Staal had more even strength ice time per game than Crosby. Meaning, that accounts for players missing time, by dividing their total even strength ice time by their total games played.
Now, let's assume that's because they eased Crosby back into the lineup. How does that explain Staal getting more ESTOI than James Neal?
How about the last season where Malkin, Crosby, and Staal were all healthy?
In '09-'10, Crosby played 81 games, Malkin 67, and Staal all 82. That's close enough.
Here's the Penguins forwards for that year, arranged by average TOI/g at even strength:
1) Crosby, 16:03/game
2) Malkin, 15:38/game
3) Staal, 14:08/game
4) Kunitz, 13:54/game
5) Guerin, 13:06/game
6) Fedotenko, 12:55/game
It seems to me that if a player is top-3 among all forwards on his team for ice time, he's not really a 3rd liner. Hey, that's just me and numbers though, maybe you have a different idea.
I'm not sure why I have to explain this - but okay.
Crosby was finally coming back from the most severe injury in sports. Did you expect Pittsburgh to rush him back into the line-up? Plus why is Staal getting slightly more ES time than Neal such a big deal? I'm missing the point you're trying to make here.
And the last season you're referring to... Staal is 3rd among the centers. He does not get PP time... they do. They lose time off of ES so they're ready for the PP. Instead of the PP, Staal gets put on the PK for that time.
Not sure why that had to be explained, but there it is.
One of the Colorado guys for sure, probably Ryan O'Reilly. I don't think he's been mentioned yet but Shawn Horcoff is a pretty decent, albeit overpaid, third liner.
Why is Horcoff being mentioned? He is the face of the Oilers futility in my eyes. Team Captain with huge salary, tons of ice time, playing in all situations, asked to shut down the other team's best players..... and has failed miserable doing so. -23 last year, easily the worst on Edmonton.
Lots of good options, but I'll go with Colorado's 3C. I expect Duchene to have a bounce back year, Stastny is consistently very good, and ROR seems to have really broken out last year. You're looking at 3 guys who, when they're playing well, are anywhere from high end #2 Cs to decent #1 Cs, that's pretty excellent. In terms of offensive output, Duchene put up 67 in 2010/11 (as a 19 year old), Stastny has put up over 70 in 3 of his 6 seasons (53 last year), and ROR put up 55 last year, these are 3 guys with the ability to really produce, and all play strong 2-way games too.
SJ could have the best 3C if they wanted to play it like that, as Thornton, Couture and Pavelski are all excellent centers, and Marleau has actually played plenty of center throughout his career as well. They seem to like plays Marleau and Pavelski on the wings, though, I think it's more likely that Handzus will be the 3C, and he's not really in the conversation. Pavelski should still take plenty of faceoffs though, cause he's a stud faceoff man.
If Colorado can finally stay healthy and have a year where they really gel and develop chemistry, I expect them to be pretty good. Young team that's starting to come into its own, very good center rotation, plenty of good wingers (Landeskog, Mueller, Hejduk, Jones, Downie, McGinn, etc.), decent dmen (EJ, Hejda, Elliott, Barrie, O'Byrne, SOB, Wilson, etc.), and a pretty damn talented young goalie in Varlamov. Could use 1 more strong 2 way dman, but otherwise I like how their team is coming together, just need to stay healthy and develop chemistry.
Henrique, Couturier, Bolland, Stoll, Kelly, B. Sutter, and Boyle are all solid. Darkhorses include Zack Smith, Kyle Brodziak, whoever Buffalo throws as 3rd line C (Roy? Hodgson? Ennis? Grigorenko? ), whoever Washington throws on the 3rd line (Laich/Johansson?), and whoever is Colorado's 3rd line C.
Lots of good centers in the league nowadays. Hard to believe some teams only have 1 or 2 decent ones when the Penguins, Flyers, Kings, Bruins, etc. all have 3+ studs down the middle.
Staal had more even strength ice time per game than Crosby. Meaning, that accounts for players missing time, by dividing their total even strength ice time by their total games played.
Now, let's assume that's because they eased Crosby back into the lineup. How does that explain Staal getting more ESTOI than James Neal?
How about the last season where Malkin, Crosby, and Staal were all healthy?
In '09-'10, Crosby played 81 games, Malkin 67, and Staal all 82. That's close enough.
Here's the Penguins forwards for that year, arranged by average TOI/g at even strength:
1) Crosby, 16:03/game
2) Malkin, 15:38/game
3) Staal, 14:08/game
4) Kunitz, 13:54/game
5) Guerin, 13:06/game
6) Fedotenko, 12:55/game
It seems to me that if a player is top-3 among all forwards on his team for ice time, he's not really a 3rd liner. Hey, that's just me and numbers though, maybe you have a different idea.
For comparison, here's the top-3 ESTOI/g forwards from other teams that year:
Chicago - Toews, Kane, Hossa
Vancouver - Sedin, Sedin, Kesler
Philadelphia - Richards, Carter, Gagne
Boston - Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen
Washington - Ovechkin, Backstrom, Semin
San Jose - Heatley, Thornton, Marleau
Yep, chock full of 3rd liners..
I can't help but notice he is... 3rd in ice time among centers. Making him the 3rd center. Making him the 3rd line center.
The definitions being used in this thread are pretty much useless. I see someone argue that Player X can't be a shutdown center because of his ice time. That makes literally no sense.
This thread should be clearer whether it means "shutdown/defensive center", "3rd center on a team", or "3rd line center by common role definition"
For best shutdown center I think I'll go with Bolland.
For best center who is the 3rd center on his team, I'll go with O'Reilly.
), whoever Washington throws on the 3rd line (Laich/Johansson?), and whoever is Colorado's 3rd line C.
