Zero bottom 10 puck possession teams have won the SC since tracking the metrics (since 2005). If it meant nothing, bottom 10 puck possession teams would win the SC as often as top 10 puck possession teams.
- jfkst1

All of those teams also had these in common:
- took penalties
- had turnovers
- let up shots and goals against.

So, based upon this, in order to be a good team, you should strive to take penalties, turn the puck over, and allow shots and goals as much as possible.

Jason MackeyVerified account
‏@Mackey_Trib
Christian Ehrhoff just stepped onto the ice for practice. Gets a few stick taps and cheers from his teammates.
- jfkst1

What's he gonna do, come in and learn the system?

Rangers have the two best players in the league, finish first almost yearly only to lose early and blame everything on injuries too?

Damn.
- MidnightMarauder

The Rangers have both John Scott and Zac Rinaldo?

All of those teams also had these in common:
- took penalties
- had turnovers
- let up shots and goals against.

So, based upon this, in order to be a good team, you should strive to take penalties, turn the puck over, and allow shots and goals as much as possible.
- jmatchett383

Penalties is completely unrelated to possession metrics. Turnovers is inversely related- teams with the most turnovers also have the puck the most (works on individual players as well). Of course they are giving up more shots, but that doesn't necessitate more goals. Goaltending can make a massive difference. Montreal is 1st in GA and 21st in SA.

What's he gonna do, come in and learn the system?
- Johnny Wrath

dont pick on Christian.

p.s. I read your article....I agree in parts. Many people say that we can just let some guys walk, trade some other guys for picks, and then we have all this money to spend. And I get that theory... but what are we going to do...pay overpriced players in free agency? I dont see many good options.

I guess I just dont see where the quality comes from regardless of freed cash. And that's why I'm open minded in regards to different offseason approaches.

Penalties is completely unrelated to possession metrics. Turnovers is inversely related- teams with the most turnovers also have the puck the most (works on individual players as well). Of course they are giving up more shots, but that doesn't necessitate more goals. Goaltending can make a massive difference. Montreal is 1st in GA and 21st in SA.
- jfkst1

I think you missed my point. I'm just saying that, just because those teams have something in common does not mean that you can directly associate that attribute to winning.

Rangers have the two best players in the league win a cup in 2009, finish first almost yearly only to lose early in the same fashion as the Rangers and blame everything on injuries too?

Damn.
- MidnightMarauder

I was about to say I fixed your post by making the changes above, but then again, the Rangers haven't actually won anything since 1994.

I think you missed my point. I'm just saying that, just because those teams have something in common does not mean that you can directly associate that attribute to winning.
- jmatchett383

It's certainly not the only indicator. But when some are claiming it's irrelevant, then the results should be random and they aren't. I wouldn't look exclusively at GA as a predictor for postseason success, but if you look at it historically, bottom 10 teams in that also tend to do poorly (NYI are 23rd and ANA is 20th).

Jason MackeyVerified account
‏@Mackey_Trib
Christian Ehrhoff just stepped onto the ice for practice. Gets a few stick taps and cheers from his teammates.
- jfkst1

When I started reading this, I thought it was a joke and would finish, "slipped, and is out 4-6 months with a broken fibula."

It's certainly not the only indicator. But when some are claiming it's irrelevant, then the results should be random and they aren't. I wouldn't look exclusively at GA as a predictor for postseason success, but if you look at it historically, bottom 10 teams in that also tend to do poorly (NYI are 23rd and ANA is 20th).
- jfkst1

I can tell you right now that, in order to be a SC winning team, dating back to 1950, you must be in the top 30 in puck possession.

The Rangers have both John Scott and Zac Rinaldo?
- jmatchett383

If we're building a chart where we stack the advantages of each team against the other, the Rangers come ahead in goal, scoring, forward depth, defensive scoring, defensive depth, goals per game, and goals against per game.

Pittsburgh brings the golden triangle of better PK%, better PP%, and more rats. There are a few respectable hockey writers who think more PIM in the series could favor the Penguins; if so, I call on the fans to shower the ice with black and yellow rats.

I hope the IQ of this bog picks up soon. Some is OK, but most of it sounds like 5th grade recess in the parking lot.

If we're building a chart where we stack the advantages of each team against the other, the Rangers come ahead in goal, scoring, forward depth, defensive scoring, defensive depth, goals per game, and goals against per game.

Pittsburgh brings the golden triangle of better PK%, better PP%, and more rats. There are a few respectable hockey writers who think more PIM in the series could favor the Penguins; if so, I call on the fans to shower the ice with black and yellow rats.
- Johnny Wrath

Yeah, but who would win a race around the ice carrying an egg on a spoon?

I can tell you right now that, in order to be a SC winning team, dating back to 1950, you must be in the top 30 in puck possession.
- jmatchett383

I hope the IQ of this bog picks up soon. Some is OK, but most of it sounds like 5th grade recess in the parking lot.
- powerhouse

YOU PEED YOUR PANTS!

PANT PISSER PANT PISSER!

I hope the IQ of this bog picks up soon. Some is OK, but most of it sounds like 5th grade recess in the parking lot.
- powerhouse

Yeah, like pretty much any time the Pens play the Rangers. As a whole, their group is the worst here, with a few exceptions. Self important buffoonery+NYcentric egotism.

I can tell you right now that, in order to be a SC winning team, dating back to 1950, you must be in the top 30 in puck possession.
- jmatchett383

And, there you have it. Proof of the predictive powers of puck possession, in that every winner of the Stanley Cup has also been in the league. I really don't know how Corsi can be disputed now.

Yeah, but is 1.5 years of Yandle worth your top prospect in Duclair, a first rounder and John Moore?
- znagle

Was .5 year of Daniel Winnik worth a 2nd and a 4th round pick? Of course not, but its the deadline and teams mortgage future potential for the present.

dont pick on Christian.

p.s. I read your article....I agree in parts. Many people say that we can just let some guys walk, trade some other guys for picks, and then we have all this money to spend. And I get that theory... but what are we going to do...pay overpriced players in free agency? I dont see many good options.

I guess I just dont see where the quality comes from regardless of freed cash. And that's why I'm open minded in regards to different offseason approaches.
- YouMeAndDupuis9

I would point out the Maple Leafs' "July 1 is our draft day" strategy for who all of this cash is suddenly going to be used for. Anyone who has looked thoroughly at this season's UFA class should be a lot less optimistic.

Rather, the models all seem to be of teams drafting and developing players who contribute to a winning on-ice product before they reach the end of their second contract. The team who are still competitive identify which of those players to re-sign and who they can afford to part with. Chicago is a good example; many of their guys from their first Cup got big pay days elsewhere but Chicago is still really good. Pittsburgh has not done well in this respect. Hell, they even brought back Eaton and Scuderi.

Getting younger in a hurry dos mean identifying who the team's nucleus should be and then quickly cashing out on other current players. So, let Kris Letang be the Brian Campbell of some other team. Let Kunitz be the Bollig or whoever fits the bill. Perron. Dumoulin. Trade them all; maybe if those players yield 8 assets, five of them turn into a younger core that will mesh with Malkin, Olli, Derrick, PH, and 87.

I know some things, I know Crosby was invisible against the Rangers last playoff series.
- MidnightMarauder

He was also hurt and being completely bombarded, mugged, accosted by Dubinksy all series. Who is going to play that role this year?

Yeah, but who would win a race around the ice carrying an egg on a spoon?
- jmatchett383

Kreider.

He was also hurt and being completely bombarded, mugged, accosted by Dubinksy all series. Who is going to play that role this year?
- did109

Dubinsky wasn't on the Rangers last year.

And, there you have it. Proof of the predictive powers of puck possession, in that every winner of the Stanley Cup has also been in the league. I really don't know how Corsi can be disputed now.
- Pete V

Also, everyone SC winner since 05/06 has had at least one player whose last name ended in "S" on their playoff roster. So, unless you have a player whose last name ends in "S" on your team, you cannot win the Stanley Cup.

Thank God for Craig Adams and Thomas Greiss.

He was also hurt and being completely bombarded, mugged, accosted by Dubinksy all series. Who is going to play that role this year?
- did109

By Staal? Dubinsky and Jack did such a great job on 87 that the Rangers series isn't really even mentally gotten to. I expect Kunitz to watch from a few feet away again.

Also, everyone SC winner since 05/06 has had at least one player whose last name ended in "S" on their playoff roster. So, unless you have a player whose last name ends in "S" on your team, you cannot win the Stanley Cup.

Thank God for Craig Adams and Thomas Greiss.
- jmatchett383

That eliminates the Thens, as all of their S's end in TH.