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NONAME · 08-15-2019, 06:13 PM

Colorado Raptors (Day 1-23)
Episode 2

Table of Contents
Episode 1 - Colorado Raptors Season Reports

The Colorado Raptors have been a delightful surprise so far in the season. Many pegged the Raptors to be a bottom feeder team once again, however, the youth movement is hitting stride for the Raptors with the sophomore players and rookies eating up big ice-time for the franchise and being effective while doing it. They currently sit 4th in the standings with a record of 9-6-3 which is a winning percentage of .583% which is a drastic improvement over last season. Let's take a deeper look into the season 49 Colorado Raptors and why they have been able to defy the odds.

Team Statistics

W: 9
L: 6
OTL: 3
GF: 57
GA: 53
PP%: 20.59%
PK%: 77.27%
FO%: 51.88%

Team Strengths

Goals For / Against

The Colorado Raptors have done a great job this season converting on their scoring chances while also keeping the puck out of the new. The league average for goals for is 3.08 and the average for goals against is 3.08. The Raptors averages are better than the league average in both categories as they are currently averaging 3.17 goals for and 2.94 goals against. This places them 4th in the combined percentage of 107.55%. What is fascinating about the Raptors goals for is how effectively they are converting their scoring chances. They currently sit 2nd last in shots for, averaging only 24.50 shots a game. They will likely want to find a way to apply more pressure offensively as riding high shooting percentages is a recipe for a collapsed offence.

Face-Offs

This team strength is something we touched on throughout the pre-season report. They have managed to continue their success on the dot with the team averaging a winning percentage of 51.88% which is good enough for 3rd best in the league. Bo Kane leads the way with a winning percentage of 56.26% with 455 face-offs taken. Kane leads the league in face-off winning percentage. Ja'Aj Coitus-Wagg is also having a successful season on the dot with a winning percentage of 54.41% with 465 face-offs taken. Jake Peralta is next with a winning percentage just eclipsing 50% at 50.66% with 227 face-offs taken. Lastly, rookie Axel Caderoth has a winning percentage of 44.12% with 170 face-offs taken. Being an effective team on the draw leads to the Raptors having more chances at gaining possession of the puck in all three zones of the ice. I believe this is one of the smaller things that play a huge part in the success the Raptors have had so far this season.

Powerplay

The Colorado Raptors had a struggling offence in the pre-season. They only averaged 2.58 goals for. The Raptors powerplay plays a huge part in the team turning a weakness into a strength as they have improved the 2.58 average to a 3.17 average. They are currently rocking a 20.59% which is an entire 1.94% higher than the league average. That percentage lands them with the 4th best powerplay in the league currently. The Raptors top 3 leading producers on the powerplay are Kane and Crudelli with 7 points each and then Wolfe with 5 points from the backend. This powerplay plays a huge factor in the Raptors success this season.

Team Weaknesses

Shots For

If you see a team that is above the league average in goals for, you'd think it's safe to assume that they must be effective at producing high shot volumes. With the Colorado Raptors, you would be mistaken. Throughout the pre-season, this was a weakness the team possessed and it has continued into the regular season. It's not all terrible though as they have made improvements in this area. In the pre-season, they averaged 23.82 shots per game while in the regular season they are averaging 24.50. This average still places them 2nd in last unfortunately still. With the success the team is having this year, the Raptors might be in a buying mood closer to the deadline. If the shot totals are still low for the team they might look at acquiring an offensive winger to help strengthen the depth of the team heading into the playoffs. This acquisition might help the team produce more scoring chances.

Penalty Kill

Another weakness that was present in the pre-season for the Raptors was the penalty kill. Unfortunately, the issues have carried over into the regular season for the Raptors. They currently have a penalty kill percentage of 77.27% which is 2nd worst in the league and well below the league average of 81.35%. The Raptors didn't improve much between the pre-season to the regular season as they averaged 77.17% in the pre-season. The one benefit the Raptors had in the pre-season was their discipline which unfortunately they no longer possess as they are the 4th most penalized team in the league this season. If they can manage to clean up the penalty kill it would be a huge help to Knox Booth who hasn't had the greatest of seasons so far.

Goaltending

One of the bright spots on the Raptors roster heading into this season was elite goalie prospect Knox Booth. Unfortunately, he hasn't had the greatest of starts this season with a save percentage of .873% and a goals against average of 3.15. This is a "weakness" that I don't see being an issue much longer though as Booth has put together a good stretch of games with only allowing 3 goals against in 3 games. It is only a matter of time before Booth returns to the form that everyone expects from him and when he does the Raptors will look even more deadly.

Top 3 Stars
1. Calogero Crudelli (11 goals, 23 points, +10)
2. Denver Wolfe (16 points, +6)
3. Bo Kane (10 goals, 18 points, 56.26 FO%)

Star Leaderboards (1st star = 3 points, 2nd star = 2 points, 3rd star = 1 point)
T1. Derek Bohne Jr. - 3 PTS
T1. Calogero Credelli - 3 PTS
T2nd. Knox Booth - 2 PTS
T2nd. Denver Wolfe - 2 PTS
T3rd. Bo Kane - 1 PTS
T3rd. Ja'Aj Coitus-Wagg - 1 PTS

Words - 1031 + Research