JotCast | PHR Live Chat: 06-03-21

PHR Live Chat: 06-03-21

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Gavin Lee

6:43

Talent from all avenues for that team

Ron Hextall

6:44

Who are some realistic free agent signings for Pittsburgh [assuming that they can unload some contracts, which we know is a very heavy lift]? Are guys like Casey Cizikas too unrealistic, even with some magically cleared cap space?

Gavin Lee

6:44

I've suggested Cizikas for Pittsburgh before, but ultimately even though I keep mentioning him I think the Islanders will retain him.

6:46

In terms of cap space, it will be an interesting summer.

Zucker, Rust, Matheson, Pettersson, all probably potential bait

6:47

In terms of other free agents, they'll be bargain hunting

Blue seats

6:47

Ok if they land one of those players or 2, do you see another move for a center other than Eichel. I think he Injury prone, remember Eric lindros?…could a player like oreilly work?

Gavin Lee

6:47

Well, Ryan O'Reilly would work pretty much anywhere yes

6:48

I don't think he will be acquired by the Rangers

6:49

Monahan, Kuznetsov are trade options

Nugent-Hopkins maybe on the free agent market

Ron Duguay

6:50

Do all of the analytics haters realize that the Leafs went away from that model since this past offseason to add experience and grit over skill and speed? Just because Kyle Dubas wears glasses does not mean he follows analytics 100%

Pierre McGuire

6:50

Have I forgotten that the Lightning and Avalanche use analytics?

Gavin Lee

6:50

Haha "Just because Kyle Dubas wears glasses" is a funny line, and sometimes I think people do confuse him for that.

6:51

Dubas is a hockey-lifer, he was working for the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds as a kid

He's not just a "computer boy"

I think Pierre just doesn't know why the Maple Leafs and Oilers lost, so he tried to make a connection where there wasn't one

6:53

The fact is that most of the teams that haven't embraced some form of analytics are at the bottom of the league. The Ducks, for instance, are only just now making a big investment into it with the hiring of Jeff Solomon

6:54

Using analytics as an NHL front office isn't just "This player has good corsi," it's so much more nuanced and detailed than that.

The thing is, some of the analytic-loving public often aren't well enough informed either and make it hard for the other side to trust

6:55

When things like the "Nick Bonino is more valuable than Patrick Kane" come out, it's said by (apologies if I'm miscrediting) the Evolving-Wild guys as kind of a "haha look what our model says," while knowing full well it's not the whole picture

6:56

But one side tells the other they don't know anything and it gets out of control

Anyway, it's kind of funny that the debate is going through the same stages as it did a decade ago in baseball.

6:57

I bet if you asked Tim or Steve from MLBTR to look at some of the hockey analytics debates, they'd have some fond (or terrible) memories.

Anthony

6:57

Where do you see Gallant landing this year? Or lol Tortellini?

Gavin Lee

6:57

Boy is Gallant putting a nice big stamp on his resume right now or what?

6:58

Took a Canadian team without a ton of talent that lost the first three games of the tournament to bad opponents and now has them winning against Russia

6:59

One thing that has stood out about his coaching decisions at the Worlds--he started Owen Power as the 7th defenseman, and now he's trusting him in overtime of an elimination game. Don't think that teams aren't watching that and thinking to themselves "wow, here's a guy who can develop and win at the same time"

Anyway, for landing spot

7:00

With what I just said about the Worlds in mind, I think when it's all said and done he'll be behind the bench for the Rangers.

It just seems so perfect for them, even if there are obviously lots of other candidates

NScotia14

7:00

How close is McKinnon to McDavid right now? Does it change if Colorado wins the cup?

Gavin Lee

7:01

Whoo boy is MacKinnon fun to watch right now.

Did everyone see him tapping his stick last night on the powerplay? Every time it went up top to Makar he was pounding his stick on the ice in a "give me the puck, I will end this" kind of way

7:02

First touch, he draws guys in and feeds a wide open Rantanen. Gold

There is obviously so much more to hockey than just point production

I think MacKinnon rates higher than McDavid in a lot of things

Including that pure killer instinct

Not that McDavid can't do it

7:03

I just think it's a lot harder to have those moments of "I won't be stopped" after a full season of being the only one relied on to do it

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