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Old 12-06-2014, 07:53 AM   #10
Bend it like Bourgeois
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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Quote:
Originally Posted by getbak View Post
PDO is a number calculated by adding a team's shooting percentage to its save percentage. PDO apparently was the username of the person who first suggested this number would have some value in measuring a team's "luck".

So, rather than giving it a logical name like Combined Shot Percentage, someone decided it made sense to call it PDO after that person's username. I believe this is one of the biggest reason people dismiss a lot of these "advanced" stats ideas, the names make no sense and don't lead to helping people understand what they mean.

Plus-Minus is a flawed stat, but at least it's easy to understand just based on its name, as are all the other "basic" stats. Imagine if Time-on-Ice was called the "LPC" for "Lester Patrick Clock" number because Lester Patrick was the first person in the NHL to track that, it would be ridiculous.
Don't worry, they'll rename it skill, or coaching, or some incredibly broad term to go with 'possession' and make it sound way more meaningful.

The article was really good.
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