The Moment Lavi Lost It

February 25th against the Toronto Maple Leafs...

Down 3-2 with one minute remaining...

Lavi pulls the goalie...

The extra attacker hops over the boards...

It's...

Mike Knuble?

It was the greatest WTF moment I've ever experienced as a fan. When needing a goal to tie a game, Lavi selected Mike Knuble. It's hard to type those words. I know it can't be true, but I saw with it with my own eyes.

Mike Knuble has consistently been chosen to play over Tye McGinn, a former nobody prospect who turned into a legit 3rd line player. I like McGinn's game, and I think he - at worst - adds physicality and energy to the bottom 6.

McGinn's Corsi (total team shots taken while player is on the ice minus total team shots against while player is on the ice per 60 minutes) is the highest on the team at 13.61. It's nearly twice as high as any other Flyer. Knuble's Corsi is -5.90. Fedotenko and Rinaldo are the only Flyers forwards with a worse Corsi.

Tye McGinn has taken 0 penalties this season (best on team) while drawing 1.5 penalties per 60 minutes (4th best on team). Mike Knuble takes 1.1 penalties per 60 minutes (6th worst on team) and draws 0.4 penalties per 60 minutes (7th worst on team).

Mike Knuble ends only 39.8% of his shifts in the offensive zone. Not only is this the lowest number on the team, but it is the lowest offensive zone finish percentage in the entire NHL among players who have played 15 games or more. Tell me Lavi, just how great of a mucker and grinder is Knuble? How great of a board player and front net presence is he? The numbers say he hurts his team as much or more than any player in the NHL. He isn't just useless - he brings the team down.

Yet who is Lavi's choice for extra attacker when the team desperately needs a goal? The worst player in the NHL.

So long, Lavi. -CK

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