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The below table contains a group of five first-line centres in the National Hockey League, with their Corsi% On (percentage of 5-on-5 shot attempts with the player in question on the ice) and Corsi% Off (percentage of 5-on-5 shot attempts with the player in question off of the ice). I’ve omitted names in an effort to temporarily mitigate bias. First-Line Centres Centre (2014-15) Corsi% On Corsi% Off Player A 55.3% 46.6% Player B 53.8% 50.7% Player C 58.5% 48.9% Player D 56.0% 47.7% Player E 53.4% 48.7% I think we can comfortably agree that these five players share two things in common: one, their respective teams are in control when they’re on the ice, and two, there is depreciable performance when they come off of the ice. It’s important to note, though, that the Corsi% Off for each of these centres isn’t terrible – it’s actually at or around what we would expect for a weighted performance of lines two, three, and four based on prior work done at HockeyGraphs The point isn’t that these players are likely great at their craft. It’s that these players likely play on teams with at least fairly competent depth, perhaps enough to compete for a playoff spot. Let’s work this exercise one more time. We’ll focus on the same five centres but, this time, grab their Corsi% On and Corsi% Off for the years 2011-2014. First-Line Centres - On and Off Ice Corsi% Centre (2011-14) Corsi% On Corsi% Off Player A 57.7% 49.0% Player B 50.2% 47.9% Player C 54.7% 47.7% Player D 56.5% 50.6% Player E 47.2% 44.3% for Player A through Player D, we see more of the same – a range from very good to elite possession numbers via Corsi% On, and mostly average possession numbers based on line expectations via Corsi% Off. Player E, however, is substantially different. He was getting caved in by the opposition, and his team was just appalling with him on the bench. Players A through D, in order: Henrik Sedin, Nicklas Backstrom, Sidney Crosby, and Joe Thornton. As you might have expected. Player E? Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Though there’s been a lot of handwringing about another possible disappointing season in Edmonton, I think there’s something to be said about measurable improvement. I know Oilers fans – and probably the front office and coaching staff, too – dream of this team making a magical jump from draft lottery quality to legitimate playoff contender overnight. Unfortunately, progress often takes time. That’s especially true if you’re trying to build a team that can hang its hat on puck possession, and not riding the wave of variance to a fluky post-season berth. And make no mistake, Edmonton has improved at 5-on-5. Part of it is because Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and his linemates seem to be finally taking the next step, entering their playing primes as a group. Part of it is because Edmonton has done an excellent job at repairing some galaxy-sized holes in the lineup away from the top-line, enough that this team is no longer pulling dreadful 44% control with their top players off of the ice. Let’s touch on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins first. We know he’s still towing positive RelativeCorsi% from the numbers above. Additionally, he – with assistance from Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle, certainly – is on the verge of hitting a Corsi% he’s only seen a couple of times previously in his career. The graph to the left is a 15-game rolling average, which will let us capture his recent 2014-2015 uptick. While Nugent-Hopkins and the Edmonton top-line are starting to decisively control play, it’s not exactly uncharted territory – we have seen stretches, albeit brief ones, of that top-line clicking in the past. What’s made Edmonton respectable, again, is that the second, third, and fourth line are starting to pull their weight a bit, something that’s been as elusive as winning within the Oilers organization for years now. We can use the same 15-game Corsi% rolling average for the Oilers over all of the games Nugent-Hopkins has played, but specifically exclude all of the shifts in which Nugent-Hopkins was on the ice. How does Edmonton look now compared to years past? Just like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers second, third, and fourth-lines have seen brief stints of respectability before. But, compare the first graph to the second graph, and you’ll notice that this team’s never really had both groups going at the same time. When Nugent-Hopkins was struggling early in his career, the rest of the Oilers group was doing OK. When Nugent-Hopkins had a great run during the lockout-shortened year, the rest of the Oilers lines couldn’t get out of their own way. Can Edmonton sustain this sort of success? Right now, the team sits at 48.5% Score-Adjusted Fenwick% through sixteen games – ranking 21st in the NHL. It’s only a start, but let’s remember the Edmonton teams of past, and their league-wide ranking by Score-Adjusted Fenwick%: 28th, 26th, 30th, 29th, 26th, 29th, and 28th. Improvement is a relative term. Edmonton’s doing it. In the event that they can fix the goaltending that’s really been the source of their pain for most of this season, the Oilers could be a team trending up in the standings. Abry Jones Jersey . -- The Detroit Lions made it crystal clear to Golden Tate that he was their top target in free agency. Ereck Flowers Jersey . About seven hours before facing Washington in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference second round series, team officials said the oft-injured Bynum would miss the rest of the playoffs and would not even be with the team for the rest of the post-season. http://www.officialjacksonvillejaguarsfo...e-jersey-womens. "Its not done, but its a huge step," Hannover general manager Dirk Dufner said. Poor defending allowed the visitors to score in the second minute, when Leon Andreasens header from Christian Panders cross sent the ball inside the far post. Yannick Ngakoue Jersey . The turf is scheduled to give way to actual grass that is bright green, so we dont have to complain any more—we just have to wait a few years. Instead, do feel free to complain if the roof is closed for any reason other than to allow a game to be played. Donte Moncrief Jersey . The unrestricted free agent agreed to terms with the club on Thursday on a one-year, two-way deal worth $700,000.CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Dori Carter might have gotten a bit ahead of herself late in the second round of the Kia Classic. She still left everyone else behind Friday. After birdieing six of the first seven holes on the back nine, Carter bogeyed the final two holes for an 8-under 64. The round was her lowest in competition and broke the Aviara course record. Winless on the LPGA Tour, the former University of Mississippi player had 11 birdies and three bogeys. At 10-under 134, she had a two-stroke lead over Stacy Lewis and Cristie Kerr. "No matter what happens this weekend, I cant believe Im here," Carter said. "This is my first time. I mean, this is an experience for me. Its kind of like I cant lose. ... I have no reason to be uptight or anything because this is my first time. Im OK with that. Im OK with feeling like no matter what happens." She didnt fret about the closing bogeys. "Im not even going to sweat that the rest of the day," Carter said. "Im just so happy right now just to be here in this spot. ... My puttings always been my issue. Today, obviously, putting was fine. So, thats a big confidence boost for me." She tied for 68th in the season-opening event in the Bahamas and tied for 28th in the Womens Australian Open, then played three Symetra Tour events. Last week, she failed to Monday qualify for the Phoenix event, flew to Florida for the Symetra Tour event, then made another cross-country trip to California. "Thats my life," Carter said." From Valdosta, Ga., Carter made a 35-foot putt on the par-3 third hole for her first birdie, holed a couple of 20-footers, hit close on some holes and holed out from the fringe on the par-4 15th. "Kind of a fluke," Carter said about her birdie on 15. "The pin was sitting on this little knob on the front left of the green and I hit it in the rough and I had to kind of roll it up to the front. I got my putter, my caddie and I just said, Why dont you just putt it. I was probably like 10 yards short of the green and rolled it all the way in. It bent in the hole. ...dddddddddddd. That was like, I cant believe this." Lewis shot 66, and Kerr had a 68. The third-ranked Lewis had seven birdies and a bogey. She tied for second last week in Phoenix, her fifth runner-up finish since winning the Womens British Open last year. "It was just a really solid day," Lewis said. "Again, hit the ball really good like I did yesterday and, just the greens were so much better this morning. I mean it was a couple of shots difference, I think, playing in the morning versus the afternoon. Just played a little bit smarter, got on the right side of holes and just hit a lot of good shots." She noticed Carters low round. "I was surprised actually to see the number she shot," Lewis said. "Its very impressive. You know, its a hard golf course. You can make a double pretty quick." Kerr holed out for eagle on the par-4 first -- her 10th hole of the round -- and had three birdies and a bogey. "Couldnt see it go in, unfortunately, but it was a great 7-iron, perfect club," Kerr said. "I just said, Get close, and it went in." She won the Kingsmill Championship last year for her 16th LPGA Tour title. Former Southern California player Lizette Salas was 7 under after a 68. "I have my fans out here this week," Salas said. "Ive been just so blessed to have the support from my family and my community. Im just out here having fun." Karrie Webb, coming off a victory Sunday in Phoenix in the JTBC Founders Cup, rebounded from an opening 75 with a 68 to move into a tie for 26th at 1 under. The 39-year-old Hall of Famer also won the Womens Australian Open last month. Kia endorser Michelle Wie also was 1 under after a 71. DIVOTS: Beatriz Recari, a playoff winner last year, missed the cut by a stroke with rounds of 71 and 76. ... Yani Tseng was tied for 22nd at 2 under after her second straight 71. She won the 2012 tournament for the last of her 15 tour titles and has dropped from first to 46th in the world in a year. ... Sixteen-year-old Lydia Ko also was 2 under after a 68. 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