The Leafs signing Klingberg looked like they overpaid a 3rd pairing and PP2 guy based on what he was from 2015-2019….and guess what?
There’s time for it to turn around, but I’m holding the same reservations I had about it on July 1st.
by Actual_Cobbler_6334
20 Comments
Isn’t this what the plan was supposed to be? Sheltered 3rd pair minutes with PP time?
Don’t love that a $4M player is so limited in how he can be used but I guess if the results are better that way then keep it going.
Uh, the powerplay looks way better this year. Lots to do with Nylander being more aggressive (and Jt making better decisions). But Klingberg has looked great on the point, not sure what the point of this is. I’d much rather use the eye test then just assuming every shot or scoring chance is equal.
Okay. Whats Jonas point? Hate that guy…. wish he would stop covering this team
idk man, based on the eye test, Klingberg is actually doing a lot better at the point for the PP1 than Mo last year. Plus it’s only 5 games in and the the big thing we’re looking for is consistency instead of a very hot late October and November, followed by an ice cold 2nd half.
Watching this team I’ve learned that underlying numbers mean diddly and squat if its all we care about. If they did we would’ve been perennial Conference finalists.
I’d much rather we pay more attention to the eye test
I don’t know enough about stats to say when the cutoff for a large enough data size is for PP mins, but isn’t this still mostly incomplete data?
We had a 26% conversion rate on the PP last year and league average was 21%.
We’re rocking 29% this year with league average down to 20% so far.
Doesn’t that just blow this whole argument? Or are we riding a PDO bender? Who’s to say.
Say what you will about Klingberg, one thing I’ve been impressed with is his ability to get shots to the net through traffic. I feel like we’ve struggled with that the last few years.
Its a lot of money tied up in very little. Was hoping I’d be wrong about the signing but it doesn’t look like it right now.
“the sample size is so tiny” stop right there and do not continue.
Trying to draw hard conclusions in October is hilarious to me. Let’s check back at the 20 game mark
It’s been less than 10 games on a brand new team. Pump the brakes
I know this is about Klingberg but man…the way Jonas frames this, it’s insinuated that McCabe was *the* problem with that pairing. Not saying McCabe played great in the first few games, but Jonas has been really salty about McCabe since the trade.
For some context about McCabe and Klingberg’s usage since being split apart, here’s how they were used against Tampa:
McCabe’s most frequency forward opponent: Kucherov (10:30 TOI agains Kuch)
Klingberg’s most frequency forward opponent: Conor Sheary (5:45 TOI against Sheary)
McCabe’s O-zone start %: 50%
Klingberg O-zone start %: 86%
They really have sheltered Klinberg since splitting them up, while giving McCabe/Lily the tough minutes. Klingberg’s numbers do look a lot better away from McCabe….but they should! He’s getting way easier minutes now.
Are we overpaying for a 3rd pairing D? Probably. I’m not sure this is the best use of cap dollars. But at least he’s looked good with Gio. If they can form a great 3rd pair, it’s better than nothing. And who knows…maybe Klingberg improves as the season goes on!
It might be unfortunate for Klingberg his minutes are dropping but its good for Liljegren. 2nd most minutes against Tampa amongst blueliners and imo he has looked good in a top 4 role.
Klingberg is the most exciting new addition of this year. And we have FOUR exciting additions.
Klingberg…. Reaves……Bertuzzi…..Domi.
No one shows up 100% of the time.
But everyone of these players has had 1 to 2 games out of 5 where they have been very good to brilliant.
I’m loving this season. GREAT goaltending (maybe from Woll) and a big defenseman would completely catapult this team that’s already playing exciting hockey.
And what are the stats for Rielly given more rest (5-on-5/second PP line)? Way too early to compare data from this year.
Glad we get to have him be a marginal upgrade over Rielly for 4 minutes a night on the Powerplay, while being absolutely lost in the defensive zone for the other 16 minutes a night he plays.
4 million dollars for a PP “specialist” who is a horrible defender, and has only once played a full season.
We had the second best power play in the league last year. Every player who was on it is still on the team. I realize the guy who was running it moved on, but we did not need to spend 4 million of our cap, on a player who is borderline unplayable in his own end to marginally increase an area we were already having major success in.
This isn’t in hindsight either, plenty of people who have watched a lot of his hockey were saying this when we signed him.
He makes a few nice passes every game, but they absolutely have not outweighed the major lapses in his game in our own zone, which happens to be a pretty major part about being a defenseman. Watch him when the cycle gets going in our own end, its terrifying.
Shots and attempts are down but scoring chances and goals are very similar. I don’t look at that as a negative.
how is reduced icetime for one of the worst defensive defensemen in the NHL a downside
Weird not to list the actual success rate of the powerplay in these stats, or the number of powerplays.
Or…. His numbers are better because he’s on the ice less often? Remember correlation does not equal causation