Season 27 Challenges Thread - Due Friday, March 22

[John - Sharks]

You may challenge any 2 skaters for SP, SK, DF.

Also, you may challenge any newly created prospects without limit.

[Alex]

Mitch Marner:
Current DF: 59
Requested DF: 68

Quotes:

Marner is starting to get league-wide recognition regarding his defensive play. Mike Babcock called Mitch Marner “an elite defensive player.”

Babcock continues: "He’s like Datsyuk was. He’s faster with the puck than without it but he’s an elite defensive player. He can check it back as good as anybody in hockey.”

He’s gone from good to great in this area, with signs of an uptick in defensive impact evident early in the season

Marner doesn’t rely on his linemates to get him the puck. He’s constantly buzzing around, anticipating where the puck will be and putting himself in position to pounce on it when the opportunity arises.

Ray Ferraro was between the benches in Toronto on Monday, calling the game for TSN, and had this to say about Marner’s defensive acumen, “He’s so sneaky when he back tracks. His agility allows him to get behind the puck carrier and his quick hands let him lift the stick / steal the puck with out a penalty. He loves the puck and when he doesn’t have it he is so hungry to get it back.”

Have a listen to this radio segment from TSN dated March 6, 2019 detailing why Marner is becoming elite defensively. https://www.tsn.ca/radio/toronto-1050/k ... -1.1268811

Watch this: https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/leafs-ice- ... ck~1639009

Stats

He's 9th in the league for blocked passes: https://www.thepointhockey.com/mitch-ma ... candidate/
His SHTOI has increased from 0:03/PG in the 2017/18 season to 1:15/PG this season.

Ultimately, he's a burgeoning elite level DF forward that will be challenging for the Selke sooner than later. I watch a lot of Leafs games, this guy is being trusted by Mike FOOKING Good P'LR Babcock with tremendous defensive responsibilities. He's criminally underrated as a two way player and defensive specialist.

Thomas Chabot:

[BigMac3110]

Charlie McAvoy
Current SP: 75
Requested SP: 82
Current SK: 75
Requested SP: 82
Current DF: 71
Requested DF: 74

Sturdy two-way defenseman

He’s a strong skater with excellent balance and superior mobility both up and across the ice. McAvoy loves to join the rush

He’s a confident puck carrier who attacks openings with speed

https://www.thedraftanalyst.com/prospec ... ie-mcavoy/

Charlie McAvoy is a fleet footed offensive defenseman who combines solid physical play and situational awareness. Merging a powerful yet agile skating stride with excellent hockey sense

https://dobberprospects.com/charlie-mcavoy/

A confident blue liner, he uses his speed to create opportunities off the rush

mobile defender

he’s a big, strong kid that skates well

https://thehockeywriters.com/charlie-mc ... t-profile/

Charlie McAvoy is an excellent skater, with good speed and acceleration in both directions. He has very good agility, and edgework, which allows him to avoid forecheckers or to skate through traffic in the neutral zone to create offence. He also has good pivots allowing him to transition quickly from defence-to-offence and vice-versa. McAvoy’s strong skating allows him to cover a lot of ice. McAvoy has very good balance and is tough to knock off the puck.

McAvoy’s strong skating allows him to defend against the rush and to take away the middle and force forwards to the outside.

The strong skating and stick handling allow him to retrieve pucks quickly and avoid forecheckers quickly moving the puck up the ice and minimizing zone time. He really starts the transition game very quickly.

https://public.tableau.com/profile/sean ... ublish=yes
Go to Boston Bruins d-man heat map

http://www.nhl.com/stats/player?report= ... =timeOnIce
Averages 1:11 of SH icetime per game on the leagues 11th ranked pk unit so he's pretty responsible

McAvoy is a slick puck-moving defender

He is a very strong skater with outstanding pivots and edge work; able to skate with the puck out of pressure and start the rush.

https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2016 ... defenceman

William Carrier
Current SP: 70
Requested SP: 75
Current SK: 70
Requested SK: 75
Current DF: 57
Requested DF: 62

At his best Carrier has a strong, powerful skating stride. He generates very good speed, and his acceleration is such that he can reach top speed in only a few strides. He has enough speed to take a defender wide and cut to the net. Carrier has great balance and is very difficult to knock off the puck. Carrier’s powerful stride allows him to fight through checks, and he has the ability to go straight through defenders at times instead of going around them. He has decent agility and edgework

Carrier has the added bonus of playing a strong two-way game. He brings his physical presence to his own end of the rink, and continues to be strong in board battles and hitting. He also cuts down on passing and shooting lanes and is not afraid to block shots. Carrier has good anticipation, and creates turnovers. He has been used on the penalty kill.

His defensive game and skating ability will likely give him the opportunity to be a third liner, even if the offensive potential is not reached.

https://lastwordonsports.com/2013/05/26 ... rofile-45/

Carrier lost some weight to improve his foot speed

Carrier also put emphasis on leg strength in the off-season, looking to improve on his start-up and acceleration speed.

Strengths:

Good powerful and accurate shot
Already has a man-sized frame that his uses proficiently
Hard nose for the net and not afraid to play physical
Good hockey acumen
Sound positioning in both zone

https://thehockeywriters.com/william-ca ... t-profile/

Andrei Svechnikov
Current SP: 77
Requested SP: 82
Current SK: 77
Requested SK: 82

Svechnikov is an outstanding skater. He has elite level speed and very good acceleration. He can beat his defender to the outside and cut back to the net. Svechnikov also has sublime edgework and agility, making him very hard to defend in one-on-one situations. He has very good balance and power in his skating stride.

https://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/03/29 ... nhl-draft/

Svechnikov is an excellent skater with a powerful stride and exceptional balance, and he uses his speed to create separation

https://www.thedraftanalyst.com/2018-nh ... vechnikov/

Svechnikov has size, speed and skill.

His skating? Couldn’t ask for anything better. Svechnikov has excellent speed, balance and edges, and when he uses them to drive the net, there isn’t any stopping him.

https://thecanuckway.com/2018/06/21/201 ... vechnikov/

Skating is above average, he has good acceleration, a powerful stride, and strong balance.

he’s on of the smoothest and fastest skaters in this draft

Strengths
Hockey sense
Shot and playmaking
Creates space
Skating and mobility

https://thehockeywriters.com/andrei-sve ... t-profile/

Svechnikov’s size, great hands, and skating ability are also strengths for the 18-year old.

https://www.jacketscannon.com/2018/5/15 ... svechnikov

explosive skater with plenty of horsepower underneath the hood to explode…smooth and powerful stride as a larger player, but has the quickness and footspeed of a much smaller player

https://futureconsiderations.ca/player/ ... vechnikov/

[John - Sharks]

Seth Jones

DF -> 74

Without a doubt one of the best dmen in the entire league. Top pairing PK, Top TOI in CBJ and 3rd overall in the league at 25:58. Finished 4th in Norris voting last season.


From Tortorella (https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/se ... -304170644):

"We think he's that good," Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella said. "I'll put it to you this way: I am not a trophy guy, but when the Norris is talked about, I think Jonesy's name should be involved in that all the time as far as how he's gone about his business, especially the last couple of years."

"You know what his signature is to me? It's everything," Tortorella said. "He can bring everything. He can do a lot of things, and that's why I've always thought he should be in the conversation as one of the top defensemen in the league."

"What sets him apart from a lot of good defensemen is his ability to close," said assistant coach Brad Shaw, who works with the team's blueliners. "He turns one over inside the blue line against Ottawa (on Dec. 31) and wins the race back and lifts the guy's stick so there's no (scoring) chance. Instead of a breakaway, they get nothing, we get the puck back and we're right back on the attack ourselves. He has that ability to recover if there are some miscues out there.

"He's an easy guy to put on the ice. He's big, he's strong, he's fast, he's got good skill. He can match up against anybody and usually win that matchup."

"He's got great anticipation skills," Tortorella said. "He's not only a fast player physically, he's a fast player mentally, and that's a skill. Anticipating, that draws you to an area where you should be a split-second sooner, which is a huge part of succeeding in this league. Both ways -- when the attack is coming at him, and offensively, reading plays to jump in, looking for people when he has the puck -- he has great anticipation skills."

He has established himself as upper echelon elite and there are no flaws in his game. It's time for his DF to be bumped in order to align with this.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Josh Morrissey

DF -> 74

Josh Morrissey is widely regarded as the best shutdown dman on the Jets.

He leads the Jets in PK TOI/GM at 2:49 and is now regarded as one of the premier young defenders in the league.



From Paul Maurice (https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sport ... 68781.html):

"The surprise isn’t the offence. From Day 1 when he came in and had such a huge impact on the structure of our back end and who plays with whom, the surprise was his defensive game and how strong he was," Maurice said Saturday. "We felt the offensive part of it was always coming, especially when you watched his progression.
"The challenge for him coming into the league wasn’t the offensive side. He had just fantastic numbers in junior. When he gets into the NHL it’s about how much can we put in on the ice because of his defensive game? Usually these guys take three of four years before the coach is really comfortable putting them on the ice enough. He’s done it completely backwards, came in as an offensive guy but he excelled defensively and built that (offensive) game."

From Bryan Little (https://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/n ... ost-season):

“He’s been so solid and underrated. He does everything so well and he does all of the little things perfectly,” said Jets forward Bryan Little. “You rarely see him get beat one-on-one. He’s got an unbelievable stick and he’s one of our biggest shot-blockers on this team. He gets in the way of everything. He’s got the intangibles that are hard to find.
“You try to think of when he’s had off games and it’s hard to think of any. You don’t see him make mistakes. He’s always steady.”

From Connor Hellebuyck:

“He’s just a phenomenal player,” said Hellebuyck. “You’ve seen him. He’s gotten better every single game, every single night. You just see him controlling the game and really holding his own and making himself a fear factor out there. Maybe not so much for hits or anything, but guys don’t want to come to his circle because they know he’s going to shut them down.

He's widely regarded as one of the best young shutdown dmen in the whole league and his DF rating should reflect that.

[Justin]

Andy Greene
Current DF 72
Asking 74

Leads the NHL in short handed time on ice per game with 4:05, 23 seconds more per game than the next closest

Leads NHL in blocked shots with 169, 32 more than the next closest

"Greene’s inflated shorthanded ice time isn’t just a product of the Devils taking a lot of penalties. The team has been shorthanded 179 times this season, which is tied for seventh in the NHL with three other teams."

"He’s the best guy in his quadrant of the ice, in his corner of the ice on the PK, by far,” forward Travis Zajac said"

"Knowing when he’s taking pressure, knowing when he can pressure. Getting pucks out. He’s a master of that whole area, that space, and that’s why he makes our PK go because he can take so much away. He’s got a great stick and he’s makes great reads.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nj.com/devils/2019/02/devils-andy-greene-leads-the-nhl-in-shorthanded-ice-time-by-a-mile-for-a-good-reason.html%3foutputType=amp


Michal Kempny
Current DF 68
Asking 72
Current SK 73
Asking 75
Current SP 73
Asking 75

Made huge strides in overall play after getting traded to Washington. Playing on the top pairing with Carlsson 19:30 per game.

Playing 1:49 per game short handed

7th in the league in blocked shots with 127

"One thing jumped out to Carlson: “His speed is amazing,” he said."

"Kempny, now 27, complements Carlson well because he makes his life easier. He helps with puck retrievals so Carlson can play more aggressive. Kempny’s gap control is in symphony with Carlson and the two transition the Caps up the ice with ease."

"The speedy defenceman has skated alongside John Carlson in Washington’s top four from virtually the moment he arrived."

“It’s been huge,” Trotz said. “He’s come in seamlessly for us. He’s played big minutes against top players, be it the Malkins and the Crosbys, and he’s done a really good job. He’s one of those players that is effective – efficient, effective, gets it done.”


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.tsn.ca/caps-kempny-could-be-one-of-best-value-trades-in-history-1.1102880%3ftsn-amp


"Kempny's skating is certainly a keystone asset..."
"I think because Kemps skates so well, he compliments John really well...it's a good fit because he moves the puck so well and skates so well"

https://www.nhl.com/news/living-the-dream/c-303118312

[Juliet-Bruins]

Nick Jensen:

SP 75 -> 78
SK 75 -> 78
DF 69 -> 73

http://forecaster.ca/sportsnet/hockey/player.php?7486

Is a solid puck-moving defenseman with outstanding speed and good defensive instincts

https://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2018/ ... ick-jensen

he was probably the steadiest defender they had, apart from a rough stretch in the middle third of the year

https://twitter.com/ChartingHockey/stat ... 6292520962






Jensen was Detroit's best defenceman this season by a long shot.

[Ted Riot]

teuvo teravainen

DF 56-> 65

Short-handed average ice-time, this season 0:50, has increased from previous seasons, 0:01.

https://www.rotowire.com/hockey/player.php?id=3980

Hurricanes President and General Manager Don Waddell said in a statement. "He has shown that he is capable of adapting and expanding his role with our team, becoming a key penalty killer for [Hurricanes head coach] Rod [Brind'Amour] this season.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.upi.co ... 548094511/

“All year, he’s been solid. There are a lot of things you don’t notice about the way he plays. You see the high-skill things he does but there another level he’s been at this year, which is the defensive side of things He’s been really aware and we’ve upped his role because of it.”

Brind’Amour, looking to improve the Canes’ penalty killing, began using Teravainen and Sebastian Aho in shorthanded situations. Good move, too. Both are adept at getting sticks on pucks, anticipate well, break up passes, throw off the rhythm of the other team’s power play.

Added aggressiveness rubbed off on Teravainen, became more noticeable at even strength, all over the ice. His plus-19 rating after the Buffalo game tied defenseman Brett Pesce as the team high in plus/minus.

“He’s so damn smart,” Canes general manager Don Waddell said. “He’s a got a great stick. His hockey sense is so good. We always think of him as an offensive player but he’s a very reliable defensive player and he’s showing it now. There’s a lot tolike."

Https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.newsob ... 58565.html

[Habs GM]

TJ Brodie
Current SP: 73
Requested SP: 77
Current SK: 76
Requested SK: 80
Current DF: 71
Requested DF: 74



Go to Calgary Flames "Player Shot Rates", "Player xG differntial vs reality" and "Corsi differential leaders" the reality about Brodie's actually performance is not reflected by the current ratings.

https://public.tableau.com/profile/sean ... ublish=yes


Moves the puck well and is an even better skater--he is fast and agile.

http://forecaster.ca/sportsnet/hockey/player.php?6626


2:02 Short-handed TOI still well about the league average for his position

https://www.rotowire.com/hockey/player.php?id=3090

[Chris-Wild]

Dmitry Orlov
Current DF: 71
Asking DF: 73

Orlov has taken big steps forward over the last 2 years.

"Dmitry Orlov developed into one of the Washington Capitals‘ best defencemen last season, and he’s being rewarded with a long-term, big-money contract."

"He turned into a stud. He was our best D-man on many, many occasions this year."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/capi ... year-deal/

He has also made those he plays with better when on the ice:

"Almost all of Orlov’s teammates benefited from playing with him. Here’s a look at the 15 teammates who skated 100 or more minutes with Orlov at 5-on-5, and how these players did in terms of puck possession both with and without Orlov."

https://www.russianmachineneverbreaks.c ... on-review/

"Orlov also was an exemplary model of what a defenseman can look like in today’s modern NHL. Orlov frequently jumped up in the offensive play, which was deadly from the left side. For the Capitals, the defenseman lined up on the right side of the pairing generally facilitated the offensive play (think Niskanen, John Carlson and Nate Schmidt). But Orlov provided a different outlet, and it translated in a career-high 33 points this season. Orlov also showed a tremendous amount of maturity in his defensive zone, frequently breaking up odd man rushes. Perhaps even more impressive, Orlov knew when it was appropriate to throw his weight around (take a look at that video below)."

https://www.japersrink.com/2017/6/8/156 ... itry-orlov

Orlov has developed into a more effective defender and makes the players around him better which I think makes him closer to 73 DF than 71 DF.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jonny Brodzinski
Current SP/SK: 69
Asking for 74 SP/SK

Jonny Brodzinki is a solid two way forward. He's also a fast skater, competing in the AHL skills competition, tying Justin Bailey (who is rated 74 SP/SK)
http://theahl.com/2017-ahl-all-star-skills-competition

Event 2 – CCM Fastest Skater
WEST SEC. EAST SEC.
Jack Roslovic (MB) 13.674 Justin Bailey (RCH) 13.788
Jonny Brodzinski (ONT) 13.787 Devon Toews (BRI) 13.478
Daniel O’Regan (SJ) 13.845 Yanni Gourde (SYR) 14.114

Current DF: 53
Asking for DF: 62

showing versatility and solid two-way play....What's promising is he's demonstrated a strong commitment to a 200-foot game

http://www.dobberprospects.com/jonny-brodzinski/

Is a smart, industrious forward with a strong lower base (which helps him maintain puck possession and win board battles in the corners).

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/player-bio/jonny-brodzinski/bio

[RichBasterd]

D Brayden McNabb
Current DF = 70
New Requested DF = 73

Has the 22nd highest short handed TOI per game this season with 2:51. Also possesses the 26th highest blocked shots in the league this season with 130
https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/seasons ... stats.html

Also among d-men, he has the 22nd highest +/- with a +16:
https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/seasons ... stats.html

Displays plenty of shutdown qualities, as well. Can log big minutes.

Long Range Potential: Big, shutdown defenseman.

http://www.sportsforecaster.com/nhl/player/7437

The idea of him being a top-pairing defenseman was never in the plans. Yet that’s exactly what the Golden Knights got out of McNabb in Year 1, and he was one of the better defensive defensemen for the team all season.

Among Knights defensemen, McNabb finished third in ice time at 5-on-5, third at even strength and second on the penalty kill. He missed six games but was one of the most relied upon defensemen all season. Gerard Gallant trusted him to play in difficult defensive situations, and McNabb was always up for the challenge. In fact, he allowed just 74 goals against all season across all situations and just 50 at even strength.

The native of Davidson, Saskatchewan had a 50.8 defensive zone start rate at even strength. Again, he was trusted with heavy defensive minutes and was asked to take on many difficult assignments. McNabb also had a solid workload based on competition.

He was able to keep the slot clear and force the puck towards the circles, and there’s certainly less red in the circles with McNabb on the ice. He used his hulking 6-foot-4, 212-pound body to clear forwards out, and while he’s not the best skater, he excelled when paired with someone with speed.

He’ll continue to play on the first pairing, at least through the first quarter of the season. He’s one of the more natural replacements to fill the No. 1 defenseman role for Schmidt, who will miss the first 20 games of the season because of a suspension, and he was already a dependable presence even when Schmidt was fully active. Pairing him with Theodore or Miller is a smart move, especially since he’s younger, more mobile and better able to play healthy minutes than Deryk Engelland.

https://www.knightsonice.com/2018/9/16/ ... den-mcnabb

And what I see is a smart, honest hockey player who works well with his partner, helps out his goalie, makes wise decisions when to join the rush and isn’t afraid to sacrifice his body.

He has played in all 66 games. He leads the team in blocked shots (121). He is third on the Knights in hits (168) after Ryan Reaves and Will Carrier. He averages just under 20 minutes a game in time on ice. He is an excellent penalty killer pairing with Deryk Engelland.

I don’t know there’s much improvement from last year to be honest with you. He’s done the same job as last year and I loved him last year.

He’s a great penalty killer. He shuts down the other team’s top players and I like what he brings to our group. -Gallant

His hockey IQ is real good and that’s what he takes pride in. When you look at playing a simple game, that’s what he does.

And if you insist on those analytics numbers, here they are: McNabb’s season Corsi is 51.2 percent (last year it was 51.0 percent). His Fenwick for this year is 51.9 (last year it was 52.1). So he’s on the positive side of his analytics.

https://sinbin.vegas/brayden-mcnabb-is- ... -on-track/


D Ian Cole
Current DF = 71
New Requested DF = 75

Has the 4th highest short handed TOI per game this season with 3:21 (total TOI is 20:00 which is the highest of his career). Also possesses the 4th highest blocked shots in the league this season with 158.
https://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/seasons ... stats.html

Can play a quality shutdown role, if need be. Has good size and strength, the ability to play a physical brand of hockey from the back end and some puck-moving skills.

Needs to become more consistent in order to maximize his overall shutdown acumen.

http://www.sportsforecaster.com/nhl/player/6277

Cole has a reputation as a solid shutdown defenseman and should easily slot in on the Avalanche anywhere...

Cole plays a physical defensive game without racking up tons of penalty minutes. His style of play should also be an asset in opening up the ice for the more offensively minded defensemen on the team like Tyson Barrie or Sam Girard as well as covering for mistakes from developing players like Girard or Conor Timmins.

Cole’s strengths lie with effectively minimizing shots on goal as well as limiting shots near the crease. While not a leader last year in any single defensive category, he blocked 116 shots, made 95 hits and logged 75 penalty minutes, easily in the middle of the pack for defensive categories.

He brings a stable and successful defensive history to a team that looks to play 20-year-old Girard on a top defensive pairing and bring in 19-year-old Timmins down the road. Cole should help solidify the blueline. His ability to communicate on the ice should also help the younger players.

https://thehockeywriters.com/avalanche- ... y-defense/

Avs coach Jared Bednar credits Cole’s play and presence for the defense’s ability to rebound from a recent five-game slide...

“If you look at the way he plays and the way he carries himself, every practice and every game there’s an intensity and there’s a sturdiness to his game,” Bednar said.

“In the third period, they put on a big push, and the intensity of their game ramped right up,” Bednar said. “He was one of the first guys to notice it, that the push was on, and make sure our game also elevated.”

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/11/14/a ... -ian-cole/

Ian Cole - An incoming veteran that should bring a lot of stability to the defense group. A former Stanley Cup champion, Cole is a guy that fell out of favor in Pittsburgh before being shipped off to Columbus last season. He’s not going to put up big numbers, but he is an underrated puck mover and will bring a presence to the penalty kill. His ability to play both sides of the ice brings a lot of flexibility to the lineup

https://www.milehighhockey.com/2018/9/1 ... che-roster

To supplement all these defenders and add one more strong piece to the puzzle, Colorado signed veteran d-man Ian Cole this summer. Cole, 29, is on a three-year deal with the Avs. His role will likely be as a second or third pair guy, mentoring the youngsters and providing some leadership and experience in the locker room.

https://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/09/17 ... g-up-fast/

[Kris]

Blake Coleman:
Current DF - 64
Requesting - 72

Current SP - 73
Requesting - 76

Current SK - 73
Requesting - 76

Coleman plays 2:49 SHTOI per game, good for 29th in the league and 3rd among all forwards in the NHL.
https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/stats?sea ... r=0&page=1

https://lastwordonhockey.com/2019/02/15 ... d-reserve/

"Coleman is one-third of an essential defensive line for the Devils."

https://pucksandpitchforks.com/2018/12/ ... e-defense/

" Blake Coleman was a very good, young player for the Devils last season. He was one of the team’s best penalty killers, he had a knack for stealing the puck, and he was relentless on the forecheck."

https://thehockeywriters.com/new-jersey ... er-season/

"Coleman has established himself as one of the Devils’ best penalty killers. And it’s not just the defensive aspect that makes him one of their best. He averages the second-most shot attempts, scoring chances and high-danger chances per-60 minutes of the team’s penalty-killing forwards. It’s no mistake that he’s tied for the team-lead in shorthanded goals either."

https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2018/ ... pk-offense

"Coleman has been a perfectly acceptable for a bottom-six winger in 5-on-5. According to Natural Stat Trick, he has a CF% (Corsi For%, or Devils attempts over all attempts) of 48%, a SF% (Shots For%, or Devils shots over all shots) and SCF% (Scoring Chance For%, or Devils scoring chances over all scoring chances) both just under 50%. Coleman ranked at least tenth on the team in each of these stats among Devils who have played at least 200 minutes in 5-on-5 hockey. These aren’t bad for a player in his position on a team that has not done so hot in CF%, SF%, or SCF% as a total squad. (Note: the recent loss to the Islanders haven’t killed these values either). He has put up five goals and six assists in 41 games. This all well and good for the role he has played. However, what makes Coleman notable goes beyond even these numbers."

"On a penalty kill, the idea is to kill the clock so the team can be back at full strength. Coleman does more than just get a clearance. He actively forechecks on the penalty kill when he has the opportunity to do so. He is able to apply pressure, go after opposing players, and waste time by holding onto the puck against the boards. In the last two games, Coleman took as much as ten seconds off the clock just by battling and winning pucks away from the opposition. These are the sort of hard working plays that do not end up on the scoresheet but should be praised and highlighted. And they aren’t so uncommon; it happened at least once in the recent games against Dallas and the Islanders. It’s effective work that keeps an opposition power play back for a bit of time. That’s enough time to make a change in personnel as well as shorten the opposition’s window for a conversion. When Coleman sees he can force a turnover and/or get the puck in deep, he will do it. Per Natural Stat Trick, Coleman has not taken a minor penalty during a penalty kill. He has done so without taking a penalty to make matters worse. While it’s not happening everytime there’s a penalty kill, it happens enough to command some attention.

There’s more to that impact than wasting time. He is often attacking from shorthanded situations. According to Natural Stat Trick, Coleman’s offensive numbers on the PK have been remarkable. Coleman currently has 14 shots on net and 16 shooting attempts in penalty killing situations. 14 shots is second in the entire NHL to only Andrew Cogliano, who has 15. 16 shooting attempts is third in the league, only behind Cogliano (20) and Dylan Larkin (17). Coleman is tied with Vincent Trocheck and Michael Grabner with 16 attempts. In terms of individual scoring chances and individual high danger scoring chances, Coleman leads the league with 14 and 10, respectively. The only thing that Coleman does not have with all of those shots and chances are goals. He has just one shorthanded goal. I wish he would have more. That it is not uncommon for Coleman to create a shot that is often scoring chance on a penalty kill makes me think that he will have a few more if he keeps it up. I knew Coleman has been good about moving the puck up on the PK. I didn’t know that he was ahead of all but a handful of players in the NHL at doing it. That’s how impressive Coleman’s numbers are in that regard.

Of course, this would be undercut if the Devils’ PK suffered with Coleman on the ice. It has not. Last season, in 23 games, the Devils’ rates in penalty killing situations when Coleman on the ice were not so hot. Coleman himself witnessed eight PPGAs and zero shorthanded goals. This season, after 41 games, Coleman himself witnessed three shorthanded goals and eight PPGAs. When Coleman is on the ice, the Devils allow shots at a rate of 51.1 SA/60 (shots against per sixty minutes). The only regular penalty killing forward on the Devils with a better SA/60 is Coleman’s recent partner on the PK, Bratt. To put that in further perspective, among the 184 forwards in the NHL who have played at least 30 minutes of shorthanded ice time, Coleman’s SA/60 rate currently ranks 52nd. As for goals against, his GA/60 is 5.76, which ranks 63rd in the NHL. He’s not ranked among the elite, but he’s well above your average PK forward. Not that an average penalty killing forward would create more attempts, shots, and chances than nearly everyone in the entire NHL. The point is that Coleman’s aggressive play on the PK has not burned the Devils in the back end."

"In a half of a NHL season, Coleman has broken out to be an impressive player on the penalty kill and a part of the reason why the Devils’ penalty kill has been so good this season. He’s not a bit taller and more Texan version of Stephen Gionta, Coleman is an attacker in shorthanded situations. He’s a very hard worker when does get forward and he is not a liability in terms of the run of play in 5-on-5 or defending on a penalty kill."

https://thehockeywriters.com/new-jersey ... e-coleman/

"the Devils were still noticeably better with Coleman on the ice to compared when he was off the ice, as the following graph (at five-on-five) will indicate.



The Devils didn’t necessarily out-attempt their opponents by a wide margin with Coleman on the ice — there was only a 1.3% difference in their Corsi (CF%). Where they made up the most ground was in scoring chances (SCF%) and high-danger chances (HDCF%). The Devils SCF% was 2.9% better with him on the ice, while their HDCF% was 7.4% better. They were also expected to score way more with him on the ice, as their expected goals (xGF%) indicates.

A big reason for the Devils’ success with Coleman on the ice was due to the way he was able to prevent opposing teams from generating shots and chances. For the season, the Devils averaged 53.2 shot attempts against per 60 minutes with him on the ice, which was third-best on the team. He also ranked third and fourth on the team in scoring and high-danger chances against per 60 minutes.

Every team needs a player like Coleman to handle the tough defensive assignments. He made an impact and helped the team form an imposing checking line with Travis Zajac and Stefan Noesen that came up big down the stretch of the season. The Devils were far from one of the best defensive teams in the league in 2017-18, so it’s hard to imagine where they would’ve been without Coleman contributing the defensive minutes he did."

[Kris]

Matt Nieto:

Current DF - 65
Requesting - 70

Current SP - 80
Requesting - 82

Current SK - 76
Requesting - 82

Nieto plays 2:43 SHTOI per game, good for 36th in the league and 4th among all forwards.
https://www.foxsports.com/nhl/stats?sea ... r=0&page=1

https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/01/18/ ... nd-season/

“They’ve really bought into their role,” Bednar said, describing the effectiveness of the Nieto-Soberberg-Comeau group. “We’ve given them a specific role of being a shutdown checking line and they’ve taken that to a really high level.”

Logan Couture, who played a shutdown role on a line with Nieto under Todd McLellan, isn’t surprised that his former-teammate is emerging as a backbone of the offensively-minded Avalanche’s defensive game.

“He’s a smart player. He knows where to go defensively, he’s above the puck,” Couture said. “He’s not overly physical, he’s not a big guy, but he’s got such a good stick. He disrupts a lot of plays.”

Nieto, who’s chipped in offensively with eight goals, as well, is also finding success in Colorado because his skillset fits well with the team’s up-tempo brand of hockey. Whereas the Sharks are a forechecking possession team, the Avalanche play more of an Eastern Conference style of game, getting out on the rush and using their speed in transition, which highlights the 5-foot-11 forward’s best asset, his legs.

“We play a fast-paced style here,” Nieto said.

https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/niet ... -295079366

"When the Colorado Avalanche needs a defensive stop, the team turns to its checking line of Blake Comeau, Matt Nieto and Carl Soderberg. "

"Defensively and on the penalty kill, Nieto and his linemates were up to the challenge against the league's No. 5-rated power-play unit.

For Nieto specifically, he played 4:02 of his total 14:29 of ice time on the penalty kill and finished the game with two blocked shots and a game-high three takeaways."

https://milehighsticking.com/2018/08/30 ... att-nieto/

"Interestingly, he’s always been used more for his defensive capabilities. Throughout his career he’s started more in the defensive zone than offensive. Last year 68% of his starts were in the defensive zone."

"Another statistic I liked for Nieto was his takeaway to giveaway ratio — it’s almost 2:1 in favor of takeaways. He’s responsible with the puck when he has it."

[adam - sabres]

Pierre Luc-Dubois
Current sp/sk/df: 73/73/56
Asking sp/sk/df: 79/79/73

This guy played top line center for John Tortorella. No way he does that, if he can't handle the defensive side of the game. He clearly needs a boost to his ratings all around.

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/2 ... luc-dubois

A phenominal two-way power forward who thrives under pressure. He brings versatility, being able to play as a center or a winger, as well as elite skill and agility. His athleticism is exemplified in his strong skating that allows him to backcheck hard, explode up the ice in-transition, or propel himself up into hits that opponents won't soon forget. His defensive zone play is excellent; he proactively finds and takes away shooting and passing lanes, and makes it tough on opponents to pinpoint any daylight.

https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/co ... -299483432

He used his combination of size, speed and skill to create scoring opportunities, yet was also used defensively to check some of the NHL's most elite centers - including Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos.

Dubois handled those assignments impressively, gaining momentum as the season progressed

[gianicle]

Going for my first set of challenges here:

Troy Strecher

Current sp/st/di/sk/pc/df : 75/54/69/75/49/69
Requesting sp/st/di/sk/pc/df : 80/60/72/80/62/75

Strecher's game has improved drastically and has become a huge piece in that Canucks D. He's always in the top for the TOI at the end of the games. Going to share some articles that talk about how much his improvements have helped the team.

https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hocke ... g-minutes/
https://www.vancourier.com/pass-it-to-b ... 1.23656714
https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/n ... r-play-aim

Zack Kassian

Kassian's showing more of a goal scoring ability like earlier in his career and he is playing top minutes with Edmonton skating off and on the first line.

Current st/en/pa/df/sc : 79/61/41/58/47
Requesting st/en/pa/df/sc : 82/70/50/70/60

https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hock ... ring-punch
https://edmontonsun.com/sports/hockey/n ... -and-score
https://edmontonsun.com/sports/hockey/n ... -and-score

[Kris]

You are only able to challenge SP, SK and DF