I was going to post this after the Kings won Stanley Cup, but I'm lazy and didn't get around to it.
I'm pretty sure that LA is the lowest scoring champion in generations. (But again, I'm lazy and didn't bother looking.) In fact, they were so low scoring, I got to thinking about how they compared to champions in various European soccer leagues.
In the 2011-12 season and playoffs, the LA Kings scored 251 goals in 102 games, or 2.46 goals per game. The champions of the big European leagues were as follows; (This only includes matches in the league, not in various cups and European tournaments.)
Real Madrid (Spain) 3.18 goals
Manchester City (England) 2.45 goals
Borussia Dortmund (German) 2.35 goals
Juventus (Italy) 1.79 goals.
IOW, the Kings, Stanley Cup champions, scored fewer goals than Real Madrid and about as many as Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund. Only Juve scored less. (But of course, Serie A is boring and sterile, so no surprises there.)
What does it say about the modern-day NHL when the best in soccer score as many or more goals than the best in hockey?
I'm pretty sure that LA is the lowest scoring champion in generations. (But again, I'm lazy and didn't bother looking.) In fact, they were so low scoring, I got to thinking about how they compared to champions in various European soccer leagues.
In the 2011-12 season and playoffs, the LA Kings scored 251 goals in 102 games, or 2.46 goals per game. The champions of the big European leagues were as follows; (This only includes matches in the league, not in various cups and European tournaments.)
Real Madrid (Spain) 3.18 goals
Manchester City (England) 2.45 goals
Borussia Dortmund (German) 2.35 goals
Juventus (Italy) 1.79 goals.
IOW, the Kings, Stanley Cup champions, scored fewer goals than Real Madrid and about as many as Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund. Only Juve scored less. (But of course, Serie A is boring and sterile, so no surprises there.)
What does it say about the modern-day NHL when the best in soccer score as many or more goals than the best in hockey?