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Everything posted by MaxVerstappen33
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Some of the comments and comparisons on this thread are resolutely asinine. And everyone knows it. Lets have a real example. William Nylander. He had 7 goals in 54 games after he missed some time due to contract negs. The year after that he got 31 goals. It took until Game 20 to register his fourth point on Jan. 20, 2019, and there were near-immediate rumblings from fans and media alike that the Leafs — facing an impending salary cap crunch — had vastly overpaid a player set to make nearly $7 million US annually through 2023-24. Here's an article from that season. Substitute Peteys name in for Nylander. https://thehockeywriters.com/toronto-maple-leafs-nylander-more-than-2018-19-season/ William Nylander Is More Than His 2018-19 Season You could fill a page with excuses. He missed training camp and had a late start to the season. He didn’t have his legs under him until January. He spent a ton of time, especially in the playoffs, with weak linemates. The list goes on and on. The bottom line is that William Nylander’s showing this past season was not what the Toronto Maple Leafs wanted or expected from the player that they signed for nearly $7 million per season. But while the 2018-19 season was certainly the worst of his career, the underlying numbers were still promising. And perhaps more importantly, Nylander’s larger body of work suggests that he is still a young star with plenty of untapped potential. Underlying Numbers: 2018-19 Fans love to point to the box scores when evaluating players, but the reality is that hockey is a complicated sport that goes beyond just goals and assists. Yes, Nylander’s mark of seven goals and 27 points over 54 games this past season sounds unimpressive on the surface, especially given his hefty new contract. The truth about the young Swede’s performance, however, lies in the finer details. Nylander led the Leafs in possession at even strength with an impressive 56.77 percent Corsi for. He also ranked second in scoring chances for (SCF) at 58.26 percent and fifth in expected goals for (xGF) at 58.30 percent while on the ice. Yet despite all of these great numbers, Nylander wasn’t rewarded accordingly. The Leafs had just 53.60 percent of the goals when he was on the ice, almost five percent less than his xGF. This can largely be explained by his on-ice shooting percentage of 7.99 percent, which was amongst the worst on the team. While Nylander generated plenty of chances, neither he nor his linemates were able to convert as often as they should have. These numbers tell us that Nylander drives possession and scoring chances at an incredible rate. In simple terms, when Nylander is on the ice his team is likely to control the puck, shoot, and score more than when he is off the ice. His elite skating, transitional play, and puck distribution allow him to do this, but because the box score results weren’t there this season, he didn’t get much credit. Goal Scoring & Puck Luck Perhaps what Nylander was criticized for most this season was his lack of goal scoring. No matter how you slice it, seven goals in 54 games isn’t pretty. But when you dig deeper into the numbers, it becomes apparent that he was a victim of bad puck luck more than anything. We can demonstrate this in a couple of ways. First of all, Nylander shot a measly 5.38 percent this season, just slightly better than half his career mark of 9.8 percent. Before 2018-19, he was a career 11.11 percent shooter. This should already be raising some red flags. We can extrapolate one step further. If Nylander shot at his previous career average of 11.11 percent this season, he would have scored 14 goals in 54 games. Over 82 games, that works out to 21 goals – right in line with his previous marks of 22 and 20 goals in 2017 and 2018, respectively. “Bad puck luck” may sound like a mere excuse, but it’s actually quantifiable. According to the quality and quantity of shots he took, measured by individual expected goals (ixG), Nylander should have scored 12 times. Of course, being an elite shooter or a poor shooter can influence how much a player scores relative to his expected goals. Auston Matthews, for example, scored 37 times despite an ixG of just 27 thanks to his unique shot release. The thing about Nylander is that we know he’s actually an above average shooter based on his past performance. From 2015-16 to 2017-18 Nylander outperformed his 42 ixG, scoring 48 times over that span. And watching him shoot the puck, this makes perfect sense. Nylander was unlucky and he will produce significantly better results moving forward. He did it for the two seasons prior, and there’s no reason to think that he can’t return to that form – and improve upon it. Looking to Next Season People love to get hung up on recent results in professional sports. “What have you done for me lately,” the fanatic beckons. Hockey, though, is a volatile sport. Just as the best team doesn’t always win, the best players don’t always produce as they should. The key is to remember the big picture. Nylander just turned 23, can play both wing and centre, has recorded over 60 points twice, and actually had a decent season despite what mainstream media would have you believe. With a summer of disappointment-fueled workouts plus a proper training camp in September, expect Nylander to come into next season with a chip on his shoulder. And if coach Mike Babcock reunites Nylander with Matthews, expect an offensive exhibition. Given his current ability, Nylander is already good for 20-plus goals and 60-plus points. With proper usage, natural progression, and a whole lot of motivation, the 70-point plateau is not out of the question for 2020. Nylander is more than his 2018-19 season. And that’s exactly what he needs to prove next season.
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Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
Some of us are just trying to be objective here against this hyperbolic nonsense. Because that's what it is. What is even left on Myers deal ? Two years or six ? -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
It wasn't even the subject. The discussion was about whether OEL and Myers are way overpaid. As for Buffalo vs us. Clearly we are underachievers. How many games did the Blues lose compared to Buffalo last year at the start ? -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
Defense is always a position where you have to over pay and take risks. Would you rather have Burns and karlsson for 8 and 11.5 million ? I sure as hell wouldn't -
Nils Hoglander | #21 | LW
MaxVerstappen33 replied to ItalianCanuck1's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
From Vanisawesome The best player on the Canucks at driving puck possession this season has been tiny power forward Nils Höglander, who has the team’s best corsi percentage at 55.58%. Corsi is simply shot attempts for and against at 5-on-5 but works well as a proxy for puck possession. After all, you can’t shoot the puck if you don’t have the puck. The Canucks have out-attempted their opponents 264-to-211 when Höglander has been on the ice at 5-on-5 and his resultant 55.58% corsi percentage is good for 48th in the NHL. 9.55 - Höglander’s scoring chances per 60 minutes Höglander doesn’t just push puck possession in the right direction — he also does something with that possession. No one on the Canucks is creating scoring chances at a higher rate than Höglander, who is averaging 9.55 scoring chances per 60 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick. That’s not too shabby, particularly with the Canucks’ overall struggles at creating scoring chances this season. There’s a reason he went on a tear, scoring 5 goals in 6 games after going goalless for 10 games to start the season. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
You are playing up a 4 year contract like it's a franchise killer. A 4 year contract isn't bloated and can't count as a major problem. Major/bloated contracts start at 8 years + Call him a $&!#ty player but it's not a majorly bloated contract Look at the Sharks blue line and Kane. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
If only we could nail every draft pick and have drafted players in ELC's from #1 pairing all the way down. Forward too. Then we could lay off the pro scouting dept We are nailing our GM to a plank for 4 year contracts now.. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
iMac ? -
I just heard on Bob Mcowen's podcast that Green was getting considerations for coaching for hockey Canada at the Olympics at one time. Seems we bought into a hype project. Just like the Oilers did with Eakins
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Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
I still don't get what someone is saying about Petterson. Petterson is still the leading scorer out of the 2017 draft class. If anyone thinks Petterson doesn't have high value even on his current contract , they'd be delusional. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
I don't think Nonis was as bad of a GM as we remember. And Gillis did a decent job too. All i am saying now is , i think Benning just might have played his part by assembling the makings of a core. Just like Nonis and Burke did. Benning won't be around for any of the glory just as Nonis wasn't. It just pisses me off when Canucks fans pile onto Benning on HF boards and the rest of the league, playing up the idea that he's the worst in the league. The rest of the league says that mainly because they just hate us. You aren't supposed to agree with them. Benning deserves a little bit more respect than he's getting. And i don't disagree that its time for him to move on. As long as his replacement isn't someone like Jim Rutheford. -
Marc Bergevin for General Manager ?
MaxVerstappen33 replied to MaxVerstappen33's topic in Canucks Talk
Ok post what happened. -
Marc Bergevin for General Manager ?
MaxVerstappen33 replied to MaxVerstappen33's topic in Canucks Talk
i watched a sportnet segment on it. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
3/4th best in this league right now is ludicrous nonsense . You do know that there have been 2 expansion teams recently that thinned out the D market even more ? I meant top pairing D man. He's a serviceable top pairing d man. Everyone has observed that he's better than Edler. And the Kings are playing tonight with Alex Edler as their top defensman. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
You obviously haven't had a peep at the rest of the league if you think OEL is a #3/4 defensman on a "respectable" team. Typical bandwagoneer. You think everyone else's backsliding defense is better than your own. We can cherry pick all day. OEL has more goals than PK Subban and Brent Burns. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
So what will be the report card on Benning if Petterson , Hughs , Podz , Hoglander and Rathbone mature into a playoff lock core ? Just as the Sedin Loungo Bieksa core became the best team in the league ? All of the main pieces were Nonis and Burkes team. Nonis was responsible for Luongo, Bieksa and Hansen. Kesler too. Nonis matched Keslers offer sheet. Not Burke. -
Marc Bergevin for General Manager ?
MaxVerstappen33 replied to MaxVerstappen33's topic in Canucks Talk
He took a video shot of his gf's butt or something and showed it to his teammates to impress them. Really stupid. But the Internet is loaded with guys who do this. And its never really clear if the woman has consented to the footage getting out -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
What a load of hooey. Canucks bandwagon jumpers think they have the worst GM in the league. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
I agree that Poolman, Pearson and Dickinson look pretty bad. But they aren't albatross contracts by NHL standards. Not even close honestly. They are easy pieces to dump on a cap floor or rebuilding team. These aren't Scott Gomez, David Clarkson, Zack Parise , David Booth level boat anchor contracts. The league is littered with this garbage and we don't have them. -
And lets remind ourselves that Ryan Kesler got 10 goals in 82 games in his first year of play.
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Nils Hoglander | #21 | LW
MaxVerstappen33 replied to ItalianCanuck1's topic in Prospects / Farm Team
What is this kids upside ? When you watch him play now, just now, think of Raymond, Kassian or even early Ryan Kesler. Kesler got 10 goals in 82 games in his first year. Hogs got 13 goals in 56 games last year. Hogs is making things happen now. What's he going to be when he matures ? He doesn't look small out there at all either. He doesn't play small. -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
Its not as bad as you claim. Not nearly as bad as you claim when you take a cursory look around the league. OEL is a solid #1 defensman that we have for 7 million. Not 9.5 million like Subban. Not an aging Brent Burns for 8.5 million. Not a broken Erik Karlsson for 8.5 million. Hughs and Petterson will develop into Sedin/Naslund level players. Hoglander and Podz look pretty damn good so far. They look better than Kassian or Raymond did at their age. Hell, they look better than Kesler did early on. 10 goals/82 games Kelser. Imagine what they will look like when they mature. What are the negative value contracts you are talking about ? I support moving Benning on. I just don't think he's as bad as ppl say -
Honest Conversation With Those Who Still Support Management
MaxVerstappen33 replied to JohnTavares's topic in Canucks Talk
It hasn't actually been 8 years. But anyway, like the Ducks before Burke took over or the Canucks before Gillis took over, some hard and painful work has been done. And some other GM will take the credit for Bennings work in the future. We'll get a decent pick this year and Hughs and Petterson will grow into men. Then this team will be a winner again