So I guess Zajac is not signing with the isles.

Zach Parise just spoke of Travis Zajac's tenure with #Isles in past tense.

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) September 10, 2021

Someone explain the Erik Gudbranson signing to me as it makes 0 sense for Calgary

Especially when they signed Stone right after.

Like

Hanafin-Tanev (good)
Valimaki-Andersson (untested)
Zadorov-Gudbranson ( )

He’s probably our spare D, signed because he’s a big veteran and hits people, and is seen as good defensively for some reason (Sutter guy). I’d expect the pairs to be:

Hanifin-Tanev (superb)
Zadorov-Andersson (Zadorov is only good at defense, hopefully that frees up Andersson to do more offensively)
Valimaki-Stone (3rd pair again)
Mackey-Gudbranson (organization really likes Mackey, Sutter will probably really like Gudbranson)

Is Zadorov actually good at defense? Or is he just perceived as being that way by some people because he can throw hits well?

Is Zadorov actually good at defense? Or is he just perceived as being that way by some people because he can throw hits well?

Is Zadorov actually good at defense? Or is he just perceived as being that way by some people because he can throw hits well?

Wait I just saw we gave Gudbranson 1.95mil. What the actual ****. He’s maybe worth league min to be the 8th D. I guess they see him as a 3rd pair guy and Stone as the spare. Which sucks.

OTT should bring him in one season league min. Good mentor for their younger players.

We still need a 2LHD tho

Bro I just saw some one say that Chytil projects to be very similar to Barkov…

My brain cells are non existent at this point, please end my suffering.

So I guess Zajac is not signing with the isles.

Zach Parise just spoke of Travis Zajac's tenure with #Isles in past tense.

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) September 10, 2021

I saw that too

He also was trying to argue that Matthews>Mack

I'm sorry but Mack is a clear cut top 3 center while Matthews is more top 5

Just felt like throwing my 2 cents in:

Analytics are a VERY USEFUL TOOL.
But they are flawed.

The “eye test” is a VERY USEFUL TOOL.
But it is flawed.

You can’t use solely analytics to judge prospects for example. It’s a idiotic thing to use on its own for prospects.

You can’t use just the eye test for NHL players for example.
It’s a idiotic thing to use on its own for players.

You must use both imo. But you also have to judge the situation or player which is where the eye test “evolves” imo.

Take it like this. I’m going to use a very controversial take here too. Erik Karlsson is a very hard player to justify using solely analytics.

Karlsson even during some of his best years had very poor analytics with the Sens (Not all of his years, but at least from the charts I recall seeing the other month). A lot of Sharks fans see a ok game and then go look at Karlsson stats (adv.) and go look he’s dog****. But I continually try to point out this flaw. Early in the 2020/21 season Karlsson had a PHENOMENAL game. He looked amazing and everything was clicking and I believe he got a couple points. His advanced stats for that same game WERE BRUTAL. Yeah he got some a couple points and just looked sooooo gooooood…. But his analytics didn’t change and if anything they regressed.

Now he’s the other side of that same coin. Vlasic doesn’t have god awful adv. stats. They aren’t great, they’re pretty poor, but none the less. Yet Vlasic is just terrible to watch. He’s slow, poor decision making, loses his man or position a ton. I can go on. Yet his analytics value him around the same as Karlsson.

Now I’m not saying Karlsson is amazing because he doesn’t always look good and his analytics suggest the same or that Vlasic is worth his estimated “2-3 million dollar value according to analytics” because often I’d rather see Vlasic be benched.

I’m using them as an example. Not all players play a style that looks good on paper (adv stats). And not all players stand out on the eye test. For example Slavin from the discussion is an amazing example. He’s got great stats, but even if they aren’t the best in the entire league, Slavin flourishes on the eye test and then also has good analytics to suggest that he’s not a fluke. Whereas Karlsson often looks great on the eye test for a majority of a game but he makes mistakes and his style of play firstly doesn’t mesh with a bad team, and his adv stats aren’t great because he’s usually trying to do too much. But that doesn’t mean he’s the worst guy in the league.

I think you should use the eye test and pair it with adv stats. And for some players that situation should change. Use context, and I think there are some fantastic analytics that should be considered always. Quality of Competition is a great one when you pair with Quality of Time on Ice. Use them with your 5v5 impact and mesh those with the eye test.

I don’t think analytics are bad, and I don’t think they’re amazing. But you shouldn’t throw one or the other out.

Parise is getting my hopes up

I think he would be decent as 3LW

Did they announce the AAV for Parise yet?

Parise is 3lw - apparently it’s a 1 year 750 k with bonuses

Better than having Zajac there

That's a great contract

it's fun listening to ppl trying to predict the metro because you just can't.- NYI: has not been great reg season last two years- PIT and WSH: old, didn't improve- CAR: lost good plrs, added question marks- NYR: development vs grit- PHI: pdo regression vs risto/jones

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) September 10, 2021

My predictions are
1. NYI
2. Pittsburgh
3. Philly
4. Carolina
5. Caps
6. Rangers
7. Devils
8. Blue Jackets

Every team has a chance at the playoffs except Columbus imo

Islanders should trade for Devon Toews