[GreenLantern2814]

I was checking the Flames stats page tonight and noticed that 47 games in, TJ Brodie is a plus 23. Playing the high risk style he plays, he's plus 23. That isn't all on Gio covering his backside, that's because Brodie is that goddamn good.

I then noticed that Wideman is sitting at a manageable -2, and that Smid and Engelland are -12 and -13 respectively and unsurprisingly.

Our first minus player is Josh Jooris at -1. Then the next four forwards who aren't McGrattan are all basically rookies: Ferland, Granlund (-2), Reinhart (-3) Baertschi (-4). All players that are learning the NHL game; they'll all make mistakes and learn at different paces.

Now we begin to see the presence of veterans. Byron is the least seasoned of this group at -5, and not surprisingly, the only player in this group who is not on the consensus island of misfit toys.

But Mason Raymond is -6. Brandon Bollig is -7. Setoguchi was too, before he was disappeared into nothingness. Then you round out with the aforementioned Smid and Engelland. Diaz is in this crowd too, but he's the 7th defenseman. He's played 25 games, he's -5, which means in the here and now, he's better than Smid and Engelland as far as I'm concerned.

I know it doesn't tell the whole story, but sometimes it does, you know? Raymond, Bollig, Smid and Engelland. If you upgrade those four positions, this is a playoff team. Credit to those guys, they are playing well enough to keep this team in the hunt. But is anyone going to stand up and tell me we've yet to see the best from Engelland and Smid?

I think these guys are playing their guts out, giving everything they have, and setting great examples for our younger players. But if you go into a playoff series, they're a liability.

To be a playoff team, your third best defensive pairing probably has to be nearly as good as Russell/Wideman. At least they should be comparatively as reliable in their assignments. Our bottom pair doesn't come close to any of our top four.

Raymond and Bollig are filler. They're meat in the room. Bollig might be an okay agitator who hits sometimes when he's on, and he might not be a complete defensive liability based on his role and skillset. But he's certainly not great at his role - you donn't identify him as a 'heart and soul core Darren McCarty' bottom six guy like Bouma, you identify him by his physical characteristics, and what someone of his particular skillset SHOULD do when they're good at their job.

That same thing goes to Mason Raymond. He's NHL calibre, sort of. But he's not great. His awareness sucks. He has no feel for where anyone is on the ice, or where he's supposed to be. His goals are all scored because he was in a position where his physical superiority gives him an advantage. And he's not physically superior enough to be consistent.

If you upgrade those four players, the Calgary Flames a playoff team. If they are all replaced with guys who are best described as 'competent in their roles', the Calgary Flames are a playoff team.

In conclusion, +/- doesn't always tell the whole truth. But sometimes it tells the whole truth so help it God.