Today we once again bring you our 10 odd facts from the National Hockey League. These are stats meant to make you kind of perplexed but also surprised. It is now time to get into these. For you statistical pleasure….
Statistical Oddities
- First off if you think 11 straight losses is bad (Carolina Hurricanes)….please remember the Washington Capitals who lost 17 in a row (back when there was no shootout) in the 74-75 season. That team also went 1-39 on the road….something you will never see in today’s NHL ever.
- Vesa Toskala take heart with your 5+ GAA. Think of Caps goalie Michel Belhumeur who in that same 74-75 season led the Capitals with a 5.36 GAA. No that is not a misprint. Leading goaltender in wins that year for Washington was Ron Low with 8.
- It must be a contract year for Evgeni Nabokov. Lost in his resurgence this year is the simple fact that he is unbelievable at the HP. The 5-0-1 home record is not enough but the 1.14 GAA and .961 save percentage is just plain sick. Maybe you need to play against him on Tuesdays and Thursdays where he is 2-4-1 with a GAA over 4.
- Teams must be learning to kill penalties as amazingly every team is now over 70% on the Penalty Kill. Maybe the injuries are starting to take a toll on the Power Play as the Toronto Maple Leafs have the league’s best Power Play and worst Penalty Kill…truly a rare accomplishment but alas its early.
- The Carolina Hurricanes were literally the PP darlings of the NHL last year…not this year. Their 72 chances only put them in 8th place right now and their average of just about 5 man disadvantages a game is dead last in the NHL (it is 4.94 for math majors).
- Ottawa is so level headed that it is scary. No literally. Their GF and GA are at 42…the exact same. What is odd is just the fact that they do not play in all that many one goal games either (only 6 this year). Contrast that with New Jersey who has played in 11 of them already.
- Keith Tkachuk weight update…he is now listed as being 235 pounds. We do not know if this an official weight but we heard rumors there are indentations in the ice right around the crease area. There is no way to verify this however. He is 6 foot 2 so his BMI is probably at least 25 which is overweight.
- The league PP Mendoza Line is 20%….remember when 20% was a top 8 or 10 Power Play? My how times have changed. Also, no team is over 90% on the Penalty Kill…not even close. The Rangers lead at 86.6%. Last year there were three teams over 90% at this time of year. Again it is early but it seems everyone is slipping towards the median.
- Remember the days of the day game? Early on this year…not so much. Only one team (Boston) has played 3 or more games before sundown. There are 14 teams who have played all their games at night. That may be the more disturbing part of the statistic.
- Lastly….when will the Andrew Raycroft Experience go bust? His 1.60 GAA and .936 save percentage is scaring people. Add in the 4-1 record and people may be quietly muttering Luongo who? Okay maybe not but you have to admit this is a scary odd stat for fans of Boston, Toronto, and Colorado. When Luongo comes back…he will start obviously but could this really be Vancouver going thru the Scott Clemmensen effect? Food for thought.
We will see you next week with more strange statistical oddities. Until then, watch out for strange hockey players doing crazy things. Aloha for now.
