Nashville Predators assign Jonathon Blum to Milwaukee
by Dirk Hoag on Dec 12, 2011 5:08 PM EST
in Nashville Predators News
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After being scratched in recent days, this afternoon we get the news that defenseman Jonathon Blum has been assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals.
NHL defensemen are a slow-cooking kind of recipe, and hopefully some time spent in Milwaukee playing major minutes will help get his game back on track. Let's take a look at some 5-on-5 data from Behind the Net to see what's happened here:
| Season | Corsi/60 | Off. Zone Starts | On-Ice Shoot % | On-Ice Save % | PDO |
| 2011-2012 | -14.97 | 42.6 | 10.71 | .887 | 994 |
| 2010-2011 | -13.10 | 50.3 | 13.92 | .929 | 1068 |
Some sophomore growing pains were to be expected in Blum's case, especially when you consider the sky-high puck luck (PDO of 1068) which helped drive his results down the stretch last season. This year, that PDO has settled down to a more reasonable 994, meaning the numbers we're seeing with Blum aren't due to unusual factors.
The "flow" aspect of play (represented by Corsi) is pretty close to last year, especially considering he's getting fewer shifts starting in the offensive end of the ice. Not good at all, mind you, but at least close to what he put up in 2010-2011. It's the On-Ice Save % which has fallen to pieces during Blum's ice time, and when you look at the rest of the Nashville defense, we see Suter & Weber near the top of the list, and names like Blum, Josi (two rookies) and Bouillon (who's been hobbled) at the bottom.
If indeed Blum is being singled out for coughing up dangerous scoring chances, than hopefully he can get that sorted out in Milwaukee and get back up here quickly.
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Legend
Dirk – do you have a legend, or do you have an article archived, where someone can better understand these D metrics? In terms of what they measure? And what goes into the metric?
by predsbelonginblue on Dec 12, 2011 5:32 PM EST reply actions
Hints from someone who's struggling with the same questions
Start with these articles from Arctic Ice Hockey (which used to be Behind the Net) :
Corsi —on ice shot differential, essentially
Zone starts—helps tell how tough the minutes he’s been expected to play have been—the higher the % of faceoffs in the offensive zone, the more “protected” he’s been.
On-ice shooting and save % are what the team does while the player is on the ice.
PDO is the player’s shooting percentage + the team’s save percentage while the player is on the ice. It regresses toward 1000 over the course of a season (with some variation), and is a quick and dirty way of seeing how much randomness (“luck”) is affecting a player’s performance. The further from 1000 the better (or worse) a player’s luck has been.
(As always, someone should check my work here.)
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Try this guide over at Arctic Ice Hockey (formerly Behind the Net’s blog).
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and founder of Hockey Gear HQ, a site devoted to helping you save on hockey equipment, accessories, and NHL apparel.
At least now he will get some playing time. I thought he had been playing well at times. But remember he is still a rookie, he has some upside to him just needs to get the edges smoothed up some is all.
Dirk how do your numbers take into account the fact that when he was on the ice it wasnt just him that was bad but more the all 5 guys and sometimes Pekka that were playing terrible? (case in point the Blue Jackets game where the first 58 minutes EVERYONE sucked)
What you look for there are the differences between the players’ totals. The notion is that it’s no coincidence if the whole team’s performance takes a step back when a certain individual is on the ice, but picks back up when he’s on the bench.
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and founder of Hockey Gear HQ, a site devoted to helping you save on hockey equipment, accessories, and NHL apparel.
It's good that he will have more playing time
And can hone his skills instead of being a healthy scratch until someone gets hurt.
OK
He wasn’t playing well so send him down.
Sides, we got the Outlaw now.
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Dec 12, 2011 6:19 PM EST reply actions
Needed...but surprised it happened.
I guess if he had to go through waivers, it would be a different story. Hopefully he takes a couple weeks and gets his game back together, then gets called back up.
Meanwhile, Terry Murray fired by the Kings
@DarrenDreger
Darren Dreger
Dean Lombardi scorched the players in a meeting a short while ago. Very upset he had to fire Murray.
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
When Gbear predicts a coach to be fired, it’s only a matter of when. ;)
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Dec 12, 2011 7:30 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Question...
What happens to Blum’s pay while he is in Milwaukee? Does it stay the same or get decreased?
by SuperPeks on Dec 12, 2011 6:46 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Yep, looks like he’s on a 2 way contract that will pay him $787,500 in the NHL and $65,000 in the AHL this year. That breaks down to about $9600 per game in the NHL vs $810 per game in the AHL. Quite the pay cut.
And it also firmly secures our bottom of the league cap hit status………we’re #30…..we’re #30……. ;D
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Dec 12, 2011 7:29 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
It’s all part of the plan, save money now to spend it next year. Which I dub “The Tear of the Radulov”.
Seriously, though
that is the plan. The league office cuts you a check for whatever amount you are under the cap mid-point, effectively doubling your savings. That’s an easy $12 million gained for the Preds, as is.
So then the talk of “spending more than last season” was indeed bull poop? Sad, if true.
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Dec 13, 2011 11:17 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Great move
the kid has struggled all season. Maybe he can regain his form while in Milwaukee.
A great example of how the Preds should be working our talent: Craig Smith. He obviously had the goods coming out of training camp. We brought him in, he produced. When he was dropped down to the 3rd line, he didn’t. We found a way to get him back up to the 1st line, and he’s producing again. We need to keep finding these niches for guys, or send ‘em back down. I think they have found their steady rookie d-man in Josi. Now we have to solidify the forward lines so they’re producing in 5 on 5 situations again, and I believe we’ll see us climbing the standings again.
hockey connoisseur. t-shirt addict. not famous. nerd.
This.
I think they have found their steady rookie d-man in Josi.
I mean, the one (rather big) downside is that he’s a rookie, so he has zip-zero-NADA experience, but I’ve been REALLY impressed with his play thus far. He seems to make few mistakes, and can be relied upon to do his job, do it well, and do it consistently. Hell, that’s all I want out of my Dmen! Hopefully he’ll continue to play like he has been!
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
This is exactly what we said about Blum
when he came up last season. But he seems to have lost his confidence and poise.
by Only Fan In J.C. ? on Dec 13, 2011 1:03 AM EST up reply actions
I don't think I was on here when Blum was pulled up.
I’d believe it, though. Personally, I feel more confident with Josi’s play now than I did with Blum’s play when he first came up. It’s entirely possible that Josi will regress… I hope not, though.
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
Josi has a lot of holes in his Defensive game.
Not to blame any one person, but he had a large share of the responsibility on both goals against the other night. Yes, he should get better, but at Trotz has said, “The NHL is performance league, not a developmental league”.
WOAH!
Kinda surprised me at first, but I’m not entirely shocked by the move. Hopefully he’ll be able to play more, get more experience, and come back MUCH stronger. I mean, he DID only play 23 games last year…. it’s a great chance for Roman to step up and do his stuff though!
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
I'm pretty sure
we all knew that going with so many rookie defensemen wasn’t going to work out so well. Experience almost always trumps raw talent unless you’re Sidney Crosby.
Interesting to see Hillen right up there with Weber and Suter for Save %.
Even though Hillen allows a lot of shots, he does a great job in limiting “good shots” and scoring opportunities. He is a substantial .39% and .49% better than Klein and Bouillon respectively. His disciplined play and good positioning bears out in this statistic.
I think they sent Blum down to get some minutes he wouldn’t get in the next 9 games or so against some pretty tough opponents. I would assume he will be the first one back up should there be an injury.
Or maybe Hillen’s just been lucky. Guess the rest of the year will tell. (I’m quietly quietly optimistic that it’s skill though…)
Hillen has been 3rd pair
as opposed to Klein and Frankie being on the 2nd pair. Tougher opponents for 8/51 usually.
but I don’t say this as a bash on Hillen, he’s allright I suppose.
by Only Fan In J.C. ? on Dec 13, 2011 1:05 AM EST up reply actions
Jon needs to work on his game
practice is not enough. I am sure the coaches talked to him and what needs to be refined. He can get his game back on track and play big minutes with the Ads. Hopefully, he takes this as a challenge and comes back even better than last year.
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Dirk Hoag is the Forechecker, churner of NHL stats & analysis, and managing editor of On the Forecheck.
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