dead puck era is back!

[nj_cup]

NHL.com - Stats


wow! not being up to date on the year like usual i was shocked to see how badly the offense has been around the nhl.

86 points wins your the ross? 3 scorers above 40 goals? 3 goalies with 9 or more shutouts wow.


maybe drafting a grinder will actually pan out since we are going back to the 90s level of play

 

[MadCaptain]

2014-15 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Special Teams - National Hockey League - ESPN

This is the main reason star scoring is down IMO. I believe this year was an all-time low in PP opportunities.


Compared to the height of the clutch and grab era:
2003-04 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Special Teams - National Hockey League - ESPN


The numbers took a huge nosedive last year but have had a slow decline for years.

 

[nj_cup]

WOW!

a couple things really pop out there.

1. every devils fan knows that we get so little PPO. i know the "thinking" is that the team doesn't dive or are always in proper position but i still find that insanely hard to believe that. is it because our teams are typically old and slow? so no penalties are needed against us? some truth to that could be given since in 11-12 with kovy and parise we go from last to 18th. discounting the lock out year where we were top 5! the last two years we are back to the bottom of the nhl.

2. i can't believe that the nhl gave out so many powerplays back in the day! wow! after the lost year the top was 541 compared to this year top was 294! thats insane.

3. that says a TON about the state of the nhl. the only way you can score is by hoping your players commit fouls. thats like saying in football the only way a team can move the ball down field is by getting penalties. why not just take turns every 2mins each team gets a powerplay?


i really don't get why they can't bring down goalie equipment and increase the net size just a bit. an inch all around will it help? who knows maybe it will throw the goalies off a little bit?

 

[nj_cup]

thinking about this a bit more (bored at work)

they really need to increase the size of the ice surface. it would never happen but they need to eliminate 2 rows of seating to increase the rink. just price out the last two rows of seating to balance it out.

also i would eliminate shot blocking. no more going down to block shots you have to stay on two feet

 

[Nasty_Magician]

It's pretty true, in order to score even strength you basically need deflections, weird bounces, crazy screens etc. Goalies are too big, too good now.

 

[nj_cup]

its strange to see a guy on the blue line winding up to take slappers anymore. now its a soft wrist shot for a deflection or a bounce.

 

[Rock Strongo]

imagine if they still had garth snow-esque pads in net?

 

[rp2five]

Devils are last or close to last every year for power play opportunities. that

2014-15 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Special Teams - National Hockey League - ESPN

This is the main reason star scoring is down IMO. I believe this year was an all-time low in PP opportunities.


Compared to the height of the clutch and grab era:
2003-04 NHL Hockey Stats and League Leaders - Special Teams - National Hockey League - ESPN


The numbers took a huge nosedive last year but have had a slow decline for years.

I noticed the Devils being last or close to last most of the seasons. Even if you look at 2000-2001 which is when the lost the finals to the Avs, or 2003 when they won the cup, they were dead last. I wouldn't say they were slow and unskilled back then. I never realized how little PPO they actually get compared to other teams. Maybe because they are typically a more defensive minded team?

 

[MadCaptain]

I believe I read somewhere that 5 on 5 scoring hasn't changed much, which is evident with an increase in scoring from 4th + 3rd liners. It is the superstars who get most of the pp points that have struggled to keep up with superstars of the past.

The Devils were always last because their games were called looser. If you look, they were regularly last in PPO given as well. Meanwhile, you had teams like the Penguins who were regularly tops in PPO but also giving up a lot of opportunities themselves. The only team with a noticeable difference between the two were the Hurricanes, who had a team full of divers.

 

[MadCaptain]

thinking about this a bit more (bored at work)

they really need to increase the size of the ice surface. it would never happen but they need to eliminate 2 rows of seating to increase the rink. just price out the last two rows of seating to balance it out.

also i would eliminate shot blocking. no more going down to block shots you have to stay on two feet

Wouldn't increasing the rink size decrease scoring? A lot of the plays revolve around the boards and increasing the rink size puts the puck further away from the goal.

 

[nj_cup]

i think it would just create more space. players that have skill can maybe create some separation from say the likes of ruutu or zubrus exploit their speed/skill and get them out of position. i really think you would see less teams devote a "checking" line to match against other teams top lines. not even sure if teams still do that though.

in theory i would think you have like sid/malkin/whoever going against elias/zubrus/ruutu that would be a nightmare for the devils with those few extra feet. now? play is so bogged down and cramped with no space even if sid gets away from zubrus hes going to be right on top of another devil.

with them going to 3on3 overtime your going to see that idea taken to the next level. i really dont even know how the devils will be able to compete in the overtime next year. 3on3 they will get slaughtered you might see them pull the goalie during the 4on4 play!