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It wasn’t long ago that fans in Vancouver were putting paper bags over their heads to keep them from watching their team’s performance, hiding their sad expressions or protesting. And before the season, Swiss Pius Suter (27) had to accept the comment of a brutal journalist from Switzerland that after Chicago and Detroit he had once again ended up with a team where he could not win the Stanley Cup. so fast.
“You never know,” Suter said mischievously at the time. But you can bet he didn’t expect the Canucks to storm to the top of the league either. And yet Vancouver is currently tied at the top of the NHL standings, behind Nino Niederreiter’s Winnipeg Jets (31).
While only a few had the Canucks and Jets on their list before the season, the betting shops now consider them both favorites to win the championship.
Coaches came out of the desert
Both Canucks and Jets found happiness in the desert. In January 2022, Vancouver signed the longtime coach of the Arizona Coyotes, former power forward Rick Tocchet (59). And a few months later, Winnipeg brought in Rick Bowness, 68, who devoted himself to golf and early retirement in Arizona and initially ignored calls from Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff.
When he finally decided to take over the Jets, he said that only a club with “good people” and a strong team was an option for him. Winnipeg had good players for a long time. But there was a lack of attitude and willingness to support top goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck.
Bowness quickly deposed Captain Blake Wheeler, who had a reputation for being a badass. The Jets then paid the forward last June, and he now plays for the New York Rangers. By signing Niederreiter, who he had long had in mind, GM Cheveldayoff ensured that Bowness was dealing with another player in the “good guy” category almost a year ago. The extension of his contract for two seasons with an annual salary of $4 million showed how satisfied they are with the Chur native.
Statistical disciples point to ‘puck luck’
Under Bowness, the Jets have found the balance between offense and defense. No one concedes fewer goals (average 2.28).
Meanwhile, the Canucks are the best team offensively (3.82 per game). Just like the Jets (3.33), where former Bieler Nikolaj Ehlers scored fifteen times and Niederreiter twelve times, they benefit from great depth in the team. They are supported by three very talented players: center Elias Pettersson (25, SD), attacking defender Quinn Hughes, who is already captain at the age of 24, and goalkeeper Thatcher Demko (28, both USA).
In addition, the versatile Suter (8 goals) and his colleagues have above-average finishing ability. Of all shots on target, 13.52 percent ended up in the net.
DCX STORY: doc6xo7nfmb2wk165zyve68 [Niederreiter und Co. besuchen todkranke Kinder]
Both Canucks and Jets also benefit from what stat buffs call “puck luck.” You want to be able to determine this by adding the defense percentage of the goalkeepers and the hit percentage to the so-called PDO. Vancouver (105.1%) and Winnipeg (102.8%) are also leaders in this category. Anyone who has Demko and Helleybuck in goal and shoots well at the same time hardly has to rely on luck alone.
With a 15-point lead in the early-to-golf zone, the two Canadian surprise teams should at least make the playoffs. And maybe there’s more to it. You never know.
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Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
