I think most fans would agree that more depth is better, especially if you're going on a long playoff push. As injuries and fatigue can take their toll on players, it's nice to be able to have guys who can take over the scoring load if somebody else falters. Plus if you can roll out two or even three lines which are serious threats to score, you make it difficult for opponents to focus their best defensive players on shutting down just one or two guys.
On the other hand, the really high end guys, the really big scorers, can be a heck of a handful to stop even when you're focusing completely on doing that. Those guys may only need to get open a couple times a game or get a couple chances a game to really hurt you - and that's something that a plethora of 20 goal scorers can't always make up for.
So, here's a chart showing the 16 playoff teams and breaking down how many players on each team scored 50+, 40+, 30+, 20+, and 10+ goals.
| 10+ | 20+ | 30+ | 40+ | 50+ | |
| Brandon | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Calgary | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Edmonton | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Everett | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kamloops | 11 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Kelowna | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Kootenay | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Medicine Hat | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Moose Jaw | 11 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Portland | 14 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Regina | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Saskatoon | 11 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Spokane | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tri-City | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Vancouver | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Victoria | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Looking at the numbers, one of the first teams I notice is Portland. The Winterhawks have something no other team has - lots of high scoring guys AND lots of depth. 14 players on that team scored at least 10 goals this year. Think about that - they dress 18 skaters and all but 4 of them are in double digits. Not only that, but three of them topped 40 goals and one of those was over 50.
A couple other U.S. division teams provide some contrast - Spokane had 13 guys into double digits in goals, but only one player broken the 30 goal mark. So they have lots of players who know their way around the net, but only one who can be counted on to score more than every three or four games.
Then there's Tri-City - they had two guys who scored 50 or more. They only have two other players who scored more than 20 though, so you could make a case that if an opponent could shut down Shinnimin and Hughesman, then the Americans are in some pretty big trouble. (Whereas if an opponent could shut down Rattie and Ross on the Winterhawks, the Hawks might still do OK). Something for Tri-City to worry about?
In the East, Medicine Hat is another obvious example of a team with a couple really big guys and then not much depth after that. After Etem's 61 and Shinkaruk's 49, only two other guys on the team broke the 20 goal barrier. Regina is another team with very thin depth - only one player exceeded 30 goals and only two others broke 20. If Moose Jaw puts the wraps on Jordan Weal, who's going to score for the Pats?
Edmonton (seven players with 20 goals or more) and Calgary (six with 20+ and 11 guys in double digits) are a couple examples of Eastern teams with some depth, even without many big gunners (although Edmonton did have one player over 40 goals).
Something to think about anywyay. But don't read too much into this - after all, Victoria had six players who scored 20 goals or more (only Edmonton had more) and still the Royals barely squeaked into the playoffs and won't be around long once the puck drops either.....
1 comment:
You raise a very good point about possible depth problems for the Ams. Therefore, the first game was a big relief for them. Why? Because 6 of their 7 goals came from players other than the BIG FOUR (Shinnimin, Hughesman, Holland, and Feser).
IF they get consistent scoring from Stromwall, Rankin, Messier, and Williams, they become a much more difficult team to defend.
But that was only one game in a long series.
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