Four separate leagues? Divisional styles develop around NHL

Four separate leagues? Divisional styles develop around NHL do you know?

Trotz was able to do this because it was a division game this season, NHL efforts to reduce the course of the pandemic and make changes to the forced virus program easier to achieve.

Side effect: the different styles that develop around the league. The Northern Division is marked with stars and high scores; The eastern part is crowded and full of famous rivals; West is the closest group in the table at the moment, big and hard, with the teams pushing each other. Central is a mix of opponents who haven't met often and are likely to enjoy a game that seems to fill its path.

North light red

In this season's quarter-finals, the NHL has scored an average of 5.9 goals per game. In the Northern Division, this number increases to 6.4; In context, the last time the league's score was so high was 1993-94.

Six of the league's eight top scorers play in the north. There's Connor McDavid from Edmonton and incumbent MVPs Leon Draisaitl, Toronto, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Mark Scheifele from Winnipeg and Brock Boeser from Vancouver. And this is just the start of star power between the seven teams, all based in Canada.

"There are some really good players in this division," said Oilers coach Dave Tippett. - It leads to evil.

Six of the league's eight top scorers play in the north and here we may know more details about it. There's Connor McDavid from Edmonton and incumbent MVPs Leon Draisaitl, Toronto, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Mark Scheifele from Winnipeg and Brock Boeser from Vancouver. And this is just the start of star power between the seven teams, all based in Canada.

There are some very good players in this division, said Oilers coach Dave Tippett. That leads to a little crime.

Control the game

Maybe the coaches are a little crazy too. Winnipeg's Paul Maurice never felt he could control the game behind the bench in the Northern Division, although that doesn't mean he isn't enjoying it and is trying to capitalize on the offensive talent of some Jets players.

I like the offensive side of the game, said Maurice. I love seeing it. Where the coaches are trying to fit into the Canadian Division in transition. All these people let their team play. If a man turns a puck and sees what he's trying to do, if there is a method, if one is right - the chip will be flipped, you can take it.

Oh, the pucks are back, okay: the seven teams from the north are all in the top eight in the competition, so it's no wonder the division has five of the top six teams in the league.

Now only the Western Division, but the style has not changed. Western players weigh more than 6 foot-1 and 200 pounds on average and are not afraid to lose nearly 3,000 strokes in 71 games.

"If you look around our leagues and divisions, obviously Vegas has weight in the fourth row and Colorado is more of a skill team, Anaheim has weight in the fourth row," said San Jose coach Bob Boughner. "Every team is different, but I think that's generally a more difficult style of play in the West."

Avalanches are an exception, but even they have become widespread in recent seasons.

"Why Vegas and Colorado are so good is they can do both - they can play the physical style, the ground, but they can also turn it up a notch and they can play really fast and very skillfully," said Johnson.