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Old 02-01-2026, 02:56 PM   #28
gvitaly
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GioforPM View Post
I don't think he's better than Beecher. Beecher is better on draws over his career, is faster, bigger and only 24. And he's scored at two times the rate of Kirkland in the NHL.
Sure over their career Beecher is the better face-off man, but during their time in CGY Kirkland has won 50% of his face-offs, while Beecher only won 43% of his.

During their careers Kirkland is scoring at a rate of 0.07GPG and 0.23PPG. Beecher is coring at a rate of 0.07GPG, and 0.15PPG, so I'm not sure where you got the rate from.

Yes, Beecher is younger, bigger and faster, but also a lot less effective on the ice. I doubt you see him as anything more than a replacement level player next year, or the year after.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Enoch Root View Post
I think they're pretty equivalent 5 on 5 - neither is above replacement level.

But Beecher is a very useful PKer, and that gives him a leg up on Kirkland IMO.
Did the Flames PK look any worse after the Beecher injury?
With Beecher: 9PPGA, 5SHGF, -4 SHGD, 84.2%PK, 93.0% NetPK
After injury: 3PPGA, 2SHGF, -1 SHGD, 90.6%PK, 96.9% NetPK

If anything, it looks like the Flames PK got better after he was injured.

EDIT: Here's Kirkland vs Beecher on the PK(4 on 5) this season:
Beecher: 26:49TOI, 5.05xGA, 38SCA, 12HDCA, 0.909sv%
Kirkland: 32:40TOI, 3.51xGA, 25SCA, 10HDCA, 0.870sv%

It seems as though Kirkland has a lot less scoring chances and high danger scoring chances against in more time on the PK, while Beecher gets bailed by his goalies a bit more.

As far as 5v5 play:
Beecher: 38.5%xG, 42.0%CF, 43.4%FF, 20%GF, -6, 41.8%FO
Kirkland: 51.1%xG, 50.8%CF, 52.7%FF, 54.6%GF, +1, 51.0%FO

I just have a hard time making the argument that those stats are equivalent. Which largely agrees with my eye test.

Last edited by gvitaly; 02-01-2026 at 03:08 PM.
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