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A Playoff Goon
by PuckStopsHere on 05/07/09 at 11:45 PM ET
Comments (6)
In general, the Stanley Cup playoffs have fewer penalties and less use for goons who offer little in hockey ability beyond a willingness to fight, but sometimes exceptions exist. The main exception to this rule in this season’s playoffs has been Rick Rypien of the Vancouver Canucks. Rypien leads the playoffs with 38 penalty minutes in his eight games so far. That gives him almost five penalty minutes per game. He has contributed one assist (which he got in tonight’s game) and has a -1 +/- rating. His +/- is not quite worst on the team, there are a few players at -2, but they are all players who get significantly more ice time than Rypien does. The Canucks have only played Rick Rypien about seven and a half minutes a game.
In a tight series with Chicago (it is tied at two games each) is it sensible for the Canucks to be dressing a player like this? They could be playing Jannik Hansen in place of Rypien. During the regular season, Hansen certainly appeared more valuable. He outscored Rypien 21 points to 3. Hansen played 14:42 a game in 55 games, while Rypien played 9:19 a game in only 12 games. Why is Hansen deemed less valuable now, when the goonery Rypien provides is less valuable now?
Probably a roster shuffle at the bottom of any team’s roster is unlikely to be the difference between playoff success and failure, but I do not see the logic behind this Vancouver Canuck move. They seem to be sitting a clearly superior player in favor of somebody who has a skill set that does not translate as well to the playoffs. The payoff for the Canucks is more penalties from Rick Rypien. Why is that a good move?
Filed in: | The Puck Stops Here | Permalink
Tags: Jannik+Hansen, Rick+Rypien, Vancouver+Canucks,
Comments
And people like Shane O’Brien or Darcy Hordichuk or Willie Mitchell or Alex Burrows are completely unable to stand up for themselves? The Canucks do not have a lack of tough players.
The Canucks do have more penalty minutes per game than any team remaining in the playoffs. That cannot be helping them.
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 05/08/09 at 12:02 AM ET
Writer’s pro tip:
“FEWER PENALTIES”
not
“LESS PENALTIES”
Posted by Muero from Ohio on 05/08/09 at 12:21 AM ET
As usual, tpsh you obviously have no idea what you are talking about. Rypien is an energy player, who was used to bring ENERGY to the game by giving the big hit here. He is willing to go into the dirty areas, and is also able to fight when needed. Scoring has not been the issue with the Canucks during these playoffs. What the Canucks are attempting to do is methodically grind out the Hawks and play their defensive game.
He is a hardworking guy, and maybe not known for scoring goals, but always gives his all. He is an agitator and a lot like Burrows was when he came to the team. Your wrong if you think that he is just a goon. He’s a lot smaller then any goons on most team, and often takes on guys who are 20 pounds or more heavier then he is.
As usual, this is another piece of useless writing/blogging from TPSH. You always tend to write the stuff that is so obvious, yet has no sense of writing that goes above that of a tenth grader.
“Before I chose Malkin cause he was lighting it up, but now I think the MVP is Getzlaf, cause he is now lighting it up”.
what garbage.
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 05/08/09 at 01:02 AM ET
The worst player in the league at any given time is almost always an “energy player”. It is somebody who works hard enough to keep in the coach and fan’s good books but is unable to play well enough to deserve his NHL spot.
Rick Rypien is a player who more or less falls into that category and here we have Luongo-is-my-hero defending hiom as such. I think it is a pretty easy case to make that the Canucks would be better off with Hansen filling his roster spot. Hansen is a better hockey player. He is useful in more situations, scores more and plays better defence.
Posted by PuckStopsHere on 05/08/09 at 01:09 AM ET
The league needs energy players that lay out a good hit. They add excitement to the game.
Posted by goon from Grand Forks, ND on 05/08/09 at 08:58 AM ET
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Posted by goon from Grand Forks, ND on 05/07/09 at 11:53 PM ET