Quote:
Originally Posted by kirant
Just for kicks, I modified ricardo's formula and tried it on players who played most of last season (36+ games last season). The formula I used was:
Altered RGI (ARGI) = (Hits + Blocked Shots + Takaways - Giveaways)/(minutes per game)
This takes out the assumptions of minutes played by each player. The results of the calculation can be downloaded on this spreadsheet:
http://rapidshare.com/files/1638440078/ARGI.xls
Take it for what it is...an arbitrarily defined stat.
I also did simple cut offs by minutes played per game on subsequent sheets. The basic stats (average, median, standard deviation) are provided on each sheet.
General notes:
- Apparently it's possible to get a negative score. Ask Kovalchuk
- A score of about 3 to 8 is where the majority of players fall. Above 8 and, by ricardo's system, you'd call them grittier than most. Below 3 and you'd likely be defined as softer.
- The differences in responsibility of defence vs forwards was not considered. I deleted the position column too quickly 
- Tim Jackman is way up there, making me question how valid this test really is. Players with lower minutes per game seem to do much better.
- The use of the giveaway/takeaway seems too useless in this scenario. I'm not really sure I'd call Crosby all that soft. |
Why would people consider Crosby a gritty player?? He is one hit away from being in the Hockey HOF next season.
Of course he is going to play soft and is a turn over machine, He more than makes up for this by scoring so much. Other players are required to do puck recovery for him. Not that big a deal. Penguin Management recognized that and to load up for the SC run: Douglas Murray, Morrow ... These guys were playing gritty. Iginla who from observation was not playing near as physical as he did in 2004-07 when he became smaller and faster still has the ability to play gritty for short spurts. They were brought in to get the puck back.
Jackman is one of the best players in the league at his role. He is supposed to go out and hit someone every chance he gets and he does this. If he could do this and score 15-20 goals / year he would be making 5M/year.
The Flames , because of the sheer numbers of soft players - Cervenka, Hudler, Cammalleri, Tanguay and Bouwmeester getting huge amounts of ice time just had to have Jackman, Comeau and Begin to try to slow the other team from physically dominating the Flames. (didn't work)
This coming season with Galiardi and David Jones basically replacing Cervenka and Tanguay... the Flames will be far more gritty overall.
I expect that the remaining Soft skilled players --- Hudler, Cammalleri will have better seasons than expected. Baertschi has a chance to meet expectations.
I may have been wrong in my analysis that Gaudreau would not succeed as a Flame. He would have had a miserable time on the 2012-13 team but Feaster is making room for him for next season.