I don't need analytics to see that the Isles finally have a legit front office and coach. The country club mentality this team had is gone and they show up just about every game. You like to take shots at them because if Lou and that the fans gave 91 a hard time for one game after he came back. You keep looking at data I'll watch the games.
- Tedge77

He doesn't get there is more than one path to winning games.

Highly skilled teams should look to dominate puck possession, shots and scoring chances.

Less skilled teams can't do this. Playing a low risk style that limits high scoring chances and looks for tactics to counter high skilled teams is the best path.

He doesn't get there is more than one path to winning games.

Highly skilled teams should look to dominate puck possession, shots and scoring chances.

Less skilled teams can't do this. Playing a low risk style that limits high scoring chances and looks for tactics to counter high skilled teams is the best path.
- Tumbleweed

What's the old saying hard work beats skill when skill doesn't work hard

I wish I could get a prop bet on how much hockey James Tanner actually watches. I'm not convinced by his writing and blogging that he watches any hockey let alone the team he supposedly covers. It's obvious he pulls up a stats website and makes it up.

He doesn't get there is more than one path to winning games.

Highly skilled teams should look to dominate puck possession, shots and scoring chances.

Less skilled teams can't do this. Playing a low risk style that limits high scoring chances and looks for tactics to counter high skilled teams is the best path.
- Tumbleweed

Yep and you know who gets a team to play that way? Good coaches! They get buy in. Perhaps it's just a coincidence that how many goaltenders have excelled playing under Trotz? Must be that luck he always talks about. Trotz coaches with a 4 leaf clover and a horseshoe in his pocket.

I wish I could get a prop bet on how much hockey James Tanner actually watches. I'm not convinced by his writing and blogging that he watches any hockey let alone the team he supposedly covers. It's obvious he pulls up a stats website and makes it up.
- MJL

Remember when Nylander was supposed to win the scoring title this year, playing for the greatest team ever assembled in the cap era?

Or how Holland and Tippett would be a disaster in Edmonton.

Or how one minute Demers and Goligoski were Corsi darlings and a year later they are overrated and overpaid. Soderberg is terrible. Tocchet is terrible. On and on. Not watching the games might explain some of these takes...

James, you massively underrate:

1. coaching (of course a great coach is worth more than a great player - much more - I mean c'mon, really?);

2. culture (see Lou L, and that includes player buy-in to what a coach teaches - see #1);

3. the quality of the Isles' players. Their defense is actually very, very good. A few of them are among the most underrated players in the NHL (Pulock, Toews and Pelech).

And you overrate the ability of numerical analysis to capture everything necessary to be reliably predictive re: a randomized, multi-variable game like hockey. Someday maybe, but not now.

So, using your player theory of adding 4 wins... St. Louis added Binnington in January which should be good for 2 wins in half a season. They were in last place and Berube took over from Yeo. Yes they got healthier, so let's give another 4 more games for those "star" players coming back. Are you saying Berube was not a major factor in them winning the cup?

Part 2... I will gladly put up $100 on the NYI finishing with a better record than the Coyotes.
I will gladly put up $100 on the NYI having a better final GAA than the Coyotes.
I will gladly put up $100 that the NYI make the playoffs if you put up $100 that the Coyotes do!
And just to make it easy, we can make it Canadian Dollars!

Good coaches aren't worth more wins per season than Connor McDavid, is my point. If you take every qualified NHL coach, the difference between say Randy Carlyle and Barry Trotz is only going to be a few wins.
- James_Tanner

👍

Good coaches aren't worth more wins per season than Connor McDavid, is my point. If you take every qualified NHL coach, the difference between say Randy Carlyle and Barry Trotz is only going to be a few wins.
- James_Tanner

Do you seriously ever just listen to yourself? You just made a completely insupportable statement about the value of coaching vs players based on nothing but your own imagination. It’s the science of JT! JT says it, so it must be true?!!

Good coaches aren't worth more wins per season than Connor McDavid, is my point. If you take every qualified NHL coach, the difference between say Randy Carlyle and Barry Trotz is only going to be a few wins.
- James_Tanner

So if Carlyle was coaching the Isles right now they would be like 10-5-1?

So if Carlyle was coaching the Isles right now they would be like 10-5-1?
- Tedge77

Also how are the Oilers doing with their new coach? Are they lucky too?

Also how are the Oilers doing with their new coach? Are they lucky too?
- Tedge77

Don't forget. Hiring Holland as GM and Tippett as coach is merely bringing in 2 dinosaurs from the old boys club. Isn't that when Tanner mentioned something about hiring a woman instead? That didn't go to well for him. Haha. The Blues are a perfect example of how a group of guys didn't respect their coach, tuned him out, and didn't give that extra 1% for each other. Berube comes in and radically changes the culture. The room turned positive. Guys sacrificed for each other. But...maybe the Blues would have won the Cup if they didn't hire Berube. Yeah maybe.

Don't forget. Hiring Holland as GM and Tippett as coach is merely bringing in 2 dinosaurs from the old boys club. Isn't that when Tanner mentioned something about hiring a woman instead? That didn't go to well for him. Haha. The Blues are a perfect example of how a group of guys didn't respect their coach, tuned him out, and didn't give that extra 1% for each other. Berube comes in and radically changes the culture. The room turned positive. Guys sacrificed for each other. But...maybe the Blues would have won the Cup if they didn't hire Berube. Yeah maybe.
- uofcguy

Just lucky, same as with Trotz.


It's a slam dunk case. he should plead out and save himself.

Don't forget. Hiring Holland as GM and Tippett as coach is merely bringing in 2 dinosaurs from the old boys club. Isn't that when Tanner mentioned something about hiring a woman instead? That didn't go to well for him. Haha. The Blues are a perfect example of how a group of guys didn't respect their coach, tuned him out, and didn't give that extra 1% for each other. Berube comes in and radically changes the culture. The room turned positive. Guys sacrificed for each other. But...maybe the Blues would have won the Cup if they didn't hire Berube. Yeah maybe.
- uofcguy

this kind of idiocy drives me nuts. It's not just that you're wrong, but that you take this condescending tone that is completely at odds with the stupidity of what you're saying. You are taking an event - the Blues winning - and backdating it to fit your narrative.

The Blues won the Cup because a goalie who was ranked as a mid tier NHL prospect came out of nowhere and was unbeatable. He led the playoffs in save percentage.

But it's the coach. Sure thing.

Just lucky, same as with Trotz.


It's a slam dunk case. he should plead out and save himself.
- MJL

How big of a sample size is required to not deem luck as a reason for success?

this kind of idiocy drives me nuts. It's not just that you're wrong, but that you take this condescending tone that is completely at odds with the stupidity of what you're saying. You are taking an event - the Blues winning - and backdating it to fit your narrative.

The Blues won the Cup because a goalie who was ranked as a mid tier NHL prospect came out of nowhere and was unbeatable. He led the playoffs in save percentage.

But it's the coach. Sure thing.
- James_Tanner

Everything you write and every response to your readers is condescending

this kind of idiocy drives me nuts. It's not just that you're wrong, but that you take this condescending tone that is completely at odds with the stupidity of what you're saying. You are taking an event - the Blues winning - and backdating it to fit your narrative.

The Blues won the Cup because a goalie who was ranked as a mid tier NHL prospect came out of nowhere and was unbeatable. He led the playoffs in save percentage.

But it's the coach. Sure thing.
- James_Tanner

Nothing is more hysterical or entertaining than using idiocy to try and paint someone else as an idiot.

Every post you make James, furthers the fact of how you don't get the game. Don't get how important the human element is, the mental factors, the confidence factors etc. and how a coach can bring that all together.

You would be best served by putting down the analytic spreadsheets and actually learning the true essence of the game. You actually believe that one player, a goaltender operates independently of the teammates around him on the ice.

How big of a sample size is required to not deem luck as a reason for success?
- Cptmjl

If it goes against the naive and misunderstood theories a person has on the game of hockey. There is no sample size that could prove it to him.

Nothing is more hysterical or entertaining than using idiocy to try and paint someone else as an idiot.

Every post you make James, furthers the fact of how you don't get the game. Don't get how important the human element is, the mental factors, the confidence factors etc. and how a coach can bring that all together.

You would be best served by putting down the analytic spreadsheets and actually learning the true essence of the game. You actually believe that one player, a goaltender operates independently of the teammates around him on the ice.
- MJL

He's thinking about his snarky response

Nothing is more hysterical or entertaining than using idiocy to try and paint someone else as an idiot.

Every post you make James, furthers the fact of how you don't get the game. Don't get how important the human element is, the mental factors, the confidence factors etc. and how a coach can bring that all together.

You would be best served by putting down the analytic spreadsheets and actually learning the true essence of the game. You actually believe that one player, a goaltender operates independently of the teammates around him on the ice.
- MJL

this.

players are humans. they are not numbers on a spreadsheet.