The Syracuse Crunch are tracking their way back up after a choppy and rough start to the year. [Raw Charge]
The Crunch welcomed back Trevor Carrick to the lineup as they faced off against their divisional foe, the Laval Rocket. He was a much needed roster addition because the Crunch have been struggling defensively, and they are without some skaters due to injury and suspension.
Our friend Joe Smith has a feature on the Minnesota Wild embracing analytics. Because really what harm can it do?
“ I think a lot of coaches won’t (embrace analytics). They’ll say, ‘I don’t want f—ing analytics. But why wouldn’t you?”
The #mnwild may have a small analytics department – Mat Sells – but his work is considered in everything they do. Our inside look https://t.co/SwNuZD0K4c— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) January 16, 2023
Meanwhile Paul Maurice keeps wanting to be argumentative. I don’t blame him because his teams mostly underperform. Maurice’s former team got better in shots and goals after he left, and the Panthers have gotten significantly worse since he’s joined. The thing that’s masking this reality from Maurice — and seemingly all coaches and everyone who votes for coach of the year — is that the goaltending in Winnipeg was really good last year, and goaltending this year in Florida has been pretty bad.
It doesn’t take someone with a big brain to figure that out, and I’m glad the Tampa Bay Lightning don’t have this internal fight. Knowing what works, what’s repeatable, and what might be a mirage is valuable information.
Paul Maurice on the first half: “Our analytics are way better than our record. In Winnipeg, our analytics were way worse than our record, so I can’t use that as an argument here. I was always saying, ‘Ah, analytics don’t matter,’ and now I’m saying, ‘Hey, look at the analytics.”
— Ken Campbell (@Ken_Campbell27) January 17, 2023
Ivan Provorov refused to wear the team-issued Pride jersey during warmups, but was allowed to and chose to play in the Flyers Pride Night. Many of his teammates, including Scott Laughton and James van Riemsdyk, are vocal supporters of LGBTQ+ rights and reports are this is one of many reasons why the players want Provorov traded.
There is word that #Flyers’ Ivan Provorov did not participate in warmups tonight because he declined to wear the team-issued Pride Night jersey, celebrating the LGTBQ+ community.
The Flyers offered the following comment.
Provorov is expected to be available to media postgame. pic.twitter.com/h3XEcwErph
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 18, 2023
One of the bigger questions out of this will be how Provorov’s current teammates feel. This is from earlier today with Scott Laughton and James van Riemsdyk: Flyers giving nonbinary youth ‘once-in-a-lifetime chance’ on Pride Night https://t.co/QR3BvkrKkX
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 18, 2023
Laughton spoke for about 4 minutes with us. He was diplomatic regarding Provy but reiterated his support for Pride Night and the initiative as a whole. Tough spot for him to be sure. https://t.co/NuJfSJCJm0 pic.twitter.com/KoKQpP1SNI
— Charlie O’Connor (@charlieo_conn) January 18, 2023
Here are the scores from last night. The Leafs beat the Panthers in overtime as the only relevant game in the division.
Final scores from Tuesday.#NHLStats: https://t.co/15QoawSJIE pic.twitter.com/wMvQMmHzXN
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 18, 2023
