused Ovie to pace himself
- bondraovie

I think it's 100% just him pacing himself.

Where this breaks down is in what it takes to get high shot volume.

There are tons of guys who have better shooting percentages than Ovechkin.

On the shootout, he actually does terrible. It's not that his shot and release aren't awesome - they are - they just aren't that much better than the average NHL player.

The average NHL player is so much better than people think - we're talking about the 700 best in the entire world.

What separates OV from other players is the ability to get off consistently high shot volumes. It's the ability to actually get open to take a shot.

I don't care who you are, if you get 11 shots, you'll score. The fact is, in the NHL, you can get a few weak shots on the goalie, but over time, you can't play effectively in a way where that happens a lot in the NHL.

It's like how people think guys will just make lousy shot attempts to drive their corsi up. It's stupid because in a real game situation it just isn't going to happen - and if it could, it might be a good strategy.

Just throwing pucks at the net is probably the best thing you can do. Most goals don't occur because the player shot it hard or picked his spot perfectly. Most goals are just random results of shots.

Signed, Darryl Sutter
- verwustung

I love it. I love Darryl Sutter, and I love the Kings. They've been consistently one of the NHL's best teams for what, six, seven years?

Even the year they missed the Playoffs was a total fluke. As for this year, they're still a much better team than their record would indicate.

Speaking of arrogant doofuses who lack the capacity for self-reflection:



So much alike, yet worlds apart.
- kinigitt

I love that I get called Trump - a guy I absolutely hate more than anyone on this earth - in a comments section I kicked off by admitting I was wrong not once, but twice.

Coupled with your insano first comment, I think it's hilarious you have the balls to insult anyone.

Eichel had 14 shot attempts for 9 shots and was a 48.72 CF% all at 5v5. How the hell does that happen, in a game where the Sabres out attempted the Pens 51-45 5v5? Talk about weird numbers.

How do you think players should defend then? A lot of blocked shots are simply the result of the defender keeping themselves between the puck and the net and not necessarily a plan of blocking any shot they can.
- rmdevil313

That also means they're probably screening their goalie.

I think there's a happy medium between trying to block shots and blocking accidentally because of your position. If a guy has an open look and your goalie is ready for it, let him take the shot, because there's a very good chance of that puck deflecting off of you and taking a weird hop or completely changing direction and totally faking out your goalie.