Brian "Friken" McGrattan - Page 3 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Wastedyouth · 10-16-2013, 10:59 AM

I am fully laughing my ass off at some of the comments on here. McGrattan is a terrible hockey player. Full stop. His job is to fight and he does it well. If fighting was removed from the NHL this guy wouldn't play a second.

FlamesAddiction · 10-16-2013, 11:03 AM

While McGrattan may not contribute much on the ice other than fighting and intimidation, he is not nearly as bad as other players of his type when it comes to keeping up with his linemates. He usually won't hurt the team out there. He's smart enough to stay back and not get caught deep, and he knows when to get the puck in deep and kill time. No, he won't make creative plays or be threat in front of the net, but for a mutant, he isn't as bad as many of the others.

Wastedyouth · 10-16-2013, 11:08 AM

McGrattan, already this season, has been on the ice for 40 more shots attempts against than for. And he barely plays. The next closest forward is Street at 20.

He's a total liability.

Cali Panthers Fan · 10-16-2013, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

McGrattan, already this season, has been on the ice for 40 more shots attempts against than for. And he barely plays. The next closest forward is Street at 20.

He's a total liability.

oh god...here we go with advanced stats again.

868904 · 10-16-2013, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

McGrattan, already this season, has been on the ice for 40 more shots attempts against than for. And he barely plays. The next closest forward is Street at 20.

He's a total liability.

Sure, but no one has really taken any liberties with Sven or Monahan or any Flame for that matter.

He's a nuclear deterrent, and has allowed the Flames to play without fear.

Enoch Root · 10-16-2013, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

Great fighter, horrible hockey player.

Quote:

McGrattan, already this season, has been on the ice for 40 more shots attempts against than for. And he barely plays. The next closest forward is Street at 20.

He's a total liability.

When I saw the first quote, I was going to say 'oh please, bring us some stats to support your completely inaccurate view' but you beat me to it.

McGrattan has tremendous intangibles for this team. He is a very useful player and team-mate.

He has more hits and more blocked shots per TOI than just about any other player on the team - oh look, I can do it too!

He is not a horrible hockey player. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't mean they can't be wrong.

Travis Munroe · 10-16-2013, 11:21 AM

Hartleys greates quote to date:

Quote:

This is the relationship I have with Grats,” says the Flames coach. “Like, why send guys to the slaughterhouse just for the fun of it? Those days are way past. But we’re going to make some friends along the way. There’s going to be some community dances, and I’m sure that Grats might be one of the organizers.

Wastedyouth · 10-16-2013, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

When I saw the first quote, I was going to say 'oh please, bring us some stats to support your completely inaccurate view' but you beat me to it.

McGrattan has tremendous intangibles for this team. He is a very useful player and team-mate.

He has more hits and more blocked shots per TOI than just about any other player on the team - oh look, I can do it too!

He is not a horrible hockey player. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but that doesn't mean they can't be wrong.

He has a bunch of hits because that's basically all he can do when he is out there if he isn't fighting.

Blocked shots are an indictment of his skill level, not proof of.

Parallex · 10-16-2013, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

He has more hits and more blocked shots per TOI than just about any other player on the team

So what you're saying is that proportionate to to icetime the other team has the puck significantly more (because otherwise a hit is an interferience penalty and you don't get a blocked shot while your team has the puck) when McGrattan is on the ice.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Robo · 10-16-2013, 11:28 AM

I have seen him out against the other teams top lines quite a bit this year (not sure why) but that may have alot to do with his shots against total if he is lined up against other teams fourth line he plays quite well and often draws a penalty or throws a big hit

GettinIggyWithIt · 10-16-2013, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parallex

Pretty sure you'd feel differently if you had to watch McGrattan try to play defense alongside O'Brien for 10-15ish minutes a night.

I am not sure what your point is? McGratton is a forward, Butler is a defenseman. Each player should be judged on how well they play their position. I'm pretty sure I'd feel differently about Monahan if I had to watch him play in net for 60 minutes a game too...

Yoho · 10-16-2013, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

He has a bunch of hits because that's basically all he can do when he is out there if he isn't fighting.

Blocked shots are an indictment of his skill level, not proof of.

I think you might see his value this road trip.

TurnedTheCorner · 10-16-2013, 11:30 AM

3. Frike
a frightening looking lesbien
oh my god here comes that frike!

Wastedyouth · 10-16-2013, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yoho

I think you might see his value this road trip.

Sure. What should I be looking for? How mean he looks while he sits on the bench for 55 mins of the game? Or when he is out there getting significantly taken advantage of by the other teams players?

Enoch Root · 10-16-2013, 11:32 AM

by the way, on the advanced stats argument that has permeated into every thread...

Any and all (correctly and validly gathered) stats are useful as tools, as data to add to the analysis.

The frustration that I find with the 'advanced stats' guys is this amazing propensity to take their stats as gospel, as some absolute fact, and come to decisive conclusions about players, based on that one stat.

It's the irony that they arrogantly parade their stats around, and then completely mis-use them by believing in their value over and above - and often to the exclusion of - other stats.

stats are pieces of information, nothing more, nothing less.

automaton 3 · 10-16-2013, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wastedyouth

He has a bunch of hits because that's basically all he can do when he is out there if he isn't fighting.

Blocked shots are an indictment of his skill level, not proof of.

So are you trying to say that blocking shots is not a skill? I can assure you that it is more difficult than it may appear.

Sure McGrattan is not skilled compared to an elite player like Crosby. Compared to other 4th liners/enforcers in the league I think he plays quite well.

Parallex · 10-16-2013, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GettinIggyWithIt

I am not sure what your point is? McGratton is a forward, Butler is a defenseman.

I wasn't the one who brought Butler into the conversation.

Wastedyouth · 10-16-2013, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

by the way, on the advanced stats argument that has permeated into every thread...

Any and all (correctly and validly gathered) stats are useful as tools, as data to add to the analysis.

The frustration that I find with the 'advanced stats' guys is this amazing propensity to take their stats as gospel, as some absolute fact, and come to decisive conclusions about players, based on that one stat.

It's the irony that they arrogantly parade their stats around, and then completely mis-use them by believing in their value over and above - and often to the exclusion of - other stats.

stats are pieces of information, nothing more, nothing less.

Ok. I should clarify the fact that when I watch him play I think he looks like garbage out there. The stats simply back up my assessment.

Parallex · 10-16-2013, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by automaton 3

So are you trying to say that blocking shots is not a skill? I can assure you that it is more difficult than it may appear.

No, what he's saying is that if you're blocking a shot it means that the other team is getting shots and thus has control of the puck (which is a bad thing).

To put it another way it's better to be the guy having his shot blocked then to be the guy blocking shots.

Wastedyouth · 10-16-2013, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by automaton 3

So are you trying to say that blocking shots is not a skill? I can assure you that it is more difficult than it may appear.

Sure McGrattan is not skilled compared to an elite player like Crosby. Compared to other 4th liners/enforcers in the league I think he plays quite well.

Seriously?

A blocked shot can be recorded for you just by getting hit with the puck, even if you aren't trying to. It's a silly, kind of useless stat when taken at a birds eye view.

Are there good blocked shots? Yup there certainly are, unfortunately they are not qualified in any way currently.

Also, you can rack up a tonne of BS if you are a terrible player because you spend a lot of time in your own zone getting massively outshot. Much like McGrattan tends to.

And this all while starting every single FO shift of this season in the offensive zone.