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The Province
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Province
Florida star goalie Bobrovsky has just one weakness, expert says
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Mattias Janmark #13 of the Edmonton Oilers scores a goal past Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Florida Panthers during the first period of Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. Photo by Elsa / Getty Images Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was hailed far and wide as a difference maker early for the Florida Panthers in building up a three game lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Bobrovsky has again been outstanding in the playoffs this year. But former NHL goalie and Grade A shots expert Steve Valiquette says that Bobrovsky does have one weakness, breakaways, in particular if attackers go high glove on their breakaway attempts. 'You've got to look at where to go on him,' said Valiquette, analyst for MSG and Clear Sight Analytics CEO, on the Real Kyper and Bourne podcast this week. 'You've got to go high glove on the breakaway, all right? Whether it's a deke or an early shot, that's where you have to go.' The Oilers had success on the breakaway against Bobrovsky in the 2024 Final, especially as the series went along. In the first three rounds of the 2024 playoffs, Edmonton had just six breakaways and scored one goal. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Against Florida, Edmonton had 10 breakaways and scored six times, this according to the video review of all Grade A shots by the Cult of Hockey. We've been doing this video review of all Grade A shots for and against the Oilers since 2010-11. That's an outstanding success rate for the Oilers on breakaways against Bobrovsky. So far in the 2025 playoffs, the Oilers have had 16 breakaways and scored seven goals. In the regular season they had 69 breakaways and scored 22 goals. Bobrovsky has been strong so far in the 2025 playoffs on breakaways, facing 18 and giving up just three goals, Valiquette said, but he had had the third worst save percentage on breakaways in the regular season. 'And Florida gives up a lot of breakaways. They ranked 27th in breakaways against. You're going to see breakaways against them.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Toronto Maple Leafs had ten breakaways in the 2025 playoffs on Bobrovsky but scored just once 'I feel like breakaways are a real momentum shift in a game, at least for a goalie. I feel it. I know you guys, if you're on the bench and one of your line mates or teammates rather, gets a breakaway and they score, like there's a lift there… You feel worse as a team giving up a breakaway than, you know, a third bounce opportunity.' The Florida defence is big and tough so it's difficult to screen their goalie and score. 'T hey clear better than anybody… This team knows how to D-up and protect the front of the net. That's going to be the challenge for the Edmonton Oilers. Can they get their pucks through from the point?… They protect net front. They're big, they're nasty, they're long. This is what you need and that's where Edmonton's challenge is going to be in this series. The only weak spot again is the breakaways. That's the only weak spot as far as defensively. Off the rush, not a terrible team, with the exception of the breakaways.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When Bobrovsky has had a clear look at outside shots for more than half a second, he's not been scored in once in 134 shots in the 2025 playoffs. Inside the slot area, he's had 26 clear-sighted shots and he's been scored on just three times. He's faced 41 one-timers and allowed just one goal. But on broken plays, scramble plays, he's given up 12 goals on 31 such situation which indicates to me the Oilers have to forecheck like mad men to create such plays. 'If there's one place that you can get him, it's there, as well as the east-to-west pass, and you must elevate. The east to west pass this year in the postseason, 18 chances faced, seven goals against.' My take 1. Valiquette has been a leading light in NHL analytics for more than a decade. He was one of the first to realize that if you rate players and goalies by mere shot counts that you are likely going to get it wrong, in large part because not all shots have the same quality. Instead he dug deeper into the quality and nature of each shot, and how each player and team does on the various different types and quality of shots for and against. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 2. I agree that breakaway saves are huge for a team. If Skinner makes them, the Oilers tend to win. And Edmonton's comeback last Stanley Cup Final was fuelled by the team scoring on breakaway shots. 3. What will happen this year on breakaways? They tend to be so few and far between that it's hard to guess, but I agree with Valiquette that the series is likely to turn on which team does best and cashing in on their breakaway chances. 4. Above we see how individual Oilers have done creating Grade A shots at even strength and also when it comes to making mistakes (such as turnovers, lost battles and being out of position) on Grade A shots against. Overall, when we compare how the Oilers did last year individually on Grade A shots plus-minutes per game at even strength as compared how they are doing this year in the playoffs, there's been vast improvement across the board. The Oilers have dominated at even strength in the 2025 playoffs, with almost every player doing more in that regard. Here are the improvements of some individual Oilers, last year compared to this year. McDavid, +1.69 Grade A shots per game 2024 to +2.47 in 2025. Draisaitl, +0.94 to +2.02 RNH, +0.35 to +1.78 Henrique, +0.34 to +1.08 Perry, +0.33 to +2.24 Kulak, -0.69 to +0.31 Nurse, -1.60 to -0.61. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I plan on playing': Edmonton Oilers veteran declares himself fit for Game 1 'Tick Tock, Connor McOverrated': What Florida Panthers hockey world says about Edmonton series STAPLES 'It will take snot, balls and guts': hockey world on fire about Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers STAPLES: GM branded a 'loser' for failing Oilers at trade deadline, but how things have changed
Edmonton Journal
6 days ago
- General
- Edmonton Journal
'High glove': NHL goalie expert points out Florida star Bobrovsky's one weakness
Article content 'You've got to look at where to go on him,' said Valiquette, analyst for MSG and Clear Sight Analytics CEO, on the Real Kyper and Bourne podcast this week. 'You've got to go high glove on the breakaway, all right? Whether it's a deke or an early shot, that's where you have to go.' The Oilers had success on the breakaway against Bobrovsky in the 2024 Final, especially as the series went along. In the first three rounds of the playoffs, Edmonton had just six breakaways and scored one goal. Against Florida, Edmonton had 10 breakaways and scored six times, this according to the video review of all Grade A shots at the Cult of Hockey. That's an outstanding clearance rate on breakaways against Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky has been strong so far in the 2025 playoffs on breakaways, facing 18 and giving up just three goals, Valiequette said, but he had had the worst safe percentage on breakaways in the regular season. 'And Florida gives up a lot of breakaways. They ranked 27th in breakaways against. You're going to see breakaways against them.'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Auston Matthews' Leadership Questioned By Former Maple Leafs Player
The Toronto Maple Leafs could do nothing to stop the Florida Panthers from advancing to another Eastern Conference Final, and captain Auston Matthews is under scrutiny after another postseason failure. Former Maple Leafs player and current Sportsnet analyst Nick Kypreos is questioning Matthews' fit for the captain role, one Matthews inherited at the start of the 2024-25 season. Advertisement Speaking on Sportsnet's 'Real Kyper and Bourne,' Kypreos said Matthews' talent isn't in question, but his leadership ability should be. 'Maybe he's just not the guy that everybody envisioned, Auston,' Kypreos said. 'Maybe he's just a really good goal scorer, but the rest of it, maybe not.' Matthews, in his first season as Leafs captain, had two shots and finished minus-2 in Sunday's 6–1 Game 7 home loss to the Panthers. "I'm watching this last night, and—see, for me, Auston Matthews is (Evgeni) Malkin in Pittsburgh," Kypreos said. "He's very talented and showed that he can play the game as well as anybody. Advertisement "Has the talent to be the best player on the ice... but Malkin is nothing if there's no (Sidney Crosby)." The defeat eliminated Toronto from the playoffs and extended their run of futility in winner-take-all games to seven straight losses. 'Matthews needs a Crosby," Kypreos said. 'He can't do it being the number one guy. He's not a leader.' Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) warms up at Scotiabank Hamilton-Imagn Images After the game, Matthews acknowledged Toronto's disconnect in crucial moments, calling out the Maple Leafs "passengers" during the second and third periods of the Game 7 defeat. 'I thought we were ready to play,' Matthews said. 'But I just thought we had too many passengers throughout the rest of the game. Advertisement 'We weren't on the same page.' The Leafs gave up three goals in the second period and never recovered. No member of Toronto's Core Four—Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares—was able to score a point in Game 7. Related: Auston Matthews Calls Out Maple Leafs 'Passengers' After Game 7 Related: John Tavares Doesn't Hesitate When Asked About Future With Maple Leafs
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What Chychrun's Deal Could Mean for Gavrikov and the Kings
For years, Jakob Chychrun has been linked to the Los Angeles Kings in some form or fashion. His father, Jeff, played 26 games for the Kings in 1991-92. Years later, when Jakob became a pro, his name kept popping up as a potential trade target for Los Angeles. The connection was never more intense than in the Winter and Spring of 2023 when a trade between LA and Arizona seemed imminent. Sounding like a Jakob Chychrun @LAKings @ArizonaCoyotes trade centered around 2021 8th overall pick Brandt Clarke. #RealKyperandBourne — Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) February 12, 2023 Lots of smoke connecting #LAKings with Jakob Chychrun, but no confirmed fire yet. And so, we wait.@DailyFaceoff — Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 12, 2023 It did not come to fruition, however. With the hole on the left side of their defense still unfilled, the Kings pivoted to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Vladislav Gavrikov. We've acquired defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for goaltender Jonathan Quick, a conditional first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.#GoKingsGo — LA Kings (@LAKings) March 1, 2023 Fast forward to today… Chychrun signed an eight-year, $72 million contract with the Washington Capitals that begins next season and has an average annual value of $9 million. And while this may officially close the door on any potential union with the Kings, it doesn't necessarily mean that Chychrun has stopped impacting the Kings. Like him, Gavrikov is seeking a new deal and the Kings would prefer to get him signed before he becomes an unrestricted free agent. We've previously speculated on what retaining Gavrikov long-term may cost the Kings, but with Chychrun signing a massive deal, the market for defensemen may have been reset. Some underlying numbers would have given us a little pause at our projection and this #MaxTerm deal is a little higher than we projected. Generally, the Capitals should expect Chychrun to be a solid top-4D offensive producer with iffy-to-average defensive impacts. #ALLCAPS — AFP Analytics (@AFPAnalytics) March 25, 2025 To clarify, Gavrikov and Chychrun are far from direct comparables. Chychrun is 3 years younger and is on pace to eclipse the 20-goal and 50-point marks, both potential career highs. He is also a fixture on the Capitals' power play and can be deployed in any situation. Gavrikov, on the other hand, is an elite defender that will likely top out at 30 points. NHL GM's will always put a premium on offensive production, but in Gavrikov's case, his value to the Kings is more significant than his value around the league. Gavrikov the #1 defenceman seems to be going very well early on. — JFresh (@JFreshHockey) October 27, 2024 Vladislav Gavrikov from the Los Angeles Kings has been amazing this season. But it's a contract year for him. Maybe it's a fluke? I believe there will be a team that will overpay him in the off-season if he plays at this level all season. — Rono (@RonoAnalyst) January 7, 2025 According to AFP Analytics, Gavrikov's projected contract is 5 years, $5.4 million. For that to be a reality, Gavrikov would have to take a pay cut. Not likely. It stands to reason that he would be looking for at least a $1 million raise on the $5.8 million he is currently making. Add to that the projected $7.5 million increase in the NHL's salary cap ceiling, and the Kings may be looking at long-term deal for Gavrikov with an AAV exceeding $7 million. That may sound rich, but the reality for the LA Kings is that they need to re-sign Gavrikov. There are no viable internal options to replace him, and with Chychrun off the board, most external options would be a downgrade. The bigger challenge for the Kings will be the length of the contract, as players of Gavrikov's ilk do not historically age well.
