Shap Shots Mailbag, Vol. 2

On why there are so many "lefty" hockey players, contenders, and much, much more

Why is there a perceived right-handed defenseman shortage in the NHL? For being a dominant hand in a majority of the population, it doesn’t statistically make sense that there aren’t as many talented defenseman that can fill that role. (From Jason)

Because the handedness one holds a hockey stick isn’t actually reflective of right or left-handed in the traditional sense. Most hockey players are actually right-handed in the traditional sense, if you asked for an autograph, the player is likely signing it with their right hand.

There can be a discussion about whether it’s smarter to have your dominant hand on the top of the stick or at the bottom, but in reality, it goes back to comfort level from the first time someone grabbed a stick as a child. What felt natural? And for most children, controlling and stickhandling is easier with the dominant hand at the top.

The lack of right-handed defensemen gets more attention because hockey people love a lefty-righty combo on defense, when in reality there is a similar disproportion of lefty to righty forwards as well.

For example, this week I wrote about how the Detroit Red Wings don’t have any righty centers.

Do players get any financial benefit from jersey and other name/image items? I've always wondered if they get a percentage, a flat cut, it something else. Not from endorsement deals, but from merchandise you would find at the arena stores. (From Chris)

Not really and sort of.

Players don’t get a direct cut of jerseys sold with their name or image on them, but it comes back to them as part of hockey-related revenue (HRR). Buckle in, we are about to talk about escrow.

With each jersey or piece of merch sold, HRR goes up, and according to the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, players and owners split HRR 50-50. Since contracts have to be pre-determined, NHL players have escrow withhold part of their salaries to make sure owners are made even at the 50-50 split.

So when you buy a jersey or merch, it’s going directly into HRR, which helps players make a bit more money and potentially leads to a higher salary cap.

One of my favourite lighthearted articles you wrote was the 6 degrees of Mike McKenna. Which current veteran player do you think is the new Mike in terms of having former teammates in virtually every AHL or NHL team? Does anyone come close? (From Hannah)

The best person to answer this question is Mike McKenna, so I texted this question.

McKenna listed three players — Eric Comrie, Scott Wedgewood, and Nate Thompson.

Comrie is only 27, but he’s already played for four NHL organizations and has half brothers in former NHLers Paul and Mike Comrie. His dad is Bill Comrie, who founded the famed Brick Tournament in Edmonton, which is one of the largest peewee hockey tournaments in the world.

Wedgewood is another goalie, currently the backup for the Dallas Stars, who has played for 11 different teams at the professional level.

Nate Thompson, by my estimation, is the best example and the person you’d most likely be able to connect the entire NHL to through six degrees of separation. Thompson is 38 now, still playing in the AHL with the Ontario Reign, and has been part of 10 different NHL organizations.

Only five games (for most teams) into the season but who are looking like early contenders? Division? President’s trophy? Etc. (From Shaun)

The sample size is small, and there are some teams currently punching above their weight. For example, I don’t think the Detroit Red Wings will get points in every game, as they have thus far.

The Western Conference is filled with mediocrity right now, and I think the Pacific Division is a two-horse race between the Calgary Flames and the Vegas Golden Knights.

In the Central Division, the St. Louis Blues didn’t play their fourth game until Monday night, but I think the trio of St. Louis, Dallas, and the Colorado Avalanche all three have an equal shot at that division title. Colorado is the best of the bunch, and a team I would bet on in the postseason, but in the regular season slog, Dallas and St. Louis seem on pace with them to win the division.

The Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers are good, and so are the Pittsburgh Penguins. It wouldn’t surprise me if that trio produced the President’s Trophy at the end of the season.

If you were a GM and could have either Robertson brother for the rest of their career guaranteed (not considering money or cap implications) which would you take right now? (From Michael)

Jason Robertson, when you told me cap and money wasn’t a worry, it became even easier to decide. Give me a proven 40-goal scorer in the NHL who is still in his early 20s any day of the week.

Stars rookie center Wyatt Johnston has now played five NHL games. He has four remaining before his rookie contract would kick in. Do the Stars pull the plug on his remaining junior career and make him a full-time NHLer or do they send him back to Windsor of the OHL? (From DrewL)

Johnston played his sixth NHL game on Monday night, after DrewL asked this question. Thus far he’s been good and he actually scored on Monday night against the Ottawa Senators.

Personally, I would keep Johnston in Dallas. I think he’s earned the spot with his play, and while asset management comes into play, I think the Stars shouldn’t over think this.

Do you think Gurianov is still playing regularly for our Stars 10 games from now? (From Bing)

On Monday morning, before I saw Gurianov was going to be scratched against the Ottawa Senators, I typed up the following answer:

Ten games, yes. Jim Nill and Peter DeBoer will still be patient with Denis Gurianov, but I think 15 games from now, the 20-game mark of the regular season, becomes a flashpoint for Gurianov.

Colin Miller is the only other Star skater with a game played without a point thus far this season, and while that’s acceptable for Miller, it’s not ok for Gurianov, who needs to produce points to fit into Nill’s short and long-term plans.

If Wyatt Johnston is returned to the OHL, which is possible, Gurianov will get a little bit more time to prove himself. If Johnson stays in the NHL, and I think he should, it starts to become a question of whether it’s better to play Gurianov or Jacob Peterson in a bottom-six role.

On Tuesday morning, after Gurianov was scratched, I still have the same feeling. The scratch against Ottawa for the moment feels like a “sit back and learn, watch a game,” moment.

But if he doesn’t bounce back from the scratch the way DeBoer hopes, I think that 20-game mark is still the real decision making point on a long-term usage in the Stars plans.

Favorite NHL venue you've seen a game in? (From Andrew)

Side note: I enjoy being able to tell where a reader is from based on how they spell favorite/favourite.

I’ve been fortunate enough to cover a game in 30 of the current 32 NHL venues. I’ve been to the New York Islanders new building, but haven’t been there for a game, and haven’t been to the arena on the campus of Arizona State, where the Coyotes are playing.

From a venue perspective, No. 1 on my list is actually Seattle. So many NHL arenas are cookie-cutters or copies of others, and Seattle actually feels different and unique. I love the split scoreboard and the big open windows, it’s different and so well done.

In making a list of the top venues I’d pay to see a game at, I’d also include the Bell Centre in Montreal and Madison Square Garden in New York. Vegas is an experience, it’s a full-blown show, but it’s actually too loud sometimes for me — they amp up the base on the music — and as a sucker for old buildings that won’t be with us forever, I have a soft spot for the Saddledome in Calgary.

Your "One story from every road city" articles had a lot of food related tales.

So, which are your top-5 NHL cities for the food. (And I mean the city, rather than the arena). (From James)

I don’t ever eat at the arena, well I have snacks in the press box, but in general, I don’t know which arena food is the best or not, so this is a perfect question.

The following are some of the cities that come to mind with specific food-related memories. They are listed alphabetically, not in rank order.

Calgary — I’ve always loved trips to Calgary, it’s also home to one of my favorite restaurants in the world, Ten Foot Henry.

Denver — In Denver, go get breakfast at Snooze, have lunch or dinner at Cherry Cricket, and make sure to get a massive steak at Citizen Rail.

Los Angeles — Lots of options in LA, lots of ‘em. Each time I’ve gone to LA I try to try something new, but I always make sure to get breakfast at The Original Pantry Cafe. I’m a sucker for diners, and this one is great.

New York/New Jersey — It’s cheating to include three markets in one, but they are crammed together, so it was always a combo trip. Get your bagels (taylor ham, egg, and cheese on everything bagel) and pizza in New Jersey, and find your fancy dining experience at any of the thousands of places in the city.

Philadelphia— Byrne’s Tavern. It’s a dive, but get the wings, you’ll thank me.

Take us inside the mind of a good referee... why do they call some actions a penalty while other similar actions they don’t. I realize that they may not see it the same as a result of angle and/or speed however I wonder whether situations play a role too (From Jeff)

Aside from reffing soccer as a kid and officiating intramural football for beer money in college, I’ve never been a referee. I’ve also never been what anyone could consider a “good referee.”

So unfortunately I can’t take you inside the mind of a good referee.

Personally, I see a good referee as one that is consistent, one that calls the game the same way in the first minute of the first period as they would in overtime. I think there’s flawed thinking where referees don’t want to “decide the game,” so they don’t make a call late in the third period when in reality they are impacting the game by not making that call.