Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root
So is your argument that, because points and plus/minus are comparable, that the D corps are comparable?
Because it doesn't work that way.
Also, leaving off the two top point getters and then comparing points is pretty funny.
But whatever. You are untitled to your opinion.
For me, just because a guy like Yandle gets comparable points to a guy like Weber does not make them comparable defensemen. It just doesn't work like that.
And another problem with points is that each of these defensemen (on both teams) is the key pointman on their team - they are getting PP time and key zone time. However, as a combined roster, that won't be the case. You need roles and you need balance.
And that's where Suter is the only one as complete as the guys on Team Canada. Shatenkirk and Byflugien and Carlson and Yandle simply do not have the overall game that Weber and Pietrangelo and Keith and Doughty have.
And because the Canadian D is so strong in all aspects, that also allows them to take a 7th guy like Letang, purely for his offense. That is a very valuable asset to have.
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All I'm trying to show is the gap isn't as big as people make it out to be.
The point was that players on both sides chew up massive minutes in the NHL against top level competition and perform pretty similarly statistically overall. Is this foolproof? Heck no. Are Canadian defensemen "sexier" and more likely to make big plays? Absolutely. Would more than one member of the American defense make team Canada? Probably not.