The Magic Number Thread!
Since February 1st, pablo_escobar has been updating the “Magic Number Thread” daily. As the season winds down, I think it’s about time all of his hard work gets some attention in the Best of the Boards blog.
If you are unfamiliar with “Magic Numbers”, they are a useful way of determining the likelihood of where a team will finish in the standings, and what results need to occur in order for one team to finish ahead of another team.
The Canuck’s “magic number” against another team (Calgary for example) represents the number of total Canuck wins and/or Calgary losses required for the Canucks to finish ahead of Calgary in the standings.
Whenever the Canucks win a game, their magic numbers against all other western conference teams is reduced by 1. Likewise, whenever a western conference team loses in regulation, the Canucks’ magic number against that team is reduced by 1. Overtime/Shootout losses result in a 0.5 point swing in the magic number totals.
pablo_escobar can also use all of this math to project how many points will be required for a team to make the playoffs. As of this blog post, the projected total to make the playoffs is 88 points, only 7 points more than the Canucks currently have, with 14 games still to be played.
Check out the latest Magic Numbers here (Updated Daily)
The Alex Burrows Show
Shazzam posted a quote from Alex Burrows that appeared in Monday’s Globe and Mail where Burr was responding to a question about if he felt that he had left money on the table during his contract negotiations:
"If I had been more greedy, and waited for more money, than maybe we wouldn't win as many games because maybe we wouldn't have as good a team," Burrows said when asked if he sold himself short. "That's what we're hoping. That maybe guys take less money and we have a championship-calibre team. That's what teams like Detroit do."
gotta love that attitude
maybe he is hinting at the sedins
canuckerson thinks Burr’s comments were targeted at his linemates
I think he's for sure hinting at the Sedins, because he wants to play with them for seasons to come
Canucks_fan_17 posted some evidence that might refute that:
Did anyone actually hear Burrows' Q&A after practice today? The media asked him about the Sedins and he immediately said these are NOT the guys he was referring to. He basically said the Sedins are in the top 5% of the league and should get whatever they want.
Centmo noticed that Burrows has outperformed Markus Naslund this season.
Naslund: 70GP, 21G, 20A, 41 Pts, -11 (0.585 PPG)
Burrows: 68GP, 22G, 18A, 40 Pts, +14 (0.588 PPG)
...and for a heck of a lot less $$. Don't get me wrong, always loved Naslund, but way to go BURROWS!!!
Actually, Naslund is in pretty good company among players that Alex Burrows has outscored this season. The list of players with fewer goals than Burrows includes Ryan Getzlaf, Daniel Alfredson, Martin Havlat, Joe Thornton, Keith Tkachuk, Ales Hemsky, and Chris Drury.
Meanwhile, The_Bra has launched a campaign:
“Burrows for prime minister”
Hey, he’s a Quebec native, bilingual, with a strong French Canadian accent, is popular in both eastern and western Canada, and has a great self-made career story. Burr is a perfect candidate!
Read the thread and post comments here
High Praise for Mike Gillis
It doesn’t seem that long ago when many on the CDC boards were calling for Gillis and AV to be fired (9 straight home losses will do that to a fanbase), but now, fresh off the Canucks’ 9th straight home victory, the boards are filled with very different evaluations of Mike Gillis.
SedinsEdlerLui makes a quite convincing case that Gillis has been doing just about everything right so far:
I really feel this guy has done the best work out of any GM this season. I'm not talking about the deadline either, but just overall since he has taken this team over. Everyone knows the obvious things he has done well, like drafting hodgson, which some say now, due to his play, was an easy decision but dont forget he could have had Beech who was highly touted as well. He signed toughness and depth and picking up obrien, bernier, johnson and hordichuk, not to mention trading the 7th round pick for Labarbera!!!! That trade was as big as steal as any in my book. But one thing I think he did, that was his biggest move, was standing pat at the deadline. Nonis in the past would add guys like rucinsky and sanderson, or carney, all guys that were bottom end and we really didnt need them. Weinrich as well. But Gillis knows we have depth and this team is ready for the playoffs.
Finally to my point, people need to not worry about him not spending to the cap as he has stuck to his plan. Dont forget, had st.louis not matched the offer sheet for david backes, we'd be at the cap i believe and have a great piece for our 3rd line, he has 23 goals and 43 points, not to mention 151 pms, which makes him look like a great replacement for kes or burr who have jumped ahead to the first two lines...with flying colours i might add. They are all 20 goal guys that check, with some size and speed. Backes would have been yet another smart move and worth the money (3 years at 2.5 million per). "Thats checking money" to steal the words of alex the great! He also stuck with sundin as well and didnt go dealing away picks and such or hodgson. If we can learn anything from him and his moves this season, its that he will stick to his guns and get the job done.
Go Canucks.
Crazycanuck6 thinks MG set up this summer for more great moves:
I agree. Plus you have to look ahead now to when the cap is going to come down some. Only signing Sundin to a one year deal is looking like a great deal for us. We will have money left to spend when other teams are dumping salary just to get under the cap. Gillis has a plan and it looks like this summer we shall see it all come to fruit.. Cant wait to see who what players we get for cheap due to salary issues..
Of course adding Gaborik this summer would make my day..!!
Ben_17 sees it the same way:
i agree fully. i was skeptical in the off season about a rookie GM, but Gillis has done an excellent job.
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