James Tanner: PLUS/MINUS: Capitals and Jets Will Come Back Edition!! GO CAPS !

Have you ever watched hasek? Not that close

How many breakaways do the knights give up?

That series is being played rather evenly with the difference being the goalie. There are long stretches where the jets can’t get anything going either.

Washington is getting some bad luck no doubt

Lightning only have to win 1 out of 2... is that still impossible as you have been saying? Of course it will be hard to close out the Caps but its possible.

I have never read your blogs until this series but so far every blog was based on that fact that 5 on 5 is all that matters but now this blog is all about goalies helping their teams win. Which is it, does the goalie actually count for a team now in your analysis? Pretty interesting.

Also I would say yes the Caps get more shots but the Bolts have been making them take them from outside where as the Bolts shots are down in low on Holtby. Caps have been better, I don't disagree but the Bolts are limiting the dangerous chances more so then the Caps.

James Tanner: PLUS/MINUS: Capitals and Jets Will Come Back Edition!!
GO CAPS !
- james_tanner1

Lightning only have to win 1 out of 2... is that still impossible as you have been saying? Of course it will be hard to close out the Caps but its possible.

I have never read your blogs until this series but so far every blog was based on that fact that 5 on 5 is all that matters but now this blog is all about goalies helping their teams win. Which is it, does the goalie actually count for a team now in your analysis? Pretty interesting.

Also I would say yes the Caps get more shots but the Bolts have been making them take them from outside where as the Bolts shots are down in low on Holtby. Caps have been better, I don't disagree but the Bolts are limiting the dangerous chances more so then the Caps.
- stammerman

The Capitals have outplayed the Lightning this series. Yet the Lightning are winning. It is almost impossible to win if you go down 2-0 at home, but it happened. The Lightning, however, are a far better team with a way better roster, which I think makes it sting even more that the Capitals are dominating them and not winning.

And no that's not all I talk about, but it's a pretty big deal when you keep outplaying your opponent (who is superior to you, making your outplaying them an even bigger deal) and you keep losing.

Obviously a goalie is a big part of a team, but despite that, teams don't USUALLY win if they get outplayed, even if their goalie is doing well. 5v5 play is the biggest factor in who wins, and so I like to focus on that quite a bit.

But, if a goalie is playing out of his mind (see fleury) it's almost impossible to win. Goalies are obviously the biggest factor when they play wither great or terrible, but in most hockey games, you get average goalitending and the best 5v5 wins.

Anyways thanks for reading!

McPhee >> Francis....Not even in the same ballpark.

Boy you really love the Knights don't you.

McPhee >> Francis....Not even in the same ballpark.
- LeftCoaster

Why, because once upon a time Marc Andre Fleury - an NHL vet who lost his job to a rookie and was roundly considered to be extremely overrated - suddenly had, at age 33, one of the best seasons by a goalie in NHL history?

You're entitled to your opinion, but I think being a GM is more than just one season and more than just wins and losses. Ron Francis built one of the best young blue lines in the NHL and his recent trade with the Blackhawks was one of the best trades anyone's made in recent memory.

George McPhee is having a really lucky time, but his team will suffer for this in the future. Also, the wins are hiding the fact that he made one of the worst blunders in the NHL this year: Tatar for a first, second and third, only to have his coach refuse to play him.

Boy you really love the Knights don't you.
- Yosimar89

I have no feelings about them one way or the other. I just love realistic analysis.

The Capitals have outplayed the Lightning this series. Yet the Lightning are winning. It is almost impossible to win if you go down 2-0 at home, but it happened. The Lightning, however, are a far better team with a way better roster, which I think makes it sting even more that the Capitals are dominating them and not winning.

And no that's not all I talk about, but it's a pretty big deal when you keep outplaying your opponent (who is superior to you, making your outplaying them an even bigger deal) and you keep losing.

Obviously a goalie is a big part of a team, but despite that, teams don't USUALLY win if they get outplayed, even if their goalie is doing well. 5v5 play is the biggest factor in who wins, and so I like to focus on that quite a bit.

But, if a goalie is playing out of his mind (see fleury) it's almost impossible to win. Goalies are obviously the biggest factor when they play wither great or terrible, but in most hockey games, you get average goalitending and the best 5v5 wins.

Anyways thanks for reading!
- james_tanner1

Nice to see you responding in such a classy way, Tanner. You should try it more often...!

I have no feelings about them one way or the other. I just love realistic analysis.
- james_tanner1

- deadpoulet

Why, because once upon a time Marc Andre Fleury - an NHL vet who lost his job to a rookie and was roundly considered to be extremely overrated - suddenly had, at age 33, one of the best seasons by a goalie in NHL history?

You're entitled to your opinion, but I think being a GM is more than just one season and more than just wins and losses. Ron Francis built one of the best young blue lines in the NHL and his recent trade with the Blackhawks was one of the best trades anyone's made in recent memory.

George McPhee is having a really lucky time, but his team will suffer for this in the future. Also, the wins are hiding the fact that he made one of the worst blunders in the NHL this year: Tatar for a first, second and third, only to have his coach refuse to play him.
- james_tanner1

Because since 1997, when McPhee was first employed as an NHL general manager, he's had a lot of success. 18 years a GM in total. Although he's never won a Cup, he's built successful winning teams as a GM and been to the finals.

What exactly has Francis done?

The Fleury theory is great, except when you take into consideration he missed 25 games with a concussion and the Knights went 16-8-1 using their backup and a couple of minor league goalies. The same story for Holtby/Grubauer. I think you're undervaluing the team's contribution to a goalie's save percentage and overall stats. Fleury is having a Conn Smythe playoffs but wouldn't be the same if you put him on any team.

PLUS: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri This is among the best movies I've ever seen.

Saw it last night. Blown away. So much to unwrap. I don't think you can get a movie with an ensemble cast like that and yet have so much character development in only 2 hours. Brilliant film.

Jets are done.

- tomburton99

Put him in the (frank)in bathroom!

I thought maybe Vegas scoring more goals than Winnipeg had something to do with them winning? Maybe I was wrong...

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was (frank)ing amazing. Every actor/actress's performance in that movie was outstanding. Had a very Coen brother feel to it to me.

Why, because once upon a time Marc Andre Fleury - an NHL vet who lost his job to a rookie and was roundly considered to be extremely overrated - suddenly had, at age 33, one of the best seasons by a goalie in NHL history?

You're entitled to your opinion, but I think being a GM is more than just one season and more than just wins and losses. Ron Francis built one of the best young blue lines in the NHL and his recent trade with the Blackhawks was one of the best trades anyone's made in recent memory.

George McPhee is having a really lucky time, but his team will suffer for this in the future. Also, the wins are hiding the fact that he made one of the worst blunders in the NHL this year: Tatar for a first, second and third, only to have his coach refuse to play him.
- james_tanner1

THIS


(frank)ING


GUY

Bark-Andre Fleury is the best thing about this blog

Sorry James but the best bands of all time are the Ramones, The Upsetters, Dead Kennedys, MFSB, and Metric.

Honourable mention to the Beatles, Stones, and Roth-era Van Halen. Also lately I'm heavy into Roy Orbison, Willie Nelson, Serpent Throne and Marina and the Diamonds, so they're also a million times better than you're favourite bands. And it's not close.

Baseball is weird when it comes to prospect promoting and their farm systems. I don't know all the details but they have like 4 farm teams. A, high A, AA, AAA. Apparently AA has more young up and comers compared to the AAA which has a bigger mix of career minor leaguers and prospects.

I heard Vlad is the youngest player in the AA league this year. His defense is not at the MLB level and certainly not at the MLB all-star level that he could become. He would probably be DH for the Jays and that is wasting a lot of development opportunities.

I wouldn't mind if he played the full season in AA/AAA but I think it would be amazing if they called him at for a playoff run at the end of the season. He can be DH for a couple of months.

Also Huey Lewis by himself is better than all the bands you mentioned put together.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri This is among the best movies I've ever seen.


Random, but solid point

Also Huey Lewis by himself is better than all the bands you mentioned put together.
- Zezel