Phoenix - Toronto Scoring Chances
JP Nikota
November 17 2011 11:44PM
For a summary of the Leafs' scoring chances through their first 17 games, check out this recent post of mine. From here on in, it'll just be game-by-game numbers with the occasional update.
Once again, I'll link my first post on the subject that explains the parameters for counting a scoring chance. They may not be exactly what you'd expect, but there is a group of us attempting to standardize our tabulation process.
As far as an explanation goes for the following tables, the first shows each individual chance, and I've recorded who the shooter was in each case under the column 'Note'.
The second table summarizes how many chances for (green) and against (red) each player was on the ice for, and under which circumstances. Remember that they don't have to be the shooter - they just have to be on the ice when the chance is taken.
The final table is more or less self-explanatory, but, just to be clear, it just divides the number of scoring chances at EV, PP, and PK by team and period.
Hope you enjoy.
Cap Hit Of Injured Players: Leafs Not So Lucky This Year
JP Nikota
November 16 2011 08:17PM
There's a pun to be made here about 'falling Leafs' - especially as we're in the midst of Fall - but I'm not going to be the one to make it. We're just all business here at The Leafs Nation, in case you haven't noticed - cough, cough.
Recently, the Leafs currently have a sizeable list of players that are injured, and unable to play in tomorrow's game against Nashville:
James Reimer
Mikhail Grabovski
Clarke MacArthur
Colby Armstrong
Colton Orr has the flu, but should be available by tomorrow, even though he'll likely be a healthy sratch.
Matt Frattin missed practice today, but it was for personal reasons, and will definitely be back tomorrow.
Returning for Toronto will be Tim Connolly, who has missed 11 of the Leafs' 17 games so far.
This might have been a nice time to call up Joe Colborne, who posted 19 points in his first 12 games with the Toronto Marlies, but he is also not quite back to 100%, and can't be counted on just yet. In any event, he'll probably need a couple games to get his timing back before the Leafs give him an audition for the big show.
Most of us have looked back on last year, when the Leafs' were one of the healthier teams in the league, and figured that this year is life's way of balancing out the tables, but this is something of a Gambler's Fallacy. Year-to-year man games lost to injury are (mostly) discreet numbers, and can't be thought of in that way. The odds that we stayed healthy last year are the same that we stayed healthy this year. (Except, perhaps, for the case of Tim Connolly.)
Leafs' Scoring Chances Up To Today
JP Nikota
November 15 2011 02:31AM
For those of you that aren't aware, I've started tracking Leafs' scoring chances for and against in each game, and will be continuing this project throughout the year, publishing each individual game's numbers as the season progresses.
If you're looking for a description of my definition of a scoring chance, give this piece a read.
Starting on this project a bit late into the season has made it difficult to catch up, but I've finally done it. This post covers the Leafs' first 17 games of the season, though because it takes a while to compile all of the data in a useful way, I may not be doing these summative pieces very often. Consider this your first quarter report.
An Evening With Jacques Demers
JP Nikota
November 12 2011 03:52PM
Because I teach literacy and basic skills with the Thames Valley District School Board, I was asked to attend Facing Off With Literacy, an evening headlined by guest speaker (and former Cup winner) Jacques Demers. Many of you probably remember that in 2005, Demers revealed to the world that he was functionally illiterate, that he was set to begin rectifying that situation, and also that he wanted to address literacy in a more public way. On Thursday night, he opened up to a room of nearly 450 people at the London Convention Center, and spoke passionately to raise support and finances for literacy programs. Leafs-Habs rivalry notwithstading, I have to say that it's a noble thing he's chosen to do.
Not As Bad As Columbus - Oh, Wait.
JP Nikota
November 05 2011 08:35PM
Let's hope that losing 6-2 a few weeks ago, and 7-0 tonight to the Boston Bruins prompts some kind of change in strategy from Wilson and his players going forward. Like, playing hockey, as opposed to not.
To be honest, the Leafs didn't play an awful first period. Yes, the penalty kill looked weak as Tyler Seguin scored his first of three (sigh), but the Leafs had a couple good chances, and wound up out-shooting the B's 7-5. A 1-0 deficit going into the second period obviously wasn't good, but after the Leafs' 6-2 loss the last time these two teams met, it was a lot more palatable.
The fact that the Leafs were able to stay off the PK for the rest of the game is about the best thing that could be said, tonight.
