OH NOEZ!! BUDAJ IS TEH SUX

by Joe Dunman on Sep 23, 2008 12:19 PM MDT in News Comment 14 comments

Well, I guess we can just write off the season right this second. The Avs held their annual Burgundy/White team scrimmage last night and it was a significantly one-sided affair. Burgundy beat White 9-0.

The starting goalie for the White team was Peter Budaj. He played only one period, and allowed two goals (on 12 shots), both by Jordan Leopold. Tyler Weiman replaced him in the second period and subsequently allowed seven more goals over the rest of the game.

Of course, the fact that Budaj allowed two goals---to a defenseman---while facing only twelve shots has no doubt convinced somebody (probably lots of somebodies), that he is a terrible goalie and that we have no choice but to rely solely upon Andrew Raycroft (7 shots, 7 saves).

Right. Because the Burgundy/White game is so indicative of how everyone will play the rest of the year. Bear in mind that Stastny, Wolski and Svatos were not present, or the fact that the lines were completely ridiculous (Tucker-Sakic-Stewart, really?), or the fact that it's still two weeks and change before the season starts.

Oh, but one thing I am willing to believe: Tyler Arnason has problems. His team scored nine goals and he managed zero points. Zero. And Arnason was on the second line playing with David Jones, who had a hat trick. In case you missed that, his linemate had a hat trick and Arnason had no points at all.

But, we'll apply the same standard to Arny as we will Budaj. The Burgundy/White game is about as predictive of future performance as my mutual fund prospectus was before all those geniuses with Harvard and Yale MBAs gang-raped our economy. So we won't throw Arnason under the bus based on one intra-squad preseason scrimmage.

We've got tons of other reasons to throw him under the bus.

Budaj, not so much.

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In all fairness

Bear in mind that Stastny, Wolski and Svatos were not present, or the fact that the lines were completely ridiculous (Tucker-Sakic-Stewart, really?)

After last season merry-go-round linesyou can forgive people for thinking this might be a line they could see this season.

"A witty saying proves nothing."
- Voltaire (1694-1778)

by Jibblescribbits on Sep 23, 2008 12:24 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Soooooo the offensive line of the future wasn’t present huh? I know SoS has an excuse, why no Baron von Wolski or Svats Machine?

by Mike @ MHH on Sep 23, 2008 12:27 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Baron von Wolski… I like it!

"A witty saying proves nothing."
- Voltaire (1694-1778)

by Jibblescribbits on Sep 23, 2008 12:29 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Baron von Wolski has a foot injury, and Svatos probably isn’t cleared for contact quite yet.

Now and then we had the hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be PIRATES.
-Mark Twain-

by Americanario on Sep 23, 2008 3:27 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see this score as a proof that there’s nothing wrong with the Avs’ offensive output, rather than something being wrong with their goaltending

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Sep 23, 2008 12:52 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

BTW, Smyth’s +5 rating is a lot more promising than last season’s 4 rating!
I’m still on the fence about whether I like the +/ rating. I understand that it doesn’t say a whole lot about the player and his abilities on one side, but it does say how well the team fares whenever he is on the ice.

Anyone got an extreme opinion about that?

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Sep 23, 2008 12:59 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Why is half my post stricken? That was not supposed to happen:

Anyone got an extreme opinion about that?

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Sep 23, 2008 1:00 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

±

Last season Tyler Arnason (and Scott Parker for that matter) had a better ± than:

Joe Sakic, Ryan Smyth, David Jones, Scott Hannan, Ruslan Salei, and Ian Laperriere.

However all the players listed are given defensive responsibilites, especially Hannan and Laperriere. Despite his poor season Hannan was on the ice against the top lines of other teams, and so was Lappy. No one would be crazy enough to give Arny that responsibility so his GA numbers will be deflated, while the other two’s inflated.

Not to mention it’s a stat the is more dependent on a person’s teammates than his actual play. I am not a fan of that stat.

"A witty saying proves nothing."
- Voltaire (1694-1778)

by Jibblescribbits on Sep 23, 2008 1:19 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Me either. It’s a overall team statistic more than an metric of individual performance. Just like GAA.

by Mike @ MHH on Sep 23, 2008 2:37 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those guys from Baseball Prospectus need to quit wasting time with politics and get interested in hockey, stat!

As in stats. We need more of them.

Go Avs! Let's get some goals!

by Joe Dunman on Sep 23, 2008 3:26 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Forechecker tries and hockeyanalytics is pretty good, but nothing like those moneyball bastards…

by Mike @ MHH on Sep 23, 2008 6:32 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Mike and Jibbles,

Last season Tyler Arnason (and Scott Parker for that matter) had a better ± than:

Joe Sakic

was all I needed to hear.

Although there’s no reason why ± stats shouldn’t be about equal for every player, as better players will get more playing time, inevitably playing against better lines, which would compensate.

That stat is out the window now, though….

26 Card Jet

by Tommelot on Sep 24, 2008 9:52 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Plus/minus

Apparently I’m in the minority but I like it- I think it should be taken with a grain of salt, as shown above, but i like it. It shows a more rounded perspective, ie adam foote or someone (defensemen especially) who doesn’t score a lot but gets huge minutes against opposing 1st lines. Its just another tool to be used, and when their +/- is good even in the face of adverse circumstances, it shows their value in a way that scoring stats can’t. And that is why the PA loves it- D-men (not offensive d-men here) have no real way to quantify their value in negotiations without statistics, and even with holes, +/- is a good relative value indicator. key word relative….

by TheRed on Sep 23, 2008 11:12 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Hotter than Hell

Considering the temperature inside the Cadet Arena last night was about 500 F’ing degrees, I’m amazed any of them could even skate. That ice must have been mush. No I-witness recap from me (trust me on this) but in my useless opinion I was impressed by Tucker and Jones. Smyth and Sakic looked like their pretty strong. Had no clue who alot of the new guys were but it’s a fun way to start the season and get a look at them. Next year I’ll be sure to strap ice packs to my body.

Going to the Avs/Kings game, looking forward to some gritty play.

by Rookie14 on Sep 24, 2008 1:43 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs