[News] CBS Sports power ranking w/ intro geared at Calgary

[iamca]

Worth a quick read and I didn't see it posted anywhere: http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/powerrankings

Predicting that their luck will end at some point has already happened during their 8 game slide. Still lots of hockey to be played, but this team has not only shown a lot of determination. There are still players like Sven, Ferland, Granlund, Ortio, Wotherspoon, Reinhart, etc... All of whom can step in if needed.

Any comments on the actual power rankings? Besides Anaheim, who are an elite team and clearly have the Flames number, any other top 12 teams that are a really difficult match up for Calgary right now? If choosing only one more I would have to say St. Louis. Thoughts?

[djsFlames]

Regardless of what the advanced stats were, the Flames were dominant against San Jose in both meetings, as well as the Jets before that.

Dominant can also mean having the puck less than the other team but doing more with it when in your own possession. And then being able to lock the opponent down after taking a lead. It's called having the game under control. When your team can do that, it doesn't need all the time in the world with the puck to look good.

The opposition launching shots from non scoring areas while being boxed out to the perimeter does not make their possession time indicative of anything.

I really wish these deeply flawed stats would just go away. Interesting take from CBS, but if they'd watched any of the recent games, they'd know the Flames weren't defying anything. They've simply been the better team on a lot of nights.

[FBI]

I wonder if faster teams have worse corsi in general? Like quick breakout teams?

[GranteedEV]

I don't think the corsi stats themselves are flawed (Calgary really is not a "possession" team), but I do think that the PDO stats being treated as "luck" is B.S. and that's where all these analyses' come off as silly. You can be a good team without dominating possession.

Teams don't just magically have better luck over an entire 82 game season. Good goaltending is not luck. Open-net scoring chances are not luck.

Everyone points to last year's Avs and how they came back down to earth this year.

...Well for starters, where did Paul Statsny go? Did MacKinnon not get shifted over to center from the wing? Was Iginla there last year and is he the right fit? Did Duchene's shooting percentage drop? Are they really playing with the same intensity?

[Rerun]

The story makes me think of a quote by Kevin Durant:

[Lil Pedro]

Another reason why Corsi sucks

[jemjey]

While I appreciate the Flames attention, just goes to show how little most of the hockey media actually watches the Flames and how they just go by highlights and what they've read and heard from other, just as ill-informed writers.

Is it a mystery we're doing well? Only if you've never watched any of the games or interviews, and your only information about them comes secondhand. Personally, I'm not surprised at all.

[Vinny01]

TSN just had another article saying the same things about the Flames horrible advanced stats.

I have watched every Flames game this year and I do not see a team that gets routinely outplayed and relies on goaltending to win. They appear to go toe to toe with all teams. One thing is this is not a dump and chase then cycle the puck around. The flames score a lot of goals on the rush due to fast forwards and a defense that is great at moving the puck up the ice.

[Resolute 14]

Well, neither article said we relied on goaltending, so...

Honestly, the CBS article is utterly unsurprising in its entirety. The Flames are defying logic. Especially since much of our season has relied on trying to hang around in the first 40 before storming back in the third. What is nice to see lately is that we are pressuring our opposition much earlier in the game. The two San Jose wins and the game against Winnipeg being big examples.

[SofaProfessor]

Anyone who has watched most of the games this season understands why the Flames have bad possession numbers. They break out fast and don't waste time creating scoring chances. Other teams will try and get the cycle going. This was really evident the other night in San Jose. The Sharks work down low with their big guys to protect the puck and look for opportunities to develop. The Flames break out quick and you can almost feel a scoring chance coming before they even cross the red line. Not saying there's a right or wrong way to do things but it seems this team is built for speed and quick chances off the rush while others are built more for the grind it out, wait for your chances kind of game.

[Red]

Flames are a small team and because of that they are not able to cycle or grind it on the boards. When they try it's short lived. Thus low possession.

Hartley has them playing an off the rush and stretch pass game instead. It suits them better. This is why they are such a poor possession team.

[Resolute 14]

The Sharks game was a big example of score effects as well. We were actually ahead on Corsi until the 2-0 goal, then at 3-1 fell behind as the Sharks pressed hard to get back in.

[Enoch Root]

That was a pretty good write-up I thought. They stated the facts but then didn't follow through with ridiculous conclusions, they just left it with questions. And I actually thought there was an undertone of respect there (unlike that TSN article yesterday, which just hashed the same old stupid and inaccurate conclusions)

[Street Pharmacist]

Point out bad corsi = hate the flames.

Be a Flames Fan = corsi doesn't work

[FlamesAddiction]

I really hate how things get analyzed to death these days.

People use these same stats to try and show that the Oilers situation is a result of bad luck.

I get it from a scouting perspective and I think advanced stats are fascinating when trying to judge individual player effectiveness, but I don't like them for trying to predict future team success. The Flames are a highly resilient and energetic team. There isn't a stat for that.

[Plett25]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

The Flames are a highly resilient and energetic team. There isn't a stat for that.

Yes there is, it's called the standings.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Plett25

Yes there is, it's called the standings.

Touche.

[RyZ]

I believe Adirondak was out-Corsi'd in a 10-0 victory last night.

Often Corsi is no more relevant than +/-

[Fighting Banana Slug]

I don't care for the "defying logic" narrative, but the write-up wasn't that bad. Indicates we have good, not great, goaltending, an outstanding 1/2 D pair and good seasons from Monahan and Hudler.
I must admit, I didn't understand this line:
"War on Ice also has Calgary with a scoring chance differential of minus-211."
Any sense from those in the know how they came up with scoring chance differential? Is that just a measure of shots on/at net?

[Vulcan]

So we have lousy possession stats but still outscore the opposition. To me this means we play well without the puck. That's a plus in any scouting report and a sign of a responsible team.