[Bingo]

Man there is so much wrong here I honestly don't know where to start.

Originally Posted by New Era

Sacrilege! Those aren't crappy stats. Those are black and white "counting" events. No linking of unrelated data points. No misinterpretation. No gray areas where data has been misattributed. And definitely no errors in data collection that would make data sets specious. Don't you dare suggest that these stats are crappy and present erroneous information. You're missing most of the game if you don't ascribe to the observance of these magical* data points. All praise the spreadsheet.

They are black and white.
What is an unrelated data point in this case?
Misrepresentation of what? They're counting shot attempts in boxes.
What errors in data collection? They are counting. Each player is going to miss some shot attempts or get some added with equal measure over a sample size but that will come out in the wash.
I think the fact that you still think there's magic involved is your problem ... it must scare you to fight this fight against something so simple.

Originally Posted by New Era

Bennett is an awesome hockey player. One of the best in the league. Don't let those poor scoring outcomes fool you, Sam Bennett is magnificence, rolled in a blanket of awesomeness, topped with a dollop out tremendousness. Look at those shot attempts he's generating! It doesn't matter that when Bennett winds up that his shot routinely misses the proverbial barn, you can hear the squeals of delight because he managed to take a shot of no consequence. It's a counting event! It doesn't matter that when he does get a shot on goal it is usually an end-over-end flutterball that no self-respecting goaltender is going to let in. The hearts go all aflutter because a counting event just took place. These "events" tell you that Sam Bennett is a good - no great - hockey player, and that it is just a run of bad luck that holds him back! All praise the spreadsheet!

No one says these things. They don't. So why are you? Players with good chance generation stats are often times diamonds in the rough. Are you not a Flames fan? Wouldn't you want to figure out who these potential players are before just dumping said diamond on another team?

Originally Posted by New Era

You're missing the most important aspects of the game when you don't swallow this data whole cloth. I mean, Derek Ryan is one of the top 10 players in the NHL! The advanced stats don't lie. They are black and white and they have been counted. Anything less than agreement weighs YOU, and you are left wanting. It doesn't matter whether the actual outcomes of games say something else, or the most obvious of observations tells you something else, you must accept the pseudo-statistics of unrelated events to explain the intricacies of this chaos that exists out on the frozen sheet of ice. Winter is coming, and with it the counting. All praise the spreadsheet!

This is now approaching down right disingenuous.

You attacked Derek Ryan's defensive game in a drive by. It was pretty easy to refute your claims as bad things just don't happen when he's on the ice.

Nobody said he was a top player, a top 100 player, or anything like that. I said he was ranked high in certain, very specific categories that you attacked. That was it. Never summed it up as he's a top 100 player. In fact I went after his offensive game in the same post.

So why make up all this slop?

Originally Posted by New Era

I hear what you are saying and agree. Bennett is a very concerning player. The outcomes he produces are not good. He generates offense at a 4th line rate. He plays the game in a way that kills his linemates and all creativity. Bennett's first instinct when he gets the puck is to try and beat every player on the ice. When he does make a pass, or try to use his linemates, it is usually way off the mark, in someone's skates, or into a defender. He tries really hard, but doesn't make much happen out there. When you look at Tkachuk it is amazing he has managed to stay somewhat productive being saddled with the 16th most productive player - per 60 minutes of ice time - on the team. Add in Derek Ryan - the 14th most productive player per 60 minutes of ice time - and you have a perfect explanation as to why the second line would be ####. When you are sitting just above Garnett Hathaway in points per 60 minutes, and can thank James Neal and a host of players who have been called up from the AHL from pushing you up the leaderboard, you probably don't deserve that prime ice time you're getting. I really wish the coaching staff would recognize the obvious and shift these guys down where they belong. Bennett produces like a 4th liner, that is where he should be contributing.

You're actually back to reality with this part which is nice.

I agree it is a concern.

But who do you replace these players with in a salary cap world with injuries? Backlund is a given when he comes back. They've tried Neal, Czarnik, Frolik and Bennett in that final top six spot.

So far they haven't found that long term fit.