Comments for A look at coaching changes at http://hockey.dobbersports.com , comment 1 to 3 out of 3 comments http://hockey.dobbersports.com Mon, 20 May 2013 21:05:14 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/columnistsarticles-mainmenu-77/amato/4220-a-look-a-coaching-changes#comment-18489 Great work right here. I did a review on this a couple years back tracking all the mid-season coaching changes since the lockout and have been meaning to do an update but it's a rather daunting task. What I found is that historically a team will almost always score more, particularly on the power play. In fact, special teams play is where the greatest gains were seen. Most all teams also improved their record under the new coach. The most important thing I noticed was that most teams took ~10 games to respond to the new coach and then they took off so it is important not to have a knee-jerk reaction if a team stumbles right out of the gates. Only the worst of teams (I'm looking at you Carolina) will continue to lose after a mid-season coaching change and that's because they simply do not have the talent to compete rather than it being a simple failure to buy in. - steve laidlaw Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:50:04 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/columnistsarticles-mainmenu-77/amato/4220-a-look-a-coaching-changes#comment-18476 [b]RE: Stats[/b] Definitely Pengwin. I think you're along the same lines as me in terms of thinking of what changes have impacted the team. I just looked at it from a deeper level with a lot of "real life" stats like giveaways and takeaways too... Another interesting thing I dug up was... pre-HITCH: Halak avg shot distance faced: 31.07 Elliot: 36.39 under-HITCH: Halak: 33.17 Elliott: 31.84 So eventhough the SOG for and against have remained fairly constant, it's the quality of SOG that has changed. A lot more of the opposition SOG are coming further away and the D is limiting a lot of those bang em in second chance shots, which in turn has made the team D much better under Hitch. Their style of D is much like the Bruins. SO eventhough their goalie might be seeing 25-30 shots a game, but if they're all coming from the perimeter, those are easy saves for the goalie. Yeah I was quite interested too regarding the PP. The problem for me is the spread of the PP TOI. The Blues are non-traditional in a way that they have 3 units that they ice. It usually breaks down to about 50-55 seconds top unit, 40-45 second unit and 20-30 for a third unit. Which kinda boggles me, since most teams employ a 50-55 seconds top unit, 40-45 second unit then go back to the top unit once again. Which is why you see the Sedins garner 4+ mins on the PP a game... I'm just wondering if the Blues went with a top unit and gave those guys 4+ mins a game instead of spreading the time out to the Stewart's, Langenbrunner's, and D'Agostinti's if the PP would be more potent? Line changes haven't been drastic, but Hitch has done a good job of meshing together like minded players, so the chemistry has gotten better within the team. BB is still searching for it... - Ryan Ma Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:42:52 +0100 http://hockey.dobbersports.com/index.php/columnistsarticles-mainmenu-77/amato/4220-a-look-a-coaching-changes#comment-18468 Great collection of statistics here... really like it. Personally, the things I look at with coaching changes are: #1: SOG for, SOG against. Coaching style can modify play. Instruct the team to take more risks (more SOG), instruct the team to focus on back-checking (less SOG). With STL, those numbers haven't changed. #2: Special Teams. Really like seeing this. The PP is indeed rising... and this is great for any STL player who is seeing PP-time. I haven't checked, but I'd expect the increase in pts for Oshie & Backes to show up on the PP. GREAT FIND. Also - of non-fantasy-worth, that PK has improved drastically!!! Wow, a few less goals against on the PK can be essential to getting a win. #3: Line combinations. Not really sure what Hitch or Boudreau have done differently here. Anaheim just has a complete lack of firepower beyond Line 1. STL seems to have three really nice lines currently. Great write-up. Like it very much. A+, top notch. - Pengwin7 Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:45:18 +0100