Practice Notes - Feb 15: Andersson back on the ice

[iamca]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

It's tough to say. I think he needs to have higher engagement and compete level - but no doubt guys like Lucic specifically have gotten a way longer leash.

Ruzicka had 20 points in his first 25 games played and looked good in a top 9 role. We can use his time W and W/O Lewis as a proxy for top 9 vs 4th line.

Ruzicka + Lewis:
TOI: 145 Minutes
GF: 6
GA: 7
Corsi For: 54.4%
xGF: 50.9%

Ruzicka w/o Lewis:
TOI: 235 Minutes
GF: 11
GA: 8
Corsi For: 57.8%
xGF: 57.6%

From the start of the season to Christmas he only had played 25 games, but had 14 5V5 points which was third on the team behind Lindholm and Dube only, and led the team in points per 60. Then he had a couple softer games, was demoted to the 4th line and his confidence was gone.

In those 25 games before Christmas he got 204 minutes at 5v5 in the top 6, and only 52 minutes on the 4th line. In that time he had 20 points (14 at 5v5). In the 14 games he's played since Christmas he's had 6:16 in the top 6, and 117 minutes on the 4th line. In that time he has 0 points.

He's just a guy who has a skillset not really suited to playing with Milan Lucic and Trevor Lewis on the 4th line and probably didn't deserve his demotion.

He actually did well in top 9 minutes but I would say that Lucic for sure, and maybe even Pelletier to this point have received a longer leash than what Ruzicka got in that role.

Coaching decision… and it’s got to be extremely frustrating for the player, because it sure as hell is as for the fans.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Buff

You just HAD to let the cat out of the bag, didn't you?

And then we'll find out that Huberdeau's passing sucks because he is actually left handed and then he switches his stick to his other hand and becomes Elite?

Lindholm switches out of his lead-lined skates and can move at twice the speed?

Tanev T1000s his shoulder and is good as new again?

We find out that the entire team has been wearing weights under their jerseys, they ditch those for the stretch run and are unstoppable in the playoffs?

It was all a clever and elaborate charade!!!

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

There's also the fact the PP has been downright terrible this season as well. If you're a good 5v5 team you should be drawing penalties, and when you do, make them pay. The Flames haven't done that very much this season. Nobody is scared of the Flames PP and at times is has sucked any momentum the team has had. Even one PP goal every 2 or 3 games could make a big difference the rest of the season.

I agree that the PP — Kirk Muller in particular — have been a disappointment. Now, maybe you can blame Huby for not stirring the drink like he should but overall the PP hasn’t looked dangerous all season, and every time it goes out there and does literally nothing it sucks some momentum from us and gives it to the other team.

I don’t think you can blame Sutter or his system unless he’s telling players to “check for chances” on the PP as well. Player deployment maybe, but it hasn’t looked dynamic this season and that falls on the PP coach IMO.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Does xGF take into account high danger chances.

How can be so high in that ranking when we are middle of the pack or at the bottom of the league in those metrics.

Yes it's a cauldron of all the shot attempts with their weightings into what averages say should be scored with the totals.

100 unscreened shots from the blueline likely score 0.5 times.
50 rebounds at home plate probably score 14 times.

The Flames rank middling in high danger, a bit better in home plate and then high in medium and low danger (as a guess from last time I looked). All works in to the final number.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I agree that the PP — Kirk Muller in particular — have been a disappointment. Now, maybe you can blame Huby for not stirring the drink like he should but overall the PP hasn’t looked dangerous all season, and every time it goes out there and does literally nothing it sucks some momentum from us and gives it to the other team.

I don’t think you can blame Sutter or his system unless he’s telling players to “check for chances” on the PP as well. Player deployment maybe, but it hasn’t looked dynamic this season and that falls on the PP coach IMO.

I think Huberdeau hasn't been getting the puck nearly enough on the power play. For some reason the plays always develop on the other side.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think Huberdeau hasn't been getting the puck nearly enough on the power play. For some reason the plays always develop on the other side.

And we he does get it he's coming in off the left point without any options.

I'd love to watch some film of where Lindholm is when this is happening (I'll look tonight) because he should be sliding into the deep slot to Huberdeau's right to give him an option.

Is he?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I think Huberdeau hasn't been getting the puck nearly enough on the power play. For some reason the plays always develop on the other side.

Too often Toffoli, Kadri, and Andersson were playing a little 3 man game while Lindholm and Huberdeau are just kind of doing nothing.

Honestly to me it must be some combination of system / execution because whatever is happening has completely eliminated both Lindholm and Huberdeau as factors on the PP.

I still think that Toffoli and Lindholm should be split up on the PP - they both fill the same PP role as RH spot shooter on the PP.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Too often Toffoli, Kadri, and Andersson were playing a little 3 man game while Lindholm and Huberdeau are just kind of doing nothing.

Honestly to me it must be some combination of system / execution because whatever is happening has completely eliminated both Lindholm and Huberdeau as factors on the PP.

I still think that Toffoli and Lindholm should be split up on the PP - they both fill the same PP role as RH spot shooter on the PP.

Toffoli likes the left wing side shot a lot. Lindholm always scored from the slot, maybe a little to the right hand side, usually from a pass from below the red line.

Huberdeau should maybe be behind the net more. He's a big body, and he can obviously make a nice pass out.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Toffoli likes the left wing side shot a lot. Lindholm always scored from the slot, maybe a little to the right hand side, usually from a pass from below the red line.

Huberdeau should maybe be behind the net more. He's a big body, and he can obviously make a nice pass out.

Funny enough I think a big part of it is Huberdeau works better with LH shots. And Toffoli, Lindholm, and Andersson all being RH shot makes it tough.

Because less of a one timer option with Huberdeau on the LH side with RH shots across from him.

I was curious so took a look at the most common PP set up in Florida last year.

Huberdeau (LH) - Barkov (LH) - Reinhart (RH) - Duclair (LH) - Ekblad (RH) - This had lots of success during the season.

Then Ekblad got hurt and they went Huberdeau (LH) - Barkov (LH) - Reinhart (RH) - Duclair (LH) - Giroux (RH)

Then in the playoffs last year the Panthers went to this, which closely mimicks the mix the Flames have of LH vs RH shots.

Huberdeau (LH) - Barkov (LH) - Reinhart (RH) - Giroux (RH) - Ekblad (RH)

And the PP struggled mightily and the team struggled with the removal of that LH shot.

Good breakdown of their struggles here. https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...he-power-play/

Think the new PP units were designed to account for this directly - but think they actually went to far. Because now they had no RH shots on the one unit, and 3 RH shots on the other unit still.

[GioforPM]

If you were going to copy the more successful Panthers unit you'd go Huberdeau (LH) -Lindholm (RH but most like Barkov in style IMO) - Kadri (LH) - Pelletier or Dube or Mangiapane (LH) - Andersson (RH).

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

If you were going to copy the more successful Panthers unit you'd go Huberdeau (LH) -Lindholm (RH but most like Barkov in style IMO) - Kadri (LH) - Pelletier or Dube or Mangiapane (LH) - Andersson (RH).

Agreed.

And IMO that is way more balanced.

Unit 1: Huberdeau (LH) - Lindholm (RH) - Kadri (LH) - Mangiapane (LH) - Andersson (RH)

Unit 2: Backlund (LH) - Toffoli (RH) - Dube (LH) - Pelletier (LH) - Weegar (RH)

Gives you the same balance of LH and RH shots on each unit. Kind of similar skill sets IMO too.