Quote:
Originally Posted by GranteedEV
You sincerely believe that?
There is always a bias against small players and for larger players, and that is exclusive of performance. No one is saying that playing well in physical situations is not a factor, or even that size cannot be a disadvantage or advantage. But that bias absolutely exists and is used to overwrite every other fact about performance with hypotheticals.
By denying it, you're not disproving its existence, only proving your own susceptibility to it.
Which of these two players spent half a season on a line with Gaudreau? Hint: it wasn't the NHL calibre forward.
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There are definitely roles on a team, but I would not call them bias.
There are defined spots reserved for physical forwards, and defined spots of penalty killers, and defined spots for players who are offensive specialists. Phillips is not trying out for Ritchie's, Lucic or Kadri's roll on the team, he is fighting against Dube, Millano, ect.
I think that you're tending to extremes, Teams don't need to be all "skilled" or all "physical". Good NHL teams are balanced. Bias implies that you would refuse to have a small offensive minded player on your team, which is not true. Like it or not, if you want to play on an NHL team you need to fill a niche. The niches that Phillips can fulfil are reduced because he is not going to be a psychical presence, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have legitimate rolls he can play . Sure he is trying out for a limited roll. If you want to call that bias do ahead. But I think that every player is trying out for limited rolls. The only players who don't are so good teams build around them.