Interesting that Joe is near the top of the giveaways and takeaways.

Posted by DetroitNick on 03/10/10 at 05:40 PM ET

Basically every stat except for goals has some scorer bias.  Giveaways are a good example—the scorers in Montreal record a lot more giveaways per game than the scorers in other arenas.  That’s why Hamrlik and Spacek are tops in the league.  I think that last year (I’m just going from memory, so don’t quote me), something like three quarters of Andrei Markov’s giveaways were recorded in home games.  So Montreal scorers were roughly three times more likely to record a giveaway than other scorers.

That’s the biggest bias that I know about, but I’m sure there are lots of others.

Posted by Ryan from Toronto on 03/10/10 at 06:44 PM ET

Wayne Simmonds over Pavel Datsyuk as a runner-up for the Selke? Really?

I think you need to play against the other team’s top line and have scored more than 36 points to be considered a Selke finalist. Pavel, on the other hand, has 56 points (on an injury-decimated team), leads the league in takeaways and is fourth in Penalty Differential (Drawn Minus Taken) with 20. Simmonds’ differential is a 6.

Cullen missed this call by a mile.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/10/10 at 07:33 PM ET

Pavel, on the other hand, has 56 points (on an injury-decimated team)

Having only missed a couple himself, that’s still a pretty weak showing, regardless of who was injured.  plus Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Zetterberg only missed i think 10 games between them….

Posted by Greg on 03/10/10 at 07:55 PM ET

Having only missed a couple himself, that’s still a pretty weak showing, regardless of who was injured.  plus Lidstrom, Rafalski, and Zetterberg only missed i think 10 games between them….

Posted by Greg on 03/10/10 at 07:55 PM ET

Datsyuk also had an albatross named Bertuzzi on his line for most of the season,  It’s really difficult for Pavel to score or create a play when Bertuzzi is backing in offsides or turning the puck over with a blind pass…  unless someone actually WATCHED all those games, they have no concept of the damage Bert did to Pavel’s game while on his line.

Posted by Primis on 03/10/10 at 09:04 PM ET

Speaking of stats.
Did anyone see that fatham assist Ovechkin got tonight on Green’s second pp goal?  For the whole game it was Green from Laich and Backstrom. Then at the end of the game it’s listed as Green from Ovechkin and Laich.

Backstrom had the puck on the halfwall sent it down to Laich on the goal line next to the net. Laich then tried to stuff it but it was cleared up the middle by a Carolina d-man. Ovechkin came flying in looking to crush it but had his stick lifted at the last moment and it went right by him to Green who then buried it. The reasoning for the assist by the official scorer I’m assuming is Ovechkin must have some how made contact with the puck when he swung at it (it’s pretty obvious he didn’t). So hence he (OV) gets the primary assist and Laich the secondary while Backstrom gets shafted.
Now I know fathom assists go on, take this play for instance it should’ve been unassisted. To me once the opposing team makes stick to puck contact (the Carolina d-man) all previous potential assist are null and void. But I know that’s not going to happen and I can live with most of them because it goes on in most, if not all arenas.  But in this instance it just looks like a clear case of an official scorer trying to help his guy win a scoring title.

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 03/10/10 at 09:57 PM ET

I’m sorry about the rant, but I had to let it out.

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 03/10/10 at 09:59 PM ET

Having only missed a couple himself, that’s still a pretty weak showing, regardless of who was injured.

Primis makes an excellent point about Pavel being held back by the play of Bert-atross, but what really affected his offensive stats was having Homer out for 14 games and Mule out for 52.

Did anyone see that fatham assist Ovechkin got tonight ...

What is a “fatham” or “fathom” assist?

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/10/10 at 11:25 PM ET

At least on the Penguins, I can’t believe that Malkin doesn’t have more giveaways than Crosby. Maybe Malkins turnovers are just more noticeable at the blueline…

Posted by penguinsfan on 03/11/10 at 06:53 AM ET

What is a “fatham” or “fathom” assist?

I meant phantom ( I think).
I know I’m terrible at spelling. But I suspect you knew exactly what I meant. Thanks anyway though for the heads up Cheli.

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 03/11/10 at 07:52 AM ET

But I suspect you knew exactly what I meant.

Well, you’d be wrong. My best guess was a “fathom” assist was something like an assist where the puck didn’t come within six feet of the guy.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/11/10 at 11:35 AM ET

Datsyuk also had an albatross named Bertuzzi on his line for most of the season, It’s really difficult for Pavel to score or create a play when Bertuzzi is backing in offsides or turning the puck over with a blind pass… unless someone actually WATCHED all those games, they have no concept of the damage Bert did to Pavel’s game while on his line.

Posted by Primis on 03/10/10 at 09:04 PM ET

Please, between you and OTChelios, we’ve been reading on here in the comments how a certain overhyped player should be able to make their wingers better.  Bertuzzi won about 3 games in a row for the Wings not too long ago…i doubt having Bert on Dats’ line has made him fall of his usual pace by 25 pts…

Posted by Greg on 03/11/10 at 11:57 AM ET

i doubt having Bert on Dats’ line has made him fall of his usual pace by 25 pts…

Then you obviously haven’t watched every Wings game this year.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/11/10 at 12:10 PM ET

Well, you’d be wrong

It wouldn’t be the first time.

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 03/11/10 at 12:27 PM ET

@ Cheli,
BTW, did you see the game or the hightlight of the goal I was writing about? And what did you think if you did see it?

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 03/11/10 at 12:35 PM ET

Then you obviously haven’t watched every Wings game this year.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/11/10 at 12:10 PM ET

Since when do we have to watch EVERY game to comment on the teams players?

Hey, I know Bert is a shadow compared to what he was.

Posted by Greg on 03/11/10 at 12:42 PM ET

Since when do we have to watch EVERY game to comment on the teams players?

Hey, you don’t have to watch any games to comment on a player’s performance. But your chances of being right are greater if you watch them all. You made an assumption about Pavel’s performance. I’m suggesting to you that if you had watched every game, you’d recognize that your assumption is wrong.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/11/10 at 02:14 PM ET

BTW, did you see the game or the hightlight of the goal I was writing about?

Didn’t see it…but I just can’t fathom how you could be right in your observations.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/11/10 at 02:18 PM ET

Didn’t see it…but I just can’t fathom how you could be right in your observations.

I put that one on a tee for you, hah? Even if you don’t - I know you really want to like me Cheli.
BTW, guess who got the call-up and is going to make his 26th season debut tonight? I think he might even be tying Mr. Howe’s record.

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 03/11/10 at 04:34 PM ET

Even if you don’t - I know you really want to like me Cheli.

Well, I want to like everyone. Some people just make it harder to do that than others. And I find it almost impossible to like Pens fans. So, there you go.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/11/10 at 05:58 PM ET