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June 22, 2015
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
NUMBERS GAMES
It STARTED LIKE ANY CONTRACT NEGOTIATION. Agent Allan Walsh, who represents Jonathan Drouin, David Perron and Antoine Vermette, among many others, sat across from an NHL GM and assistant GM. The group was hammering out a deal for one of Walsh's clients. They spent 45 minutes discussing staple statistics like points per game, goals, assists and ice time. Walsh, though, wasn't satisfied. He told the executives they were omitting a crucial criterion. It just so happened, Walsh explained to them, the player in question was tops on the team in almost every major possession metric, including Corsi and Fenwick. Walsh had his own advanced stat booklet prepared. He fished out two copies. "I saw them open the first page, and I saw the GM and the assistant GM lock eyes with…
SRN JOSE SHARKS
TODD MCLELLAN'S EXIT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR change to take place in San Jose following the Sharks' worst season -off and on the ice -in recent memory. However, his departure won't be the last in San Jose. Ownership has reaffirmed its confidence longtime GM Doug Wilson can deliver the franchise its first Stanley Cup after the team's first playoff miss in a decade, but given Wilson's publicly rocky relationship with Joe Thornton (and Thornton's no-trade clause), there's got to be a seismic shift of some sort. Even youngster Logan Couture said the team's culture wasn't good in 2014-15, and that's never a good harbinger for the future. What options does Wilson have? He can't ship out Thornton or fellow veteran star Patrick Marleau without their consent, but he can (and almost…
SURVEY SAYS SIGHT MATTERS
AHISTORICALLY SHARP RISE IN visor users suggests the NHL and the NHLPA’s decision to grandfather-in face shields may be doing the league some good. In the past year alone, visor wearers have grown five percent, with all but four teams increasing in usage. Toronto, Calgary, Columbus, Chicago, Vancouver and Carolina all increased over 10 percent each. Of the 640 players leaguewide with more than 20 games this season, 549 of them wear visors. The Canes were tops in eye safety with all 20 of their eligible players. Two years ago, prior to the introduction of Rule 9.7 – which states, “all players who have fewer than 25 games of NHL experience must wear a visor” – 75 percent of players donned visors. Since then, that number has increased to 86 percent. To put all…
MASTERING THE MARKETPLACE
THE OPENING OF FREE AGENCY July 1 isn’t what it used to be, mainly because most of the league’s star players get signed to lucrative long-term extensions and never make it to market. If you look at the numbers – almost 100 players signed as free agents last July 1 – you might think all 30 teams’ front offices are a beehive of activity, and for some of them that may indeed be the case. But a number of GMs insist that while July 1 is a big day on the hockey calendar, it’s not as frantic as some might expect. “Everyone has different needs, and you have to decide if free agency is the way to go or if you are you better off to make a trade,” said…
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