Carolina's Minor Penalties Up In 2009-10
by Bob Wage on Aug 31, 2010 8:00 AM EDT
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PrintThe Carolina Hurricanes have been tops in the league for three consecutive years at drawing penalties, but for the first time since the lockout the team was called for more penalties than they were able to draw last season.
The Canes had 332 powerplay chances last season which was number one in the NHL. On the other side of the ledger, the team was called for 343 minor penalties, 15th most in the league. During their successful 2008-09 campaign, the Canes were only called for 322 minors, the second lowest number in the NHL.
After the first ten games of the season, the Hurricanes were leading the league with the most penalties, (which might help to explain their poor start). We analyzed those penalties here, but the team did improve on that stat as the year went on and as personnel changed.
The specifics after the jump.
Here are the top 16 skaters regarding total ice time:
| Total Time | |
| On Ice | |
| Pitkanen | 1944 |
| Whitney | 1532 |
| Staal | 1450 |
| Jokinen | 1362 |
| Gleason | 1293 |
| Sutter | 1191 |
| Cullen | 1141 |
| Ward | 1087 |
| Kostopoulos | 1027 |
| Brind`Amour | 1017 |
| Samsonov | 963 |
| Carson | 938 |
| Alberts | 934 |
| Ruutu | 885 |
| LaRose | 879 |
| Corvo | 857 |
Next up, we will include the total minor penalties taken.
| Total Time | Total | |
| On Ice | Minors | |
| Pitkanen | 1944 | 36 |
| Whitney | 1532 | 13 |
| Staal | 1450 | 24 |
| Jokinen | 1362 | 17 |
| Gleason | 1293 | 14 |
| Sutter | 1191 | 1 |
| Cullen | 1141 | 13 |
| Ward | 1087 | 27 |
| Kostopoulos | 1027 | 23 |
| Brind`Amour | 1017 | 18 |
| Samsonov | 963 | 15 |
| Carson | 938 | 6 |
| Alberts | 934 | 22 |
| Ruutu | 885 | 15 |
| LaRose | 879 | 12 |
| Corvo | 857 | 5 |
Finally, we will incorporate the average penalties taken per minute played and re-sort to those results.
| Total Time | Total | Minors | |
| On Ice | Minors | per Minute | |
| Ward | 1087 | 27 | 0.025 |
| Alberts | 934 | 22 | 0.024 |
| Kostopoulos | 1027 | 23 | 0.022 |
| Pitkanen | 1944 | 36 | 0.019 |
| Brind`Amour | 1017 | 18 | 0.018 |
| Ruutu | 885 | 15 | 0.017 |
| Staal | 1450 | 24 | 0.017 |
| Samsonov | 963 | 15 | 0.016 |
| LaRose | 879 | 12 | 0.014 |
| Jokinen | 1362 | 17 | 0.012 |
| Cullen | 1141 | 13 | 0.011 |
| Gleason | 1293 | 14 | 0.011 |
| Whitney | 1532 | 13 | 0.008 |
| Carson | 938 | 6 | 0.006 |
| Corvo | 857 | 5 | 0.006 |
| Sutter | 1191 | 1 | 0.001 |
First of all, it's absolutely amazing to look at the actual time on ice number for Joni Pitkanen. He played almost 25% more than his closest teammate, (Ray Whitney), plus he missed 11 games. No wonder he led the NHL with average time on the ice per game played, by far.
If we look at the raw penalty numbers, Pitkanen led the team with 36 minor penalties. But after we factor in the minutes played, it turned out that he had the fourth worst (penalty per minute) average on the team. Aaron Ward and Andrew Alberts had the worst results as they averaged about one minor penalty for every 40 minutes of time they were on the ice.
It's hard to get better than Brandon Sutter, who was only called for one minor penalty the entire season.
Also, lets give credit to Joe Corvo, who led the team with average ice time before his injury. He did a nice job keeping his penalty count to a minimum.
And what about Brett Carson? The rookie played a lot of tough minutes and only had six minor penalties. He was not as physical and did not have the hits that Ward and Alberts had, but he was solid in his own end.
Will the Hurricanes youth movement be able to stay out of the penalty box this season?
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I think the lack of speed/interest of some of the veterans contributed greatly to the increase in penalties, along with Staal, who spent the first half of the season straight up hacking people. Next season I think the speed will be improved, so the guys wont be clutching and grabbing trying to keep up but positioning may be an issue from time to time, as you would expect with a team of rookies. Flip side, this new team speed should allow us to be at or near the top of the league in PP chances!
I think it is double edged… Veterans will take more penalties being old and slow (Aaron “Clutch and Grab” Ward is a good example), but other times veterans are the ones who are drawing penalties. If they can keep a very disciplined attitude, it could work for them, but generally the kids coming up are less experienced in drawing penalties. Obviously there are freaks of nature like Sutter who seemingly have zero issues, but we can’t hope for that with everyone.
first of all ...
Thanks Bob, yet again you have given us fans things to look for and as well as to look at for the upcoming season…players like Sutter, Carson & Corvo should be and ought to be shwing the younger players the ins & outs of what NOT to do in staying out of the box…grant you when Sutter went to the box that one time hell i thought the ref was blind as many of us here are…but what you didn’t say or explain the key to keeping out of the box is to keep moving support the puck at your end and when at the other side’d goal…to shoot …and in closing if you lok at Joni’s stats as if you were to break them completely down…for all but living on the ice for how many games (?) he asa just one player averaged better than other names in the NHL ..BUT…i will latter this week go and look and see what i can find …but still over all..the canes I feel did a decent job..as many of the penalties came at the wrong time …but is there ever really a good time aside from dropping the gloves that is ??? hehehe…thanks again Bob
And if it Aint Hockey,It Aint Nothin !!
That Checkers 3rd Sweater ROCKS !!!
Stephan Yelle
Since Stephan was a drag on the team early in the season I wanted to see how he would fit on this list. Doing a quick stat check he average about the same ratio as Aaron Ward (14 minors in about 552 minutes TOI during his time in Carolina). In his time in Colorado that dropped to 0.018 (2 in 110 minutes).
Is it possible to be addicted to hockey?
too bad MO & JR
didn’t catch that sooner…but that was then & today is today huh ?
And if it Aint Hockey,It Aint Nothin !!
That Checkers 3rd Sweater ROCKS !!!
I’m still really shocked at how poorly Yelle played. I really thought that was a great signing at the time.
Is it possible to be addicted to hockey?
I remember looking at the team on paper at the beginning of the season thinking that they had a real shop of raising the cup again…..oops.
it always burns within
the downward spiral never ends
when driven into sin
your salvation's found in a sinner's deed
by Douchebag St John on Aug 31, 2010 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions
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