I'm a fan of the Zagidulin extension, but I wonder why the Flames chose Zagidulin over Ivan Bocharov.
Bocharov has better stats and a larger sample size. He probably makes a good salary in the KHL, but he's someone the Flames should definitely be looking at.
Has anyone heard about his status/attitudes towards coming to the NHL?
He signed a contract extension last month. His KHL contract expires at the end of the 21/22 season, so probably won't come over before then if at all.
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Zag had a 16-7-1 record with Stockton, putting up an .898 SV%. From what I've heard from talking to guys in the know Zagidulin is a guy who will come out of a 5-4 game with an .880 SV% but he would get the win by making a ton of clutch saves.
Is this a bad or good save % in the AHL? On the surface, that looks pretty bad but I thought Zagidulin was good in preseason
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"This has been TheScorpion's shtick for years. All these hot takes, clickbait nonsense just to feed his social media algorithms." –Tuco
The defense in Stockton is hella bad. Both Zags and Gillies were quite good this year.
Stockton's defense didn't have many guys on NHL contracts this year but that does not mean it was bad. In fact it was quite the opposite.
Stockton's goalies faced 1624 shots this year in 3321 minutes of ice time. That's 29.3 shots per 60.
I just calculated the figures for the rest of the teams in the Pacific:
Bakersfield: 30.3 shots per 60
Colorado: 34.7 shots per 60
Ontario: 36.4 shots per 60
San Jose: 29.0 shots per 60
San Diego: 33.3 shots per 60
Tucson: 30.0 shots per 60
Stockton's defense was second-best in its division at preventing shots. But both goalies were either at the league average or well below in terms of save-percentage. That's definitely concerning.
With Zagidulin, there's obviously the fact that it was his first year of N.A. pro and he was renowned for making timely saves -- but he definitely needs to improve his overall consistency. Gillies... well, he simply should have been better, and he'll pay for that by not being re-signed.
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"This has been TheScorpion's shtick for years. All these hot takes, clickbait nonsense just to feed his social media algorithms." –Tuco
Stockton's defense didn't have many guys on NHL contracts this year but that does not mean it was bad. In fact it was quite the opposite.
Stockton's goalies faced 1624 shots this year in 3321 minutes of ice time. That's 29.3 shots per 60.
I just calculated the figures for the rest of the teams in the Pacific:
Bakersfield: 30.3 shots per 60
Colorado: 34.7 shots per 60
Ontario: 36.4 shots per 60
San Jose: 29.0 shots per 60
San Diego: 33.3 shots per 60
Tucson: 30.0 shots per 60
Stockton's defense was second-best in its division at preventing shots. But both goalies were either at the league average or well below in terms of save-percentage. That's definitely concerning.
With Zagidulin, there's obviously the fact that it was his first year of N.A. pro and he was renowned for making timely saves -- but he definitely needs to improve his overall consistency. Gillies... well, he simply should have been better, and he'll pay for that by not being re-signed.
They were bad, because they gave up a ridiculous number of high quality scoring opportunities. Allowing fewer shots doesn't mean they are playing good defense, in this case it just meant they were good at reducing perimeter shooting.
I don't base my opinion on NHL contracts (I don't know where you even got that absolutely terrible thought), I base it on what I watched, which was the same problem they have had for a couple years now. Too many odd man rushes against, too many high quality scoring changes against, and a complete inability to prevent backdoor type plays from happening and removing screens from the slot. The Heat are the only team I have watched that could have 7-8 goals scored against them and not want to fault the goalie for any of the goals against.
I went looking for a website that publishes AHL team's high danger stats. Couldn't find anything. Anybody have a site that they use for AHL deep dives?
AHL analytics are basically reserved for in-house assessment by individual front offices. Don't think they're available to the public anywhere.
Anyway Crown Royal I'm not going to call myself any sort of AHL authority. I can't afford AHL.TV! But I watched every highlight pack the Heat posted this year and it was a given that Gillies would allow at least one awful goal (and often multiple) in every game. I found Zagidulin was hung out to dry a fair amount more. And that happens -- teams play differently with different goalies in net.
I just went to the Heat YouTube page and this was the first highlight pack I clicked on... I mean, Gillies allows two quite frankly inexcusable goals here.
Once again I'm not an AHL aficionado by any means but I have never been impressed by Gillies in net and I didn't see anything different in the highlight packs I watched this year. I didn't find Stockton's defense in the admittedly limited footage I watched to be all that egregious either. A lot of the goals Stockton allowed, in my opinion, fell on the goalies, especially Gillies.
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"This has been TheScorpion's shtick for years. All these hot takes, clickbait nonsense just to feed his social media algorithms." –Tuco
Well good! I'm glad you're here to give us your opinion and I'm not trying to dispel what you're saying.
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"This has been TheScorpion's shtick for years. All these hot takes, clickbait nonsense just to feed his social media algorithms." –Tuco
Gillies is Stockton's Brian Elliott.
Zagidulin is their David Rittich.
And in the games I saw, not a ton mind you, but Stockton's D better resembles a WHL team (structurally) due to the skill level of the players involved. Super scrambly.
I remember Rittich's early days too... in both development and training camp and in the preseason he looked incredibly shaky and raw. I remember thinking, "this guy has a lot to work on." But within a year he was putting up big numbers in the NHL.
Zag definitely passes my eye test more than early Rittich did whenever I watch him. The results have been hit-and-miss for sure but I think there's a real asset there for sure. I look forward to watching him challenge for a spot next year.
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"This has been TheScorpion's shtick for years. All these hot takes, clickbait nonsense just to feed his social media algorithms." –Tuco
Gillies is Stockton's Brian Elliott.
Zagidulin is their David Rittich.
And in the games I saw, not a ton mind you, but Stockton's D better resembles a WHL team (structurally) due to the skill level of the players involved. Super scrambly.
I won't pretend to know how much of Stockton's poor defensive performances to divide between the defensemen and the goalies.
However, I will point out that Jon Gillies is now 26-years-old, and he has completed his fifth professional campaign. In five years he has played in 160 AHL games, and has struggled to maintain his consistency. In five years Gillies has not once turned in a dominant performance at the AHL level, and that on its own is extremely concerning.
I think the clock has run out on Gillies's NHL career, and it will be best fro the Flames to move on.
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Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
Quote:
Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
Gillies is Stockton's Brian Elliott.
Zagidulin is their David Rittich.
And in the games I saw, not a ton mind you, but Stockton's D better resembles a WHL team (structurally) due to the skill level of the players involved. Super scrambly.
This is a good description of the defense.
With the mention of Rittich, it reminds me of his last stint with the Heat and their defense was still this bad then too and played a major part in his sub .900 SV% and a GAA over 3
I won't pretend to know how much of Stockton's poor defensive performances to divide between the defensemen and the goalies.
However, I will point out that Jon Gillies is now 26-years-old, and he has completed his fifth professional campaign. In five years he has played in 160 AHL games, and has struggled to maintain his consistency. In five years Gillies has not once turned in a dominant performance at the AHL level, and that on its own is extremely concerning.
I think the clock has run out on Gillies's NHL career, and it will be best fro the Flames to move on.
I think Gillies gets criticized too easily. Let's look at his "5" years.
Year 1. 7 games, looked fantastic, then suffered a season ending injury.
Year 2. Returning from injury and the death of his best friend, had an okay season. Putting up a better SV% tha other AHL rookies in Demko and Blackwood.
Year 3. He was knocking on the door of being top 10 in SV%
Year 4. Struggled on and off the ice with the loss of both of his grandparents that he was extremely close with.
Year 5. Rebounded, had a solid season behind a bad defense.
He hasn't been dominant, but it's easy to understand why he hasn't. I don't think he will return as a Group VI UFA, but I think there is still a chance he ends up in the NHL.
I think Gillies gets criticized too easily. Let's look at his "5" years.
Year 1. 7 games, looked fantastic, then suffered a season ending injury.
Year 2. Returning from injury and the death of his best friend, had an okay season. Putting up a better SV% tha other AHL rookies in Demko and Blackwood.[/QUOTE
Year 3. He was knocking on the door of being top 10 in SV%
Year 4. Struggled on and off the ice with the loss of both of his grandparents that he was extremely close with.
Year 5. Rebounded, had a solid season behind a bad defense.
He hasn't been dominant, but it's easy to understand why he hasn't. I don't think he will return as a Group VI UFA, but I think there is still a chance he ends up in the NHL.
Sure. I get it. There are legitimate reasons why Gillies's career has slipped, and valid excuses for his extremely pedestrian AHL numbers. That's not his fault, but it also does not bode even remotely well for his future. Whether or not it is fair I think it is abundantly realistic to conclude that ANY 26-year-old, five-year AHL goalie will have met his potential by this point. Simply put: bona-fide NHL starting goalies will have furnished a dominant AHL campaign at some point in his first three or four years. Gillies has essentially run out of runway: At his age and with his experience and results he is not going to get the sorts of opportunities that a goalie needs to develop into an NHL starter. I think he could cobble together a career topping out as a dependable backup on a NHL team, but there does not seem to be any good reason to expect after five years that Gillies will ever play +30 games in a NHL season.
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Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
Quote:
Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
Sure. I get it. There are legitimate reasons why Gillies's career has slipped, and valid excuses for his extremely pedestrian AHL numbers. That's not his fault, but it also does not bode even remotely well for his future. Whether or not it is fair I think it is abundantly realistic to conclude that ANY 26-year-old, five-year AHL goalie will have met his potential by this point. Simply put: bona-fide NHL starting goalies will have furnished a dominant AHL campaign at some point in his first three or four years. Gillies has essentially run out of runway: At his age and with his experience and results he is not going to get the sorts of opportunities that a goalie needs to develop into an NHL starter. I think he could cobble together a career topping out as a dependable backup on a NHL team, but there does not seem to be any good reason to expect after five years that Gillies will ever play +30 games in a NHL season.
I never said anything about Gillies becoming an NHL starter, I was responding to you saying time has run out on his NHL career. There have been more than enough cases of goalies getting it together after their 25th birthday to know how painfully stupid that statement was.
I never said anything about Gillies becoming an NHL starter, I was responding to you saying time has run out on his NHL career. There have been more than enough cases of goalies getting it together after their 25th birthday to know how painfully stupid that statement was.
Is there actually? I sure would like to see all this evidence of goalies who have—after multiple, middling pro seasons at the AHL level—suddenly emerged to become quality NHL starting goalies.
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Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
Quote:
Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
Is there actually? I sure would like to see all this evidence of goalies who have—after multiple, middling pro seasons at the AHL level—suddenly emerge to become quality NHL starting goalies.
Again, I never said anything about him being a starting goaltender, you are aware that a goaltender can have a career as a back-up goaltender, right?
Again, I never said anything about him being a starting goaltender, you are aware that a goaltender can have a career as a back-up goaltender, right?
I said as much about a goalie like Gillies "topping out as a dependable backup on a NHL team," so I am rather puzzled to know which statement of mine it is that you consider to be "painfully stupid."
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Dealing with Everything from Dead Sea Scrolls to Red C Trolls
Quote:
Originally Posted by woob
"...harem warfare? like all your wives dressup and go paintballing?"
