Tuesday Roundup - Viktor Kozlov: Lebowski Rug
by J.P. on Feb 10, 2009 6:46 AM EST
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A season ago, Viktor Kozlov quietly put together a borderline-great season as he found good chemistry with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, and Bruce Boudreau rode the trio throughout the regular season. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Caps have struggled a bit in his absences this season.
To be sure, there's a rather large handful of players more vital to the Caps' success than the team's fourth-most popular Russian, but Kozlov is what Puck Daddy would call a Lebowski Rug player - "a guy who you don't realize ties the room together until he's gone.... But, unlike the 'unsung hero,' a player whose loss a team can sometimes overcome."
With Kozlov in the lineup, the Caps are 31-13-3; without Kozlov, they're 3-3-1. With Kozlov, they're averaging 3.36 goals per game; without Kozlov, 2.86. With Kozlov in the lineup, Ovechkin has 35 goals in 50 games; without Kozlov, two goals in seven. And while I wouldn't draw any conclusions from this small a sample, there is a certain, um, certainty that having a healthy Viktor provides. With Kozlov in the lineup, they're averaging roughly four different line combinations per game, and without him that number jumps to somewhere around 479,001,600. (Note: I'm not too sure on that last stat.)
More than stability, though, Kozlov brings something to the top line that isn't easily replaced in terms of puck possession, forechecking and defensive responsibility (despite what his plus/minus dropping off a cliff from last season's +28 rating to this year's -3 might imply). And, of course, Kozlov is a point-producer and one who has 28 points in his last 37 games, including as many power-play assists over that span (10) as all but three Caps have on the season, despite ranking sixth among the team's forwards in power-play ice time.
Point being, the Caps miss Kozlov and are a much better team with him in the lineup (though we could all probably hazard a guess as to why he wasn't rushed back for either of the last two games). Now, if he could only carry over his regular season performance to the playoffs, the Caps would really be in business...
Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:
Two more articles on the VC ice, and these are from a mainstream outlets (the WTimes and WaPo). Houston, we have a problem? Update: OFB chimes in as well... New power rankings are out, with the Caps up two to fourth at The Hockey News (where they tease me in their Ducks blurb), down one to fifth at TSN.ca, holding at fifth at Sportsnet.ca, down one to fourth at CBSSports.com and SportingNews.com, and up two to second (!) at ESPN.com.... XM204's Shawn Lavigne has some questions, including a pretty popular one right off the bat.... Joe Finley talks concussions (h/t WCHB).... Hershey's "Think Green Night" promotion apparently has nothing to do with their former blueliner.... Maxime "Max II" Daigneault is still toiling around the minors, apparently.... Finally, on this date back in 2000, Olie Kolzig recorded his 15th career shutout, breaking Jim Carey's franchise mark of 14. Kolzig would go on to post another 20 shutouts as a Cap.
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Now, if he could only carry over his regular season performance to the playoffs, the Caps would really be in business…
That’s the dilemma, for as key as he is to 8’s success, Kozlovneeds to get off the pot come April/May. At some point, the team’s going to have to cut the cord with him, especially if he’s scored as many goals as I have, and I’m a load.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
I think that playoff goose egg may be the only reason the team hasn’t extended him yet. You’d think that, at a reasonable price, the Caps would welcome him back next year, especially given the lack of organizational depth on the right side.
But if he flops again come Spring… later, hater.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
Whaddya think, anything over $3.2 is overpaying?
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Feb 10, 2009 8:15 AM EST up reply actions
Oh yeah
I would offer him the same contract again, if not less. Not as an affront to Kozlov, but just explain that we’ve got other guys coming up and we need to keep them too. (Semin, Backstrom) Seriously, why would he NOT want to continue to play with Ovie for the last years of his career? And he’s a good stabilizing/counterbalance on that line…..he really is “the rug”.
Kozlov’s value can’t be boiled down to his point totals, regular season or post season. He isn’t relied on to put up big numbers, nor should he be. His value to the team is the stuff that doesn’t show on the score sheet.
While Kozlov has some level of intangibles, if you’re playing on the first line, play as a skilled player rather than a power player, never hit, never fight, aren’t great defensively, don’t block shots, etc, your point production is going to be a huge measure of your value.
For whatever reason, there hasn’t been anyone else that has been able to gel with Nick and Ovi. Not for lack of effort on Bruce’s part (though the line swapping might be partly to blame)
I’d love to see more point totals out of him, but if him being a ghost on the ice means that Backstrom and Ovi are 1.8 point a game players he’s worth a lot of cash to me.
I’m riterating what J.P. said in his post but when we are talking about not resigning him because he doesn’t put up huge numbers come the summer it needs to be restated.
That’s a fair point. Kozlov has the perfect balance for that line: he mostly lets the stars do their thing but he doesn’t completely get out of the way.
Still, I feel like Backstrom and Ovechkin have to be fairly easy guys to play with and that given a little time someone, be it Fehr, Laich, Semin, Flesichmann, or a younger player, would be just fine on their line. And with a combined cap hit of almost $12 million, Ovechkin and Backstrom need to be good enough that they can play with more than just one guy.
I’ll concede the second point, even if it means the team is spending $6.5m this year on intangibles. But as a 32 year old winger who skates most of the time on the 1st line, he needs to put something, anything in April/May.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Feb 10, 2009 11:12 AM EST up reply actions
for as key as he is to 8’s success
The only key to 8’s success is 8. 8 has succeeded with Halpern, Zubrus, Clark, Pettinger(?), and whoever else he has played with. Fact is most of the guys that ever got a significant chance to play with 8 got career numbers. 8 needs not help, especially from a guy who doesn’t like to fight when the going gets tough.
Chris Pronger
The answer to their blurb is “damn good, but not so good on their salary line”. Can we afford another year of him at 6.25 mil? Who do we drop to handle him? If we take him, we’re almost guaranteed to dump Morrisonn and Fedorov, Kozlov, or possibly both. I don’t think Nylander is going anywhere at this point (sorry, guys).
Cap experts, help please?
You know ....
One name that I’ve never heard bandied around about a shut-down Dman at all is Rob Scuderi (PIT). He’s +9 with as many points as he’s got PIM’s on the season (12). Not bad for a cap hit of .713, and he goes UFA this year. With PIT struggling, they might sell, although I don’t know if I’d part with someone like him.
Thoughts?
Federov is gone anyway
The guy barely came back for this year. Consider him pre-retired. I think he’s ready to go back to Russia and begin the 5-year waiting period until a red #91 Detroit Jersey gets enshrined in Toronto.
He has more then earned it.
I think that depends on what happens in the playoffs to some extent. I wouldn’t rule him out for another year, but it would need to be for less than $4m.
The guy will be 40 in December
3 Stanley Cups, a Hart, a Selke, a Pearson, 6 All-Star Games, a Bronze and Silver Olympic Medal, 3 Wold Championship Gold Medals, all-time best Russian player EVER and coming off his first major nagging ankle injury all on an expiring $4 Million contract that he specifically only wanted for 1-year…..
You think the Mr. Federov wants to lace ’em up for another year of this? At 40?
I don’t know that he will, but if I were McPhee I would offer him a deal, however small, if he wanted to come back. He seems to like playing for the Caps, and the 500 goal thing might matter to him.
I realize his career must be fulfilled at this point, but I think he likes playing on this team. I’d have him back if he wants to be back for a smaller salary.
http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/cbj090208.html
Nylander probably is not going anywhere, and he is a TERRIBLE fit for Ken Hitchcock, but he fits their need. He can play No. 1 C (better than all of their roster), he can set up a legit scorer when he gets the chance to consistently, he won’t cost one of the CBJ young guns or a first round pick. We’ll see how it plays out in CBJ but if they stay in the hunt and can’t find a better option for no. 1 C then they may be willing to pick him up. We’ll see. Moving him pretty much immediately makes all the room we need for Pronger (assuming ShaMo goes back the other way).
I think Federov may want to come back. I don’t think he likes the idea of retiring after such an injury plagued year and he definitely likes playing with the young kids on this team. Does he like it enough to take a pay cut? Time will tell.
Rostislav Klesla
What’s the book on him (the D-man mentioned as available in that article)?
by Scott in Shaw on Feb 10, 2009 6:15 PM EST up reply actions
Former fourth overall pick. 6’3" with a decent skill set (I guess). I don’t really care about him. We have 8 D. Taking Nyls off our books is the only return I seek. Maybe a mid-level pick/prospect. I’m still hoping for Dan Hamhuis to come bolster our blue line. My sense is that Klesla has been underwhelming his entire NHL career.
I feel about Pronger
Like I do about Chara. (Except Chara is better now) He’s not as good as people make him out to be anymore, living on the glories of his past accomplishments and really wouldn’t bring a whole lot to this team. ESPECIALLY for that cap hit.
Mike Green's Shoulder May Disagree With You
The guy would be a massive force for the playoffs with solid post-season experience, not least of which is a Stanley Cup RING.
solid post-season experience, not least of which is a Stanley Cup RING.
I thought that’s what Feds $4 mill was for.
So.....
we didn’t win the Cup with Feds (3 Cups), but bringing in Pronger (1 Cup) will somehow make that happen? If your argument is truly about post-season experience and winning, then the answer is already on the team. I’m certainly not against getting Pronger, especially if it’s a Nyls/Mo for Pronger trade, (which is the only one I can see that clears the cap space) but the post-season experience argument doesn’t hold water for him.
Feds AND Pronger
Veteran Experience up front and on the Blue Line. Plus Pronger adds a level of physicality that just isn’t in our roster. (Brash is a fighter but plays limited minutes on the fourth line. Erskine can hit but isn’t that kind of "presence")
Ice
needs to be fixed. But there isn’t a whole lot Ted can do until he owns WS&E. 230 events is just too damn much and having the circus, wrestling, and truck pull all during hockey season is really unnecessary unless the team is on a long road trip. G’Town really should go, although I know they won’t. It’s a matter of proper scheduling really, sometimes it’s been pretty cold in VC, sometimes, uh, not so much. Two teams to schedule at one arena is a pretty easy workaround, three makes it a total pain in the ass.
Here’s to hoping the Caps will finally get scheduling priority with a new top dog @ WS&E.
I do not know that this is 100% true. I don’t KNOW this, but I wonder if Ted could put A/C units and dehumidifiers on the roof of the building, paid for by Lincoln. Maybe he has. We just don’t know.
I think Ted needs to send JP an apology. JP brought this issue up earlier this year and Ted blasted him in Ted’s Take. Now the issue is back and there seems to be a gag order for the players. No matter what they say, we all see the elephant in the room.
by I'm not Brian on Feb 10, 2009 10:00 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
1) IF there isn’t much that can be done, then Ted should simply say it? The silly notion he gave that they need to have less on-ice intermission activities was laughable.
2) Saturday was above normal for February, but it was still well below what it will probably be in late April/may! What then Ted?
1) if you cut the ice and let it freeze it will help. Cutting out intermission stuff won’t solve the problem, but it will matter.
2) there won’t be anything on the schedule except for the Caps. They can do much more about building temps at that point than they can now when the Hoyas and Wiz are both playing in the same building. (Thats only true if they have the right equipment to do the climate control)
How's the ice at MSG?
They host the Rangers, the Knicks, a lot of St John’s college bball games, a few indoor lacrosse games, the circus, the Westminster dog show, quite a few boxing and MMA fights, all kinds of concerts and other events…. it can’t be that much less then the VZ center and I half-suspect its busier.
Why don’t we here blogosphere-wide bitching about ice at the Garden?
Because, like everything else related to the team, the Rangers are content with mediocrity in their ice? MSG is in a race with VZC for worst in the league.
Okay... how about the other Garden
TD Banknorth hosts the Bruins, the Celtics, all kinds of concerts, a few college games, conventions and will be the home to their new indoor lacrosse team.
I’m just saying that there are plenty of other arenas juggling a busy non-hockey schedule.
This can not be unique to DC.
I think VZC is just a perfect storm of heavy use, warm/humid climate (or at least inconsistent, which may be worse), and majority ownership that just plain doesn’t care (Abe). There are issues that could likely be mitigated greatly, as their are in other places, but they aren’t.
Humidity
That’s the big difference between us and Boston (and to a lesser extent, NYC). Humidity, from what I understand, is just as important as temperature for proper ice maintenance, and we live in a swamp.
by Scott in Shaw on Feb 10, 2009 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
Here's the Thing about the Ice
I’m guessing this is the summary of everything: Everyone knows it’s not as good as it could be, however, there is no use beating the topic to death. I just want to play devils advocate for a minute here. I want to be clear though on my position – the ice definitely needs improvement. However….
I think this whole thing between Ted not wanting to discuss it publicly, vs. the players griping, vs. the coach saying contradictory things to what the players have said, to the media not writing about it (until the explosion of coverage today), to the fans blindly accusing Abe Pollin as a tightwad & fun hater of the Capitals can be summed up as this:
If you piss & moan about it long enough, you’re going to get on the nerves of everyone, then people get bitter/edgy on the subject and will ultimately take longer to resolve.
Think about this as an issue in a business model perspective; Just play along here folks… Players = Sr. Analysts, Coach = Sr. Manager, GMGM = Director, Ted = Sr. VP, Abe = Company Pres./CEO (I’m sure there is interchangeability in labels/hierarchy/org chart, just play along).
Would you really bitch straight to your CEO/Company prez if you were a Sr. Analyst about said issue? I mean let’s be realistic here, it has to go up the chain.
Captain Miller: I don’t gripe to you, Reiben. I’m a captain. There’s a chain of command. Gripes go up, not down. Always up. You gripe to me, I gripe to my superior officer, so on, so on, and so on. I don’t gripe to you. I don’t gripe in front of you." - Saving Private Ryan
Things like this need to be discussed behind closed doors internally with all the management involved, which is probably why the gag order is in effect for the Sr. Analysts & why the Manager needs to cover for the Sr. Analysts (see BB interview yesterday on Caps365), hence seemingly conflicting expressed opinions within the organization regarding the ice. The issues have been channeled up the chain I’m sure, and the appropriate parties have probably been notified, and I’m sure there is a solution in the works for the future betterment of everyone involved.
I don’t think anything immediate in the short term will be able to be done, although as some of the articles suggested that were published today that some small tweaks will be made come Spring time. The reality is that the Caps have to share the building, and will not have their own venue exclusively, save Kettler Ice Plex.
/end business model rant & mini novel…
by migz on Feb 10, 2009 11:11 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
okay... one more box on your Org Chart
Season Ticket Holder shelling out over $10K a year in the middle of a recession = Shareholder/Boardmember.
Colonel Jessup: “You want answers?”
Lt. Coffey: “I WANT THE TRUTH!!” – A Few Good Men
sorta...
Unfortunately, as much as I don’t want to say this… mind you I am also a full STH…
We are Clients not Boardmembers in my opinion. We are consuming the product that they put out 82 times a season. We are the reason that they are in business.
I do agree with you that we, as Clients, do have a right to see a quality product & experience. However, you can’t please everyone. And when was the last time a Client could tell say… ESPN to get the NHL back in their programming lineup? ;) Again, everyone (NHL Fans) has been complaining about it not being there for how many years now? Is it still there? Is it going to change? Probably not. I digress…
I would view STHs as investors
We put the money up front. We make the commitment. We are the ones Teddy is personally going after.
The VIP Reception is tonight at the VZ Center and Leonsis will of course be there. How much would you wager that “Ice Quality” is going to be a featured item on the agenda, in conversation and at the top of the list in any kind of Q&A Session?
He has some explaining to do about what the team is doing and why we shouldn’t be worried.
Still I’m arguing you are a Client, albeit a “Top Tier” client that may have more accesses to events, people, contacts, etc. Which I’m not knocking at all, in all sincerity that’s awesome, I would love to be at that level someday.
But none-the-less, you are still a Client. Until you are owning some shares in the company (Capitals), or there is an IPO on Washington Sports & Entertainment, you still are not an Investor.
The only thing you, me, and every other STH out there is investing in is the right to be at the Verizon Center 41 times a year, guaranteed, to enjoy a product that we like spending our time & money on. The only ROI is our enjoyment factor as Clients, and I don’t think you can honestly say that the quality of ice during half the games of the year is severely deterring your enjoyment factor of the game whether the Caps Win or Lose. Did you not enjoy the game & win against the Panthers Saturday Night?
We have the privilege to watch Ovechkin & Capitals 41 times a year in person by becoming STH’s, and that’s all we get as STH’s. Injuries will happen on our ice and on the road (see Capitals California Tour ‘08 – Mike Green). This is where I think my opinion and yours differ. I don’t think I have the right to complain about things I can’t control.
I’m also suggesting in regards to the VIP party, that I think that would be a touchy subject to bring up tonight with Ted tonight. I would be interested to hear or see what his reaction is to that topic if it is brought up truthfully. $1 says he skirts the subject and deflects it.
Not trying to be ‘that guy’, but I might be… just trying to be objective, fair, & balanced… Like Fox News? Dear God… What have I done…
Rec’d for being well written and referencing Saving Private Ryan.
I agree with your point, but I don’t think it’s fair to assume that hasn’t happened. We don’t know what goes on behind closed doors, we don’t know whether Poti and/or other players (or how many of them) have talked to Boudreau, to McPhee, to whomever is supposed to be their liaison between the locker room and Leonsis. All we know is that there’s this obvious problem that’s affecting the players health, their on-ice performance, and quite possibly, in the long run, their earnings potential out of a relatively short career. Given that, doing whatever it takes to get the ice to acceptable quality is fine by me.
Poti and the PK
Admittedly it’s only been five games since Poti returned, but his effect on the PK is startling. In the five games before he got back on the ice, the Caps PK had a success ratio of 69. And during that stretch, they faced just one 5v3 ( it didn’t result in a goal). In the five games since Poti has returned, the Caps PK has had a success rate of 84. They’ve given up four goals and two of them came on 5v3s. In fact, they’ve faced 5v3s in all of the games since he’s returned (h/t to ShaMo). Aside from his terrible turnover on the PK that led to a tap-in goal against Ottawa, Poti’s been everything we thought he’d be on penalty kill.
by b.orr4 on Feb 10, 2009 12:16 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
How did Carey get more shutouts than Beaupre? Carey was around for what, like two years?
Swing by The Flyer Frequent if you have nothing better to do.
It was a helluva two years.
"Good crowd out there tonight, boys, let's really try to win this one."
by Bald Pollack on Feb 10, 2009 1:31 PM EST up reply actions
Topic I discuss with my wife often
She’s always asking me questions related to how good Ovie is compared to the greats of the past. Will he break Gretz’s 92… Will he get 50 in 39?
My response to these questions has a lot to do with the unique perspective we have in the game today. Most of us have had the ability to see this game evolve to what it is today in a very short time. I actually view the sport in 3 distinct eras:
1. Pre Curve
2. Post Curve
3. Butterfly (and other goalie innovations)
It has been only recently (~20 years) that playing goal has become a science. It’s part of the reason there are so few goalies in the hall of fame. For the longest time in this sport, and you can even see it on many video highlights from Wayne’s early success, the goalies were mere speedbumps. If you managed to be accurate enough to miss the goalie, you’d probably put the puck in the net. With Fuhr and Roy, you started to get a glimpse at how a goalie could be a game-changer. Once those guys inspired younger players, showed them that a Goalie can be a star, we started to see more and more talent at the position. Another example, and one of the articles I always come back to here on JP’s blog is the comparison done last year of Ovie’s 65 with all the other league-leaders each season, but with the numbers normalized to average-goals-per-game for each season.
As much as the NHL competition committee really wants to increase scoring (and scoring has increased since the lockout), the simple fact is that it is waaay down from the late 70’s, 80’s and even early 90s.
This, to me, is why it is no shock that a goalie who played for the caps for 2 years held the shut-out record for a team that had only been around since the early 70s. The big question is, how long will it take Varlamov to break Kolzig’s record?
by FFSEnough on Feb 10, 2009 2:33 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
The goalies back then were basically pylons with pads. . My guess is that if you put Ovie out against them, not only would he break Gretzky’s record, he’d probably break a hundred.
What about stick technology?
Not saying its everything, but how much would Ovi’s shot suffer with an all wood twig?
I still play with my $39.99 Sherwood because:
1) I play more for the beer than the glory.
2) I’m just not good enough to spend $200 on a stick
I am still shocked when I pick up a teammates composite because it so light, and has so much torque etc.
I’ll always prefer wood to composite, if only because I want my stick to be one piece of wood, not two or more.
Football's boring. Get over it.
I think he’s trying to say the wood sticks broke less. How many goals has Ovie breaking his composite cost him this year? 6-10? Maybe more.
Stick tech is very important. I could probably come up with an even number of pros/cons for “most important” between curved blade and composite stick. The era of every player using the composites is pretty new, but the curved blade gave players the ability to lift pucks like never before. Heck, goalies never wore masks until Mikita and Hull started lobbing head-high slappers from the blue-line.
I do wonder though, has an all-composite league really affected scoring the way curved blade did back in the day? It doesn’t look like it, but I think it would take more research on my part to come to a solid conclusion.
I hate, more than anything else, the people who think that this game needs more scoring. Hockey is fine, as a sport. To me it’s not about how many goals get scored, it’s about the quality of the hockey. I used to love 0-0 ties. I saw a 0-0 tie once, I don’t remember who played, on TV, and the shots were 40-35. Wasn’t the OT game between the Panthers and the Avs that Uwe Krupp scored the game winner in to win the cup a 0-0 game? Yeah, NHL. Don’t get me wrong, I love good goal-scoring. But the fact that goals are few and far between in some games adds to tension, and tension leads to release in awesome when a goal does get scored.
Count me as a fan who enjoys games regardless of score, and really enjoys good goaltending, and one who has no problem with regular season ties.
Football's boring. Get over it.
I think the key to your enjoyment of the 0-0 game was the 40-35 shot count. I don’t mind the score as long as there’s good action. I’ll take a low-scoring Detroit v. Chicago game over ANY Blue Jackets contest. Hitchcock hockey drives me NUTS.
Nah, I genuinely do enjoy Hitchcock hockey, and the trap. Increasing scoring to increase scoring is the problem, in my opinion. If scoring increases because of the fact that shooters are getting better than the goaltenders and knowing tendencies and the like, I’m fine with that.
But I don’t want scoring to go up because “We’ll get more fans!”
Bullshit. Good goaltending is as much a part of the game as good defense and good offense.
At that same token, I’m ok with shrinking the pads a little, as long as the goalies are protected. I want goaltending to be about skill, not about how big your pads are.
Just don’t change the size of the nets. That’s stupid.
Football's boring. Get over it.
Flowchart of Hitchcock hockey in Columbus (whenever I’ve watched their games… maybe 4-6 a year):
1. Play trap, generate turnover.
2. Is 61 on ice?
—Yes: Try to score
—No: Dump, forecheck with 1 FWD, repeat step 1.
I still like that style. It’s good defense, and can lead to some fast rushes. It’s exciting to some people, me being one of them.
Football's boring. Get over it.
I don’t love watching trapping hockey, but I do agree with your larger point. Nothing is more exciting than a low-scoring goaltending duel, assuming there are still a regular amount of scoring chances. I like a good 5-4 game too, but I’m not sure I would find hockey as exciting if they still had the pre-butterfly goalies. Though I would enjoy watching Ovi score 100 goals.
To compare across sports, it’s like a pitcher’s duel in baseball.
Ovie's Shots on Goal
He is averaging an enormous amount of shots. Heck, he has more this year already than Wayne did in most of his career.
At his best, Wayne was scoring at a 25% rate compared to shots on goal. That’s a good handful over 100 with ovie’s shots/year average.
Shooting percentage is a lack-luster stat, though, I feel. If you take so many more shots than everyone else, and you score more…so what? You score more. It doesn’t matter how they go in, it matters THAT THEY GO IN.
Football's boring. Get over it.
Shooting % can still be useful to get an idea of what someone would do in another era. Many of the top scorers were putting 25+% of their shots in the net. Checking NHL.com and you can see only 5 players above 20%, with only 2 of those five above 15 goals.
Am I making a case that low % is bad or high is good, absolutely not. Just using it for comparison across eras.
Ummm...
Yeah, except I’m willing to bet alot of us beer-leaguers could score at a 20-25% ratio if the goalie we were shooting against never went to the butterfly, had leg pads that were basically soccer shin-guards with throw pillows on them, and were using the equivalent of a catcher’s mitt. I don’t believe you really get much out of comparing SH% across eras.
That's true
I actually watched the documentary on the 1980 olympic team last night, and Tretiak, (the best goalie in the world in his time), looked like a stick figure compared to any NHL goalie today.
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Southeast Standings
| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Florida
|
55 | 27 | 17 | 11 | 65 |
|
Washington
|
55 | 28 | 22 | 5 | 61 |
|
Winnipeg
|
57 | 26 | 25 | 6 | 58 |
|
Tampa Bay
|
55 | 24 | 25 | 6 | 54 |
|
Carolina
|
56 | 20 | 25 | 11 | 51 |
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