Want to give some Positive Energy

[russianswede919293 95]

http://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/i...takes_over.html

Much later than now in last season the Pittsburgh Penguins were at 59 Points Through 57 games and 5 points out of the final spot in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. They went on a tear, and proceeded to barely lose for the rest of the year and win the Stanley Cup.

We will not be firing Babcock, nor should we. But our players returning from injury could be the same boost.

Hockey is a crazy world. Wings are still very much alive.

[Namingway 146]

Yep yep. I think the Caps were pretty low for a while too then managed to finish around top

Edited January 7, 2010 by Namingway

[Echolalia 2,961]

The Blues went on a tear late last year also, I believe.

[InKennyWeTrust 126]

I posted this on another thread... I think these guys returning from injury are going to be a bigger boost than most people think.

Forwards (games missed) - (Prorated points missed during injury) (Prorated +/-):

Zetterberg 7 games - ~7 pts (3 g) +2

Franzen 38 games - ~32 pts (18 g) +12

Cleary 11 games - ~6 pts (2 g) 0

Williams 26 games - ~15 pts (7 g) -1

Flippula 28 games - ~14 pts (5 g) +1

Total: 110 man-games missed, estimated 80 points (with 35 goals) lost and a +14.

The guys they were replaced with (I included Miller, Abdelkader, Newbury, Ritola, and Leino, totaling 108 man-games):

12 goals, 21 points, and a cumulative -8.

Defensemen

Kronwall 22 games - ~14 pts (2 g) +2

Ericsson 12 games - ~4 pts (1 g) -2

Total: 34 man-games missed, estimated 18 points (with 3 goals) lost, and a neutral +/-.

The stats for the guys they were replaced with (I included Kindl, Janik, and Meech, totaling 35 man-games):

1 goal, 3 points, and a cumulative -7.

In summary, just by being healthy, we would have probably netted around 25 more goals, 66 more points, and the cumulative +/- would be about 29 points higher. Those 25 goals would change our GS/GA split to +29, and that's before correcting for the increased defense, reducing our GA. Our team +/- would go from +2 to +31, which puts us only 2 below Chicago. I used numbers based on last year, which doesn't compensate for players stepping up their game (Flippula, Ericsson) or having better teammates (Williams). I'd say it's a safe bet that in the alternate universe where this team is healthy, they're competing in, if not actually winning, the President's Cup race.

[wingfanatic4alltime 32]

Im so glad theres a positive thread out there. We may not catch chicago but if we can sneak into the playoffs (which i still believe we will do) we could be the team no one wants to play and in the playoffs anything can happen look at the 06 Oilers sadly.

[Guest mindfly]

Not trying to be Buzz Killington but.,,,

It could also mean that players who have been skating for their life for many weeks after alot of players got injured see this opportunity (guys coming back from injuries) to lose up just a little bit (not skate, forecheck, backcheck, hit, shoot enough etc etc).. and that little bit can prove to be devastating..remember the team played brutal even when cleary and zetterberg were healthy, hell even when kronwall was, the problem has been there all season.

Edited January 7, 2010 by mindfly

[Hockeytown_Ryan 122]

Not trying to be Buzz Killington but.,,,

It could also mean that players who have been skating for their life for many weeks after alot of players got injured see this opportunity (guys coming back from injuries) to lose up just a little bit (not skate, forecheck, backcheck, hit, shoot enough etc etc).. and that little bit can prove to be devastating..remember the team played brutal even when cleary and zetterberg were healthy, hell even when kronwall was, the problem has been there all season.

YOU?!?!?! Nooooooo!!!

[Broken 16 381]

Not trying to be Buzz Killington but.,,,

It could also mean that players who have been skating for their life for many weeks after alot of players got injured see this opportunity (guys coming back from injuries) to lose up just a little bit (not skate, forecheck, backcheck, hit, shoot enough etc etc).. and that little bit can prove to be devastating..remember the team played brutal even when cleary and zetterberg were healthy, hell even when kronwall was, the problem has been there all season.

We're not even in a playoff spot currently. I don't think urgency will be a problem.

[esteef 2,679]

Homer out 3-4 weeks now! Think positive!

esteef

[AtomicPunk 296]

Have faith, peeps. A run is on the way.

Edited January 8, 2010 by AtomicPunk

[Rivalred 630]

Holmer out 3-4 weeks now! Think positive!

esteef

fixed it for ya