The Puck Stops Here http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/ en y2kfhl@hotmail.com Copyright 2009 2009-07-04T07:33:58-05:00 http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/http://www.kuklaskorner.com/images/uploads/kklogobox.gifKukla's Korner How Good Was The 2008 All UFA Team? http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/how_good_was_the_2008_all_ufa_team/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/how_good_was_the_2008_all_ufa_team/ One question I have tried to think about is how good a team would be if they could sign unrestricted free agents in order to completely fill their roster.  This summer and last summer I made 23 man all star rosters of UFA players.  Assuming one team signed all of those players in a given year, how good would they be?  22 of the 23 players on the 2008 team signed in the NHL (with Jaromir Jagr signing in the KHL).  They had a total salary cap hit of a little over $101 million for the season.  Given a $56.7 million NHL cap this team is clearly unfeasible as an NHL club. In order to get a bit of a handle on how good this team might have been, we can look at their 2008/09 NHL numbers One question I have tried to think about is how good a team would be if they could sign unrestricted free agents in order to completely fill their roster.  This summer and last summer I made 23 man all star rosters of UFA players.  Assuming one team signed all of those players in a given year, how good would they be?  22 of the 23 players on the 2008 team signed in the NHL (with Jaromir Jagr signing in the KHL).  They had a total salary cap hit of a little over $101 million for the season.  Given a $56.7 million NHL cap this team is clearly unfeasible as an NHL club.

In order to get a bit of a handle on how good this team might have been, we can look at their 2008/09 NHL numbers

Continue reading "How Good Was The 2008 All UFA Team?"

]]> 2009-07-04T07:33:58-05:00 PuckStopsHere Worst 20 Adjusted +/- http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/worst_20_adjusted/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/worst_20_adjusted/ A while back I posted the top 20 adjusted +/- ratings using a counting stat method developed in the Hockey Compendium by Jeff Z. Klein and Karl-Eric Reif. Here are the worst 20 players last season according to their adjusted +/- ratings.  This group is limited to players who played at least 50 games last season and played only for one team - that is necessary for the method to give good results. A while back I posted the top 20 adjusted +/- ratings using a counting stat method developed in the Hockey Compendium by Jeff Z. Klein and Karl-Eric Reif.

Here are the worst 20 players last season according to their adjusted +/- ratings.  This group is limited to players who played at least 50 games last season and played only for one team - that is necessary for the method to give good results.

Continue reading "Worst 20 Adjusted +/-"

]]> 2009-07-03T05:18:58-05:00 PuckStopsHere Some Poorly Run Teams http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/some_poorly_run_teams/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/some_poorly_run_teams/ Last year, I wrote that a team is poorly run if they go into the draft and free agent signing period without a clear coach and general manager.  These are the key times when a team is built for next season (and beyond) and not having the people in charge that will run those teams when those decisions are made is a problem.  The Florida Panthers do not have a clear general manager for next season.  After Jacques Martin left to coach in Montreal, they have had Randy Sexton as the acting GM, but it is expected that somebody else will be brought in long-term.  That is a crazy way to run any organization.  Whenever the new GM comes into place, it will be too late for him to make any major moves for next season.  He will basically inherit a team and not be able to make significant changes to it for months.  Should Florida decide they want Sexton as GM, they should make it official.  Sexton has GM experience.  He was the Ottawa Senators GM during some of the franchise’s darkest years when they were among the worst teams in the league. That doesn’t give him the most impressive resume, but it is better than some people who are hired as NHL GMs. Last year, I wrote that a team is poorly run if they go into the draft and free agent signing period without a clear coach and general manager.  These are the key times when a team is built for next season (and beyond) and not having the people in charge that will run those teams when those decisions are made is a problem. 

The Florida Panthers do not have a clear general manager for next season.  After Jacques Martin left to coach in Montreal, they have had Randy Sexton as the acting GM, but it is expected that somebody else will be brought in long-term.  That is a crazy way to run any organization.  Whenever the new GM comes into place, it will be too late for him to make any major moves for next season.  He will basically inherit a team and not be able to make significant changes to it for months.  Should Florida decide they want Sexton as GM, they should make it official.  Sexton has GM experience.  He was the Ottawa Senators GM during some of the franchise’s darkest years when they were among the worst teams in the league. That doesn’t give him the most impressive resume, but it is better than some people who are hired as NHL GMs.

Continue reading "Some Poorly Run Teams"

]]> 2009-07-02T05:14:15-05:00 PuckStopsHere A UFA All Star Team http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/a_ufa_all_star_team/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/a_ufa_all_star_team/ I like to make an All Star Team of players who will be unrestricted free agents just before free agency begins in order to get a feel for the strength of the free agent market.  Here is last year’s team.  The most successful player on it this past season was Marian Hossa, who made the second team All Star this year and is a free agent again.  Mark Streit of the New York Islanders is one of the few other success stories.  Most of the players on the list are in decline and signed for contracts that are worth more than they will produce.  This group of players signed for almost two times the salary cap and it is not clear that they would have been a playoff team.  The exercise shows that, despite what the media often says, you cannot build a winner through free agency. Here is this year’s team: I like to make an All Star Team of players who will be unrestricted free agents just before free agency begins in order to get a feel for the strength of the free agent market.  Here is last year’s team.  The most successful player on it this past season was Marian Hossa, who made the second team All Star this year and is a free agent again.  Mark Streit of the New York Islanders is one of the few other success stories.  Most of the players on the list are in decline and signed for contracts that are worth more than they will produce.  This group of players signed for almost two times the salary cap and it is not clear that they would have been a playoff team.  The exercise shows that, despite what the media often says, you cannot build a winner through free agency.

Here is this year’s team:

Continue reading "A UFA All Star Team"

]]> 2009-07-01T05:16:25-05:00 PuckStopsHere Luc Robitaille’s Hall Of Fame Case http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/luc_robitailles_hall_of_fame_case/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/luc_robitailles_hall_of_fame_case/ This is the final of the Hall of Fame cases for 2009.  Here is the case for Steve Yzerman, here is the case for Brett Hull and here is the case for Brian Leetch. I am comparing these players to my Hall of Fame standards by using the questions Bill James asks about potential baseball Hall of Famers.  These are very good questions that clearly get to the heart of the matter of what makes a Hall of Famer. This is the final of the Hall of Fame cases for 2009.  Here is the case for Steve Yzerman, here is the case for Brett Hull and here is the case for Brian Leetch.

I am comparing these players to my Hall of Fame standards by using the questions Bill James asks about potential baseball Hall of Famers.  These are very good questions that clearly get to the heart of the matter of what makes a Hall of Famer.

Continue reading "Luc Robitaille’s Hall Of Fame Case"

]]> 2009-06-30T06:05:23-05:00 PuckStopsHere Brian Leetch’s Hall Of Fame Case http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/brian_leetchs_hall_of_fame_case/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/brian_leetchs_hall_of_fame_case/ This is the third Hall of Fame case I am making this year.  Here is Steve Yzerman’s case and here is Brett Hull’s. I am comparing them to my Hall of Fame standards using the questions Bill James asks about potential baseball Hall of Famers.  I think this is an insightful group of questions that quickly hits at the heart of what makes a player a Hall of Famer This is the third Hall of Fame case I am making this year.  Here is Steve Yzerman’s case and here is Brett Hull’s.

I am comparing them to my Hall of Fame standards using the questions Bill James asks about potential baseball Hall of Famers.  I think this is an insightful group of questions that quickly hits at the heart of what makes a player a Hall of Famer

Continue reading "Brian Leetch’s Hall Of Fame Case"

]]> 2009-06-29T06:12:48-05:00 PuckStopsHere Brett Hull’s Hall Of Fame Case http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/brett_hulls_hall_of_fame_case/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/brett_hulls_hall_of_fame_case/ The second of the players among this year’s Hall of Fame inductions that I will make the case for his induction is Brett Hull.  Here is my write-up for Steve Yzerman and here are my basic Hall of Fame standards.  I think one of the best methods to look at potential Hall of Famers is Bill James 15 questions he asks about potential baseball Hall of Famers. Here they are: The second of the players among this year’s Hall of Fame inductions that I will make the case for his induction is Brett Hull.  Here is my write-up for Steve Yzerman and here are my basic Hall of Fame standards. 

I think one of the best methods to look at potential Hall of Famers is Bill James 15 questions he asks about potential baseball Hall of Famers.

Here they are:

Continue reading "Brett Hull’s Hall Of Fame Case"

]]> 2009-06-28T07:09:23-05:00 PuckStopsHere The Draft http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/the_draft/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/the_draft/ The NHL Entry Draft is underway.  It is a media spectacle that I tend to avoid.  Most of the players who will be drafted are players I have never seen play a game.  Even the few that I have seen, I probably haven’t seen very much.  Scouting reports can be found for just about anyone online, but I think it is quite reasonable to be skeptical of them most of the time.  Of the players selected in the draft, few will make an impact in the NHL in the immediate future.  Often people selected may be five or more years away from impact and when those players become ready they will have done something that will make the avid hockey fan notice them, even though they are nearly anonymous today.  It is nearly impossible for anybody, including an NHL scout, to indentify those players reliably.  In general, the draft is a crapshoot. There are a few things we can say about the draft which are probably true. The NHL Entry Draft is underway.  It is a media spectacle that I tend to avoid.  Most of the players who will be drafted are players I have never seen play a game.  Even the few that I have seen, I probably haven’t seen very much.  Scouting reports can be found for just about anyone online, but I think it is quite reasonable to be skeptical of them most of the time. 

Of the players selected in the draft, few will make an impact in the NHL in the immediate future.  Often people selected may be five or more years away from impact and when those players become ready they will have done something that will make the avid hockey fan notice them, even though they are nearly anonymous today.  It is nearly impossible for anybody, including an NHL scout, to indentify those players reliably.  In general, the draft is a crapshoot.

There are a few things we can say about the draft which are probably true.

Continue reading "The Draft"

]]> 2009-06-27T05:06:06-05:00 PuckStopsHere Sergei Fedorov Signs In The KHL http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/sergei_fedorov_signs_in_the_khl/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/sergei_fedorov_signs_in_the_khl/ I am going to interrupt the Hall of Fame profiles to discuss a trend that is not a good one for the NHL.  Increasingly, some of the marquis names in the NHL are choosing to play in Europe at the tail end of their careers.  A big reason for this is the salary cap.  They find that they can get paid more to play in Europe than in the NHL as teams would rather fill their roster with young players who might out-perform their contracts instead of playing some of the future Hall of Fame players in the league. The most recent example is Sergei Fedorov signing in Russia with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.  He joins Jaromir Jagr in the KHL - although many rumors have Jagr returning to the NHL this summer.  Reportedly, Fedorov will make around $3.8 million US for two seasons.  He will be a teammate of his brother Fedor. I am going to interrupt the Hall of Fame profiles to discuss a trend that is not a good one for the NHL.  Increasingly, some of the marquis names in the NHL are choosing to play in Europe at the tail end of their careers.  A big reason for this is the salary cap.  They find that they can get paid more to play in Europe than in the NHL as teams would rather fill their roster with young players who might out-perform their contracts instead of playing some of the future Hall of Fame players in the league.

The most recent example is Sergei Fedorov signing in Russia with Metallurg Magnitogorsk.  He joins Jaromir Jagr in the KHL - although many rumors have Jagr returning to the NHL this summer.  Reportedly, Fedorov will make around $3.8 million US for two seasons.  He will be a teammate of his brother Fedor.

Continue reading "Sergei Fedorov Signs In The KHL"

]]> 2009-06-26T05:36:44-05:00 PuckStopsHere Steve Yzerman’s Hall Of Fame Case http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/steve_yzermans_hall_of_fame_case/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/steve_yzermans_hall_of_fame_case/ With the recent Hall of Fame inductions, I want to lay out what I think is the case for each of the four players inducted.  I will start with Steve Yzerman as he is the most worthy of the bunch for his induction.  Here is a write up about what I think the standards for the Hall of Fame are/should be.  I think one of the best methods to look at a potential Hall of Famer is by looking at the questions Bill James asks of Baseball Hall of Famers. With the recent Hall of Fame inductions, I want to lay out what I think is the case for each of the four players inducted.  I will start with Steve Yzerman as he is the most worthy of the bunch for his induction.  Here is a write up about what I think the standards for the Hall of Fame are/should be.  I think one of the best methods to look at a potential Hall of Famer is by looking at the questions Bill James asks of Baseball Hall of Famers.

Continue reading "Steve Yzerman’s Hall Of Fame Case"

]]> 2009-06-25T08:30:49-05:00 PuckStopsHere Hall Of Fame Inductions http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/hall_of_fame_inductions/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/hall_of_fame_inductions/ The annual Hockey Hall of Fame inductions occurred today.  They went as I predicted.  In are Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, Luc Robitaille and Steve Yzerman.  Also inducted was New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello who enters as a builder.  He built a New Jersey team that has won the Stanley Cup three times.  All are well deserved choices. Next year, the class may not be as strong.  There are two first time eligible players who I think deserve induction in Eric Lindros and Joe Nieuwendyk.  They will also look to past candidates who have been eligible for a few years and likely induct from that group due to a smaller class of first time candidates.  Doug Gilmour heads that group.  It is quite likely that four players will not be inducted next year. The annual Hockey Hall of Fame inductions occurred today.  They went as I predicted.  In are Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, Luc Robitaille and Steve Yzerman.  Also inducted was New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello who enters as a builder.  He built a New Jersey team that has won the Stanley Cup three times.  All are well deserved choices.

Next year, the class may not be as strong.  There are two first time eligible players who I think deserve induction in Eric Lindros and Joe Nieuwendyk.  They will also look to past candidates who have been eligible for a few years and likely induct from that group due to a smaller class of first time candidates.  Doug Gilmour heads that group.  It is quite likely that four players will not be inducted next year.

]]> 2009-06-24T05:16:52-05:00 PuckStopsHere Post Season Award Voting and Elite Goalies http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/post_season_award_voting_and_elite_goalies/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/post_season_award_voting_and_elite_goalies/ One of the more controversial comments I made is when I claimed during the semifinals of the playoffs that there were no elite goalies left in the playoffs.  At that time, Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nikolai Khabibulin of the Chicago Blackhawks, Chris Osgood of the Detroit Red Wings and Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes remained as the playoff goaltenders.  Were there elite goalies in the bunch, it stands to reason that they would have been among the leaders in the voting for the Vezina Trophy and post season all star teams.  Assuming they are injury-free, it certainly stands to reason that any elite goalies in the league should get strong support for these awards and possibly even win them. One of the more controversial comments I made is when I claimed during the semifinals of the playoffs that there were no elite goalies left in the playoffs.  At that time, Marc-Andre Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nikolai Khabibulin of the Chicago Blackhawks, Chris Osgood of the Detroit Red Wings and Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes remained as the playoff goaltenders.  Were there elite goalies in the bunch, it stands to reason that they would have been among the leaders in the voting for the Vezina Trophy and post season all star teams.  Assuming they are injury-free, it certainly stands to reason that any elite goalies in the league should get strong support for these awards and possibly even win them.

Continue reading "Post Season Award Voting and Elite Goalies"

]]> 2009-06-23T08:45:51-05:00 PuckStopsHere Selke Trophy Voting:  All Messed Up http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/selke_trophy_voting_all_messed_up/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/selke_trophy_voting_all_messed_up/ They asked 131 sports writers to name the five best defensive forwards in the NHL in the 2008/09 season and found they received 70 different answers.  Even the most popular answers were missing from 10% or more of the ballots.  The winner Pavel Datsyuk was named on 120 of 131 ballots.  The runner up Mike Richards appeared on 113 ballots.  Clearly there isn’t any uniformity in the way hockey writes judge defensive forwards.  The voting can be found here. Some of the choices which were relatively popular look like pretty poor choices.  David Krejci of the Boston Bruins faced a near average quality of opposition and posted a league leading +37 +/- rating.  He wasn’t used as a shutdown guy in Boston.  He finished in sixth place in the voting.  Travis Zajac was another high +/- guy.  He led the New Jersey Devils with a +33 rating.  He wasn’t their main shutdown player.  He finished seventh in the voting.  Among many voters, there was a tendency to vote for high +/- ratings who are not exactly defensive forwards. They asked 131 sports writers to name the five best defensive forwards in the NHL in the 2008/09 season and found they received 70 different answers.  Even the most popular answers were missing from 10% or more of the ballots.  The winner Pavel Datsyuk was named on 120 of 131 ballots.  The runner up Mike Richards appeared on 113 ballots.  Clearly there isn’t any uniformity in the way hockey writes judge defensive forwards.  The voting can be found here.

Some of the choices which were relatively popular look like pretty poor choices.  David Krejci of the Boston Bruins faced a near average quality of opposition and posted a league leading +37 +/- rating.  He wasn’t used as a shutdown guy in Boston.  He finished in sixth place in the voting.  Travis Zajac was another high +/- guy.  He led the New Jersey Devils with a +33 rating.  He wasn’t their main shutdown player.  He finished seventh in the voting.  Among many voters, there was a tendency to vote for high +/- ratings who are not exactly defensive forwards.

Continue reading "Selke Trophy Voting:  All Messed Up"

]]> 2009-06-22T06:07:38-05:00 PuckStopsHere Montreal Canadiens Potentially Sold http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/montreal_canadiens_potentially_sold/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/montreal_canadiens_potentially_sold/ The Montreal Canadiens have an agreement in principle to sell the team.  Current owner George Gillett bought the Habs and the Bell Centre (then called the Molson Centre) for $185 million US.  Over the past year he has looked at his world wide holdings in an effort to adapt to the current economic downturn and decided to sell some assets including the Montreal Canadiens.  An agreement in principle exists for Geoff, Andrew and Justin Molson to buy the team.  Exact details have not been released, but it is expected that the Molsons could pay as much as $550 million.  NHL approval for the sale may not come until August. This sale and its price clearly show that there are “two NHLs”.  There are high valued franchises in good markets with rapidly escalating values.  These teams have no problem with payroll and could easily afford to pay well above the salary cap were it allowed. There is also an NHL of teams like the Phoenix Coyotes.  These teams are struggling financially.  In Phoenix’s case, it isn’t clear that anyone wants to keep them in their current market. The Montreal Canadiens have an agreement in principle to sell the team.  Current owner George Gillett bought the Habs and the Bell Centre (then called the Molson Centre) for $185 million US.  Over the past year he has looked at his world wide holdings in an effort to adapt to the current economic downturn and decided to sell some assets including the Montreal Canadiens.  An agreement in principle exists for Geoff, Andrew and Justin Molson to buy the team.  Exact details have not been released, but it is expected that the Molsons could pay as much as $550 million.  NHL approval for the sale may not come until August.

This sale and its price clearly show that there are “two NHLs”.  There are high valued franchises in good markets with rapidly escalating values.  These teams have no problem with payroll and could easily afford to pay well above the salary cap were it allowed.

There is also an NHL of teams like the Phoenix Coyotes.  These teams are struggling financially.  In Phoenix’s case, it isn’t clear that anyone wants to keep them in their current market.

Continue reading "Montreal Canadiens Potentially Sold"

]]> 2009-06-21T06:44:14-05:00 PuckStopsHere Why Zdeno Chara Was A Poor Norris Trophy Choice http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/why_zdeno_chara_was_a_poor_norris_trophy_choice/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/why_zdeno_chara_was_a_poor_norris_trophy_choice/ The NHL awards were announced on Thursday.  One award winner, which I think was chosen poorly, was Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins who won the Norris Trophy.  He was nominated alongside Mike Green of the Washington Capitals and Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit red Wings.  Either of them would have made a better selection.  In the First All Star Team voting, Green did defeat Chara, which shows that the race was close in the voter’s minds.  Slightly changing the parameters in which they vote, changed the result (for the Norris they get one first place vote and for the all star team they get two). Zdeno Chara was considered a Norris favorite before the 2008/09 season began.  He had been a nominee in 2008, where he finished third behind Lidstrom and Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames. The NHL awards were announced on Thursday.  One award winner, which I think was chosen poorly, was Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins who won the Norris Trophy.  He was nominated alongside Mike Green of the Washington Capitals and Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit red Wings.  Either of them would have made a better selection.  In the First All Star Team voting, Green did defeat Chara, which shows that the race was close in the voter’s minds.  Slightly changing the parameters in which they vote, changed the result (for the Norris they get one first place vote and for the all star team they get two).

Zdeno Chara was considered a Norris favorite before the 2008/09 season began.  He had been a nominee in 2008, where he finished third behind Lidstrom and Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames.

Continue reading "Why Zdeno Chara Was A Poor Norris Trophy Choice"

]]> 2009-06-20T05:33:14-05:00 PuckStopsHere NHL Awards Announced http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/nhl_awards_announced/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/nhl_awards_announced/ The NHL had their awards ceremony in Las Vegas tonight.  Here were the people I would have voted for to win the awards if I had a ballot.  Here were my comments when the award nominees were announced.  The voting results can be found here for the awards and here for the all star teams.  Usually, the award results are well enough established that the addition of one further ballot changes little.  This year, if I had voted I would have caused two changes.  Mike Richards would have won the Selke Trophy instead of Pavel Datsyuk and Pekka Rinne would have been the third Calder nominee in place of Kris Versteeg. Let’s run down the awards. The NHL had their awards ceremony in Las Vegas tonight.  Here were the people I would have voted for to win the awards if I had a ballot.  Here were my comments when the award nominees were announced. 

The voting results can be found here for the awards and here for the all star teams.  Usually, the award results are well enough established that the addition of one further ballot changes little.  This year, if I had voted I would have caused two changes.  Mike Richards would have won the Selke Trophy instead of Pavel Datsyuk and Pekka Rinne would have been the third Calder nominee in place of Kris Versteeg.

Let’s run down the awards.

Continue reading "NHL Awards Announced"

]]> 2009-06-19T06:02:46-05:00 PuckStopsHere Top 20 Adjusted +/- http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/top_20_adjusted/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/top_20_adjusted/ One relatively simple sabermetrics and hockey statistic I like to keep track of is adjusted +/- ratings.  There are a few ways to adjust them.  Today, I am looking at the counting stat method outlined in The Hockey Compendium by Jeff Klein and Carl-Eric Reif.  The basic idea is that a team adjustment is subtracted from all players’ +/- ratings in order to give a more team independent value.  The statistic is good for identifying players who succeeded in their role with their team last year.  Here are the top 20 adjusted +/- ratings (limited to players with 50 NHL games played in 2008/09 that played with only one team): One relatively simple sabermetrics and hockey statistic I like to keep track of is adjusted +/- ratings.  There are a few ways to adjust them.  Today, I am looking at the counting stat method outlined in The Hockey Compendium by Jeff Klein and Carl-Eric Reif.  The basic idea is that a team adjustment is subtracted from all players’ +/- ratings in order to give a more team independent value.  The statistic is good for identifying players who succeeded in their role with their team last year. 

Here are the top 20 adjusted +/- ratings (limited to players with 50 NHL games played in 2008/09 that played with only one team):

Continue reading "Top 20 Adjusted +/-"

]]> 2009-06-18T04:51:07-05:00 PuckStopsHere Updated History Of The NHLPA http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/updated_history_of_the_nhlpa/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/updated_history_of_the_nhlpa/ I think one important part of the NHL story that is under reported is that of the NHLPA.  Therefore I have kept a short history of the NHLPA that I am updating annually. Here is the most recent version.  A far more detailed history that ends in the early 1990’s is the book Net Worth by David Cruise. I think one important part of the NHL story that is under reported is that of the NHLPA.  Therefore I have kept a short history of the NHLPA that I am updating annually.

Here is the most recent version.  A far more detailed history that ends in the early 1990’s is the book Net Worth by David Cruise.

Continue reading "Updated History Of The NHLPA"

]]> 2009-06-17T04:57:28-05:00 PuckStopsHere Judge Puts Phoenix Situation On Hold http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/judge_puts_phoenix_situation_on_hold/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/judge_puts_phoenix_situation_on_hold/ Judge Redfield T. Baum has ruled that there isn’t enough time to deal with the unresolved issues in the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy case.  The June 22nd auction of the Coyotes will not happen.  The June 29th closing date for the franchise purchase that potential owner Jim Balsillie had put on the sale will not be met.  It looks like the Phoenix Coyotes will remain in Phoenix next season and likely as a dead team that everyone knows will be moved soon after. Balsillie had made a $212.5 million offer to bankrupt owner Jerry Moyes to buy the team.  Initially, the NHL challenged Moyes right to declare bankruptcy, since he had received NHL financing during last season, but that idea was overruled.  Judge Baum says that the NHL has a right to impose a relocation fee on top of the sales price, but at this point there is nothing but speculation as to what this fee might be. Judge Redfield T. Baum has ruled that there isn’t enough time to deal with the unresolved issues in the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy case.  The June 22nd auction of the Coyotes will not happen.  The June 29th closing date for the franchise purchase that potential owner Jim Balsillie had put on the sale will not be met.  It looks like the Phoenix Coyotes will remain in Phoenix next season and likely as a dead team that everyone knows will be moved soon after.

Balsillie had made a $212.5 million offer to bankrupt owner Jerry Moyes to buy the team.  Initially, the NHL challenged Moyes right to declare bankruptcy, since he had received NHL financing during last season, but that idea was overruled.  Judge Baum says that the NHL has a right to impose a relocation fee on top of the sales price, but at this point there is nothing but speculation as to what this fee might be.

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]]> 2009-06-16T05:44:25-05:00 PuckStopsHere A Very Early Look At Next Year http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/a_very_early_look_at_next_year/ http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/psh/comments/a_very_early_look_at_next_year/ The season has barely completed and we do not know what rosters will look like next year, but nevertheless I thought it would be fun to take a look at next season.  Obviously there is uncertainty in any pronouncements that can be made at this point.  A big trade or a big free agent signing might render these assessments moot. I have grouped the teams into six different groups of five teams.  There are the likely contenders, possible contenders, probable playoff teams, possible playoff teams, likely also rans and the bottomfeeders. The season has barely completed and we do not know what rosters will look like next year, but nevertheless I thought it would be fun to take a look at next season.  Obviously there is uncertainty in any pronouncements that can be made at this point.  A big trade or a big free agent signing might render these assessments moot.

I have grouped the teams into six different groups of five teams.  There are the likely contenders, possible contenders, probable playoff teams, possible playoff teams, likely also rans and the bottomfeeders.

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]]> 2009-06-15T05:32:54-05:00 PuckStopsHere