James Tanner: A Bad Week For Logic in Professional Hockey - Two of the four coaches left just made inexcusably bad decisions.

Laine was better than Matthews all year. Outperformed him in both tournaments and had better individual and team success.

Laine was better than Matthews all year. Outperformed him in both tournaments and had better individual and team success.
- fry

That isn't remotely true. Matthews played against men as an 18 year old and may well end up that league's MVP.

Meh

Blues could have won with Ells on Saturday

but Jake got the call and performed.

That has been working for the blues all year and I am sure if they call on Ells again in this series Ells will be good again

Ells has struggled when you get to the 14 or 15 games in a row plateau. He needed a rest and he will get another game off tonight.

Its a luxury to have two goalies that you can trust

Fleury had the best season of his career from a save % standpoint...i wouldnt have put him in because he was out for so long

Agree with the above. I'd have had no problem starting Fleury except for the fact that he just hasn't played in too long. Playing a goalie this deep in the playoffs, when they've been out of games for so long, is a nightmare it my eyes.

That isn't remotely true. Matthews played against men as an 18 year old and may well end up that league's MVP.
- James_Tanner

Honestly James why do you care. I know your a leafs fan but blogging about Matthews Laine...shouldnt that be work for the Leafs bloggers.

That isn't remotely true. Matthews played against men as an 18 year old and may well end up that league's MVP.
- James_Tanner

Mind telling me how Ligga isn't a pro men's league? Laine dominated against men and is around a half year younger than Matthews.

Or maybe mind telling me how Matthews wins MVP when he was 21 points behind Pierre-Marc Bouchard?

You didn't watch a single NLA game. Admit it. I've taken the time and watched several. Ryan Shannon had more presence than Matthews half the time on the same team. He's young and he'll get way better; but please don't be asinine.

Not to mention the two tournaments both played in to which Laine played a major part in reaching the final.

The Blues decide to remove the player who has been the best goalie in the NHL this year, in favor of their back-up
- James_Tanner

Say what??????

There isn't any part of this commentary about the Blues' goaltending situation that's even remotely accurate.

Jake Allen was the starter for this team for the better part of the season. Each took turns at some point filling in for the other due to injury. As the playoffs began, it just so happened Allen had been nursing an injury and Elliot had been carrying the load for that stretch.

They're virtually interchangeable with Allen, I believe, to be the more skilled overall goalie.

Elliot was wearing down some number one, and number two, the Sharks game dictated the Blues find a way to change their game up a bit, which included using Allen, who can better play the puck up the ice and catch San Jose in a quicker transition.

If you watched hockey rather than just looking at numbers on a website, this decision wasn't even a controversial one.

Good grief.........

Say what??????

There isn't any part of this commentary about the Blues' goaltending situation that's even remotely accurate.

Jake Allen was the starter for this team for the better part of the season. Each took turns at some point filling in for the other due to injury. As the playoffs began, it just so happened Allen had been nursing an injury and Elliot had been carrying the load for that stretch.

They're virtually interchangeable with Allen, I believe, to be the more skilled overall goalie.

Elliot was wearing down some number one, and number two, the Sharks game dictated the Blues find a way to change their game up a bit, which included using Allen, who can better play the puck up the ice and catch San Jose in a quicker transition.

If you watched hockey rather than just looking at numbers on a website, this decision wasn't even a controversial one.

Good grief.........
- bcallaway

Well, it is a bad week for logic in professional hockey...

Thumbs up or down to putting Bishop back in if he's healthy?

Say what??????

There isn't any part of this commentary about the Blues' goaltending situation that's even remotely accurate.

Jake Allen was the starter for this team for the better part of the season. Each took turns at some point filling in for the other due to injury. As the playoffs began, it just so happened Allen had been nursing an injury and Elliot had been carrying the load for that stretch.

They're virtually interchangeable with Allen, I believe, to be the more skilled overall goalie.

Elliot was wearing down some number one, and number two, the Sharks game dictated the Blues find a way to change their game up a bit, which included using Allen, who can better play the puck up the ice and catch San Jose in a quicker transition.

If you watched hockey rather than just looking at numbers on a website, this decision wasn't even a controversial one.

Good grief.........
- bcallaway

Elliott had much better numbers, including the second best High-Danger Save % in the NHL. (8 points ahead of Allen).

Yes, Allen is good, but were mostly concerned about the stupid logic here anyways.

Honestly James why do you care. I know your a leafs fan but blogging about Matthews Laine...shouldnt that be work for the Leafs bloggers.
- DDM-Coga

I care because it's an affront to logical thinking, which is what this article is all about. And, in case you never noticed, I pretty much cover the whole league. The team I mainly cover hasn't played a game in two months.

I care because it's an affront to logical thinking, which is what this article is all about. And, in case you never noticed, I pretty much cover the whole league. The team I mainly cover hasn't played a game in two months.
- James_Tanner

Elliott had much better numbers, including the second best High-Danger Save % in the NHL. (8 points ahead of Allen).

Yes, Allen is good, but were mostly concerned about the stupid logic here anyways.
- James_Tanner

Thumbs up or down to putting Bishop back in if he's healthy?
- Hunkulese

A much harder question. Elliott and Murray are easy decisions. But how 'healthy' would Bishop be upon his return? Hard to say.

- DDM-Coga

Call me a nerd, but it is considered the best stat for judging a goalie.

I care because it's an affront to logical thinking, which is what this article is all about. And, in case you never noticed, I pretty much cover the whole league. The team I mainly cover hasn't played a game in two months.
- James_Tanner

Hot Take....sports aren't suppose to be logical, they are suppose to be fun and exciting

Call me a nerd, but it is considered the best stat for judging a goalie.
- James_Tanner

Im just messing with you Tamsy, just guys being dudes

Mind telling me how Ligga isn't a pro men's league? Laine dominated against men and is around a half year younger than Matthews.

Or maybe mind telling me how Matthews wins MVP when he was 21 points behind Pierre-Marc Bouchard?

You didn't watch a single NLA game. Admit it. I've taken the time and watched several. Ryan Shannon had more presence than Matthews half the time on the same team. He's young and he'll get way better; but please don't be asinine.

Not to mention the two tournaments both played in to which Laine played a major part in reaching the final.
- fry

You can write whatever you want, saying Laine should be picked ahead of Matthews is one of the dumbest things ever.

Finnish Liiga > Swiss National League A

But both are great players...being a center, for me, makes Matthews the best choice.

Hot Take....sports aren't suppose to be logical, they are suppose to be fun and exciting
- DDM-Coga

That's a fair point. This is something I always struggle with. My friends don't care who has the best Corsi. My sister-in-law's favorite player is Lupul. No one needs to care about stats at all, unless they're going to argue about a decision or who is better. Then it matters.

But I fully support the right of anyone to just dig their favorite team and players and be left alone to have fun - but that's just not how I'm going to approach the game.

I also wouldn't argue with people who view the game that way if they didn't take so much time out of their lives to tell me how stupid I am. Haha.

Im just messing with you Tamsy, just guys being dudes
- DDM-Coga

I personally loved the GIF on that one. Though, usually I don't care for them.

Elliott had much better numbers, including the second best High-Danger Save % in the NHL. (8 points ahead of Allen).

Yes, Allen is good, but were mostly concerned about the stupid logic here anyways.
- James_Tanner

Most of Elliot's stratospheric numbers came in the last stretch of games he played in when he was scorching hot. A lot of his great stats come as a result of the coaches knowing when to play him versus Allen and before him, Halak.

Thanks for confirming my point that you're not actually watching any hockey, just stats-gazing.

Stupid logic is certainly the correct term to describe what you're shoveling.

Stick to a team you know. You're out to lunch here, cubbie.

Wowsy