JoeSchmoe

Back in the days before I could choose between home and away, I found the Leafs announcers to be pretty much the least educated of all the broadcast teams. They'd spout off years old tropes about the Sabres that were long incorrect. I chalked it up to them thinking they're the centre of the hockey universe and they didn't have to try. Some of the smaller southern markets on the other hand often had real insight and would actually do their homework going into the games... Maybe because they had to.

I think in theory, prior to widespread adoption, xgf could have been used as a Moneyball type analytic point where GMs could mine out diamonds in the rough through Excel table GMing. The reality is, the diamonds in the rough would mostly all be poor shooters, while the so-called overrated guys would be the good shooters. You'd probably need the eye test to tell otherwise but I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a lot of diamonds. A big part of the problem is hockey is so much more dynamic than baseball, that the eye test is so much bigger of an indicator.

Check the thread title... Xgf%. Also, given the number of postgame twitter bar graphs of this stat, its more than just a minor stat you say it is For most, it seems to be the be all, end all.

But the reverse is not true. Tage Thompson is at 49% 5 on 5. He's also a +12. The 49% suggests he's a net negative player, when in fact he can just score from anywhere, and is playing like one of the league's top players. It's just not that great of a stat.

The best metrics for determining how good a player is, are the good old fashioned goals and assists. The downside is that these don't let people show off how smart they are when they make claims that guys like Rasmus Asplund are actually great players.

The main point I was trying to make is over a large sample size, expected goals is even more flawed than +/-, but is far more respected.

As I understand it, Expected Goals stats don't take into consideration shooting %. Watching Tage Thompson, it's clear he's scoring because he's got such a good shot and such good hands down low. It's not hard to imagine why he scores double the goals for every shot taken as some other players. Yet the stat that so many people hold so dearly does not account for this, so Tage could have below average Expected Goals, but still be putting up top stats. Right now it says Tage has only 16.5 expected goals. That is FLAT OUT WRONG. Despite people that would tell me otherwise, given the facts I honestly think +/- is a better stat than expected goal % as long as there is a suitable sample size.

Remember this.......

Not me. Sam the spoiled NHL-kid Vancouver raised Reinhart has no business on this team. He was absolutely part of the culture problem up until he was traded.

Wow! I'd really like to go someday. I know a guy who played hockey in Strasbourg. He had similar things to say about the women.

Unless you're from the traditionally German Alsace region where my ancestors are from (came to NA via the Odessa region under Russian rule). There's a recipe in the family for fried sauerkraut strudel. My mom didn't get a chance to show me exactly how to make it before she passed, but my Aunt is going to... I know most of what's involved from my mom, I just need the specifics on the dough. It's really thin basic dough stretched as far as you can take it (no butter or fat like a normal strudel). It would almost take up our whole dining room table once stretched. You roll it with fried sauerkraut, bacon, and onions. The rolls are then cut into dumpling size pieces and steamed / fried in a covered pan with a saltwater/shortening mixture. Eventually the dough absorbs the steam/water, and the shortening crisps up the bottom. By far my favourite of all the old family German dishes.

I'm really surprised you think either one of them is playing well enough to be tracking towards making the starting lineup. I'm curious how you arrived at this conclusion based on their so-so output in their respective lower tier leagues.

Thanks for the updates everyone!!!

My brother just called and said he was going to surprise me with tickets to the game on Friday. He's about 2.5 hours from Buffalo and not looking to do the drive in what they're currently forecasting. Even I don't want to go (unless the forecast improves) and I'm less than an hour from the arena. Any thoughts? Should he try to offload the seats now at a loss, or sit back and hope they postpone the game?

Yeah, I don't believe in the learning to win thing. I think it's a statistical probability the winning team will have a good veteran that's won before. To the same point, there are far more teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs that don't win the cup despite having veterans that supposedly know how to win... But those teams are easily forgotten.

Given his draft pedigree and relatively good production, someone is going to give us a Ristolainen Jr deal for Mitts. That deal will help us far more in the long run than having Kane or Toews will... Especially since the two of them are on the precipice of a giant cliff as far as production goes. To win a cup, we need to be as good as we can for AS MANY years as we can. There are always way too many good teams in the league every year to put all your eggs in one basket for one or two shots at it. The odds are simply against you if you LIMIT the years. The best way to limit years is giving up draft capital and young talent for declining vets. Cheap, young, good, and deep is the key. Identify and sign the key pieces early on team friendly contracts to stay good for 10+ years. That's the way to MAXIMIZE your chances.

Gotta like the Jost pickup.

Mike Bales?!?? Hard to believe the improvement!

Is this thing on?!??

Guys, that video rocked... I really liked it! It doesn't change the fact that the Sabres Blue, White, and Gold standard jersey/logo is the best in all of sports and in my 100% lifelong biased opinion- it's not even close.

Late 40s too. When I was a kid I used to imitate Darling with his monotonous style when I was stickhandling and shooting in the driveway or basement, but my dad and I liked RJ better. When playing the Leafs and watching their broadcast we'd turn off the TV sound so we could hear RJ. I don't think we'd have done that for Ted.

They were on Channel 29 at one point too.

I agree with everything you said except the bolded part which I fixed.

What's the NHLe of an NCAA .902 save percentage? Hopefully he's studying hard in his business classes.

Even really bad ones? Considering the rest of the NCAA, Europe, and the CHL, it seems there would be many, many better options.