LOS ANGELES Darryl Sutter is not wrong. The L . a . coach, some hours ahead of addition of the Stanley Cup Final, compared the elite defenseman on the hall with the one inch a locker room. "Obviously (Ryan McDonagh) gotten significantly better because playoffs have went along. You will notice the differences in the confidence, his game, his puck play, all the things," Sutter told reporters at Staples Center before Wednesday's Game 1.
T.J. Clemmings Jersey "He stands out as the Rangers' Doughty. I think they can be discu sing Drew like were discu sing McDonagh." And of course, Sutter is true. McDonagh and Doughty tend to be awesome, within the general sense, and get was able elevate their games on the postseason. Sometime relatively soon, you can beat other out for that Norris Trophy. It's a painful choice , voters say. Just about impo sible. McDonagh, somehow still only within his second full NHL season, has 13 points (3G, 10A) in 20 playoff games. Ten these points were only available the Eastern Conference finals from the Montreal Canadiens. None came on the power play. He's averaging 25:11 minutes per game (17:52 even strength, 4:09 power play, 3:10 shorthanded), that's third overall. Doughty, a few months younger than McDonagh but already accompanied by a Stanley Cup, Norris nomination and sections of six seasons under his belt, has 16 points (4G, 12A) in 21 playoff games. Three have developed about the power play. He's averaging 27:50 per game (21:11 even strength, 3:53 power play, 2:45 shorthanded), that is second overall. So the comparison isn't incorrect. In summary, they're exactly the same
Rashod Hill Jersey age and okay at everything. Even so, it's worth making some distinctions between the two players and the way they're deployed. Both are elite skaters. Doughty's vision provides great improvements over McDonagh's neverthele s, Doughty's vision beats anyone's. "Drew is perhaps very talented at carrying the puck and creating options, therefore it gives us yet another guy relating to the rush." partner Jake Muzzin said on Tuesday. "If he's stepping into, you must enjoy a forward cover and produce reads out of what he's doing." Doughty is point-guard caliber, in that particular sense, helping to make him more dangerous offensively than McDonagh, whether a little le s productive on the regular season (37 suggests McDonagh's 43). "One of the best a sets We have being player is my vision," Doughty said . "I've had that ever since i what food was in junior. I've learned a lot things from playing inside the NHL, watching other guys do things, having the help veteran guys. I've learned. Moreso, I better positionally. Following that, that's my vision lead. I receive the puck and complement my instincts." And he's got been better positionally. In that way, though, he isn't McDonagh, with a knack for being through the right place in the right time doing what's right. Watch him defend an odd-man rush, and you'll get a flavor. After he makes mistakes, his skating can close the gap. So, should there be rather le s reward from his game compared to Doughty's, there's le s risk, too. And even still, in the first season as Rangers coach, Alain Vigneault took some shackles off
Bucky Hodges Jersey McDonagh. He pinches a lot more, gambles additional and, most importantly, runs the flexibility play way more; 13 of his points came there. He didnt listen to it in any respect under (former coach John Tortorella), Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said yesterday . He got in it and commenced making plays for the blue line. That kind of carried into his five-on-five game. He's got many of the tools and skills being that sort of player. Its definitely an aid. This chart within the Rangers' regular-season even-strength usage, via Extra Skater , illustrates that;
Alan Page Jersey McDonagh's bubble is between Derek Stepan and partner Dan Girardi at the top of the y-axis. The farther up, the best competition a person faces. The farther left, better shifts a new player starts through the defensive zone. "Ive got a lot more responsibility this coming year, and understanding that youre forced to perform," McDonagh said . "Ive liked having more responsibility, more pre sure, being submit situations, power play, penalty killing, where youve got a chance to make plays. Maybe it's a difference in a victory or perhaps a lo s." Compare McDonagh's chart to Doughty's; you will see not as difficult zone starts and many easier competition, though Doughty remains to be tops among LA defensemen inside the latter. The positive change backward and forward, though, is the shade of their bubbles. The darker the blue, the greater number of positive change up the player might wear puck-po se sion. During the regular season, San francisco took 51.One percent of the 5-on-5 shot attempts (Corsi For percentage) with McDonagh
Ben Gedeon Jersey relating to the ice, that could be good not great. Part of that can be a purpose of McDonagh wiggling with Girardi . Portion of it is due to his zone starts. Portion of it can be due to your competition he faces. Regardle s, Doughty deserves credit a 58.5 percent Corsi For, which he arrange throughout the regular season, is amazing. And that principle has extended straight into the postseason; Doughty is an offensive dynamo. The Scott Niedermayer comparisons are valid. McDonagh, meanwhile, profiles more as a general true two-way defenseman having developing power-play game. Either way, like Sutter said, they're worth referring to. We're doing work now, and we will be doing work for one more decade po sibly even, too.