Get with the System 

Does the Team Really Matter?
Part 1: Dallas vs. Pittsburgh

The NHL is a league that needs to take a hard look at itself. When the rules are applied properly, skilled players are given enough room to demonstrate that the game can be a ballet on ice. However, have you ever watched a hockey game between the Dallas Stars and the Ottawa Senators, or maybe the New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres and found you were wearing out the channel selector on your remote because the game was not exactly a "barn burner"? This seems to be a trend that certainly NHL owners and executives must be taking notice of. Less excitement means less people going to games, which translates into less exposure, less interest and ultimately less revenue.

The fours teams mentioned above have been some of the most successful teams in the league during the regular season over the past couple of years, but these teams consistently play games that at times are as exciting as watching yachting or paint drying. All of these teams implement a defense first system that limits the opposition’s goal opportunities, but also limits their own. This has got to be a concern to the NHL – and it sure is a concern to you the hockey poolster.

But this era of clutch and grab was not always the way. It was not that long ago that we as hockey fans and pool junkies enjoyed a more offensive game - "fire wagon" hockey. The Montreal Canadiens were an offensive juggernaut in the 70s, with at least 6 players scoring 20 goals or more in a season 6 times. And then there was the NY Islanders of the early 80s, followed by the Edmonton Oilers of the late 80s and early 90s – simply awesome in the red zone. So what happened?

Well, probably the greatest factor has been NHL expansion. The addition of another 30 player spots for 6 new teams since 1990 has resulted in a very noticeable talent dilution right across the league. No longer are teams blessed with a roster full of offensive minded players. In today’s NHL, if a team has two lines that can score well – they are a playoff threat to be sure.

Coaches of these teams quickly realize when they are hired, that the bottom line in terms of success will always be win and losses. NHL coaches are hired and fired based on their win/loss record – as a result, if a team is not blessed with offensive skilled players, there only hope of winning has been adopting a game plan that will minimize offensive opportunities for the opposition and force offensive minded players to dedicate themselves to a close checking, clutching and grabbing, offense stifling style of hockey in order to win.

The adoption of defensive systems, be they the Devils infamous Neutral zone trap, the Red Wings Left Wing lock, or the Senators 1-2-2 checking system, has resulted in an overall downturn in scoring and has led to some uninspiring, uninteresting hockey games.

As a fan, this is a trend that needs to be corrected in order to ensure the proliferation of the game into the new millennium. As a fantasy team owner, you need to be aware of the effect that an organization’s commitment to use a defensive system has on their players and there stats. Every week will look at a couple of teams, compare their systems and talk about coaching philosophies and how they should influence whether you want players from these teams on your Fantasy squad. To start things off we will compare two polar opposites: The Dallas Stars and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Dallas plays a soft 1-2-2 defensive checking system. Under this system, the first guy in the zone assumes a spot in the high slot when the opposing defencemen has the puck behind his net. The other two forwards hang out near the blue line and the d-men park 

If the puck ever gets into the Stars’ own zone, the strategy is a simple one. Wingers down very low – touch pass to the cutting centerman or winger and then the puck is dumped into the zone when the team hits the red-line. Simple, effective …and as boring as watching a chess tournament. That said, the Stars have developed into a team of counter punchers – consistently throwing the puck into the opposition’s zone, until a turnover creates a scoring opportunity close to the net. No player has had their own personal game affected by this trend more than Brett Hull. Granted, Hull is no longer a spring chicken at the age of 37, but he is still a very dangerous goal scorer. Hull possesses one of the quickest releases in league history, and you would think that with so many new teams in the league that he would feast on the talent dilution. Precisely the opposite has happened. Stars Head Coach Hitchcock’s system forces all players on the ice to focus on play without the puck and ensuring they are picking up their assignments. Hull has bought into that idea – at times reluctantly, with the effect being that Hull has slowed from a 40 + goal scorer to a 28 goal scorer last season. If you anticipate that the Star’s will adopt a different system that will open up the play, don’t bet on it. The team is successful in using this system (two trips to the Stanley Cup in two years) and won’t be abandoned in the near future.

Further adverse effects on talented offensive players can be seen with Sergei Zubov and Darryl Sydor. Dallas’ two best rearguards are both very offensively talented – yet under the Star’s system, their first responsibility is to ensure that they move the puck out of their zone as quickly as possible. Hitchcock reigns in these guys, much to the detriment of their fantasy owners. These guys would easily score 10 more points on a team that did not stress a defense first system like the Stars do.

At the opposite end of this system spectrum, are the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins like to play a run and gun style of hockey. The teams’ players like the creative freedom to display their offence talents, but the rub is that their all out offense leaves the team vulnerable to blow-outs (either the giver or receiver). As a fantasy owner however, this shouldn’t be a big concern, except with Penguins defencemen and goalies +/- and GAA respectively. What this open style of play has allowed for is the development of unsung fantasy hockey impact players. How else do you explain the career years of such NHL cast-offs as Martin Straka, Robert Lang, and perennial underachiever Alexi Kovalev. Highly skilled, the Pens would rather out-score the opposition than out dump them. They take chances, almost never dump the puck in, and as a result – score plenty of goals. As a fantasy owner, you will always be pleased if you have a Pen off one of the top two lines. In a league that stresses defense, the Pens are a fun team to watch, as they will give up almost as many scoring chances as they convert. As a coach that may cause indigestion, but as a fantasy owner, the more top tier Penguins one can have, the better.

In short, be knowledgeable of the type of system that teams play. Offensively minded players are likely to have more upside potential on a team that stresses a pressure, offensive style of play, rather than a laid back, defense first system. Team’s that will restrict offensive chances, and bite into potential offensive numbers are: the Devils, the Sabres, the Senators, the Stars, and the Capitals.

Teams at the other end of the spectrum include: the Penguins, the Maple Leafs, the Panthers, and the Coyotes.

Bear this in mind when drafting and trading as it will certainly make a difference when you get past the first tier of NHL superstars – and ultimately, win you your pool.

Next Column: The new Boston regime and the defending Cup champs