From: gibson@nukta.geop.ubc.ca (Brad Gibson)
Subject: Re: plus minus stat
Organization: Dept. of Astronomy / Univ. of British Columbia
Lines: 48
NNTP-Posting-Host: nukta.astro.ubc.ca

In article <1993Apr16.160228.24945@sol.UVic.CA> gballent@hudson.UVic.CA writes:
>
>In article 9088@blue.cis.pitt.edu, jrmst8+@pitt.edu (Joseph R Mcdonald) writes:
>
>>Jagr has a higher +/-, but Francis has had more points.  And take it from
>>an informed observer, Ronnie Francis has had a *much* better season than
>>Jaromir Jagr.  This is not to take anything away from Jaro, who had a 
>>decent year (although it didn't live up to the expectations of some).
>
>Bowman tended to overplay Francis at times because he is a Bowman-style
>player.  He plays hard at all times, doesn't disregard his defensive
>responsibilities and is a good leader.  Bowman rewarded him be increasing his
>ice time.
>
>Jagr can be very arrogant and juvenile and display a "me first" attitude.
>This rubbed Bowman the wrong way and caused him to lose some ice time.
>
>Throughout the year, Francis consistently recieved more ice time than
>Jagr.  Althouhg I have never seen stats on this subject, I am pretty
>sure that Jagr had more points per minute played that Francis.  When
>you add to that Jagr's better +/- rating, I think it becomes evident
>that Jagr had a better season- not that Francis had a bad one.
>

  Actually, what I think has become more evident, is that you are determined to
  flaunt your ignorance at all cost.  Jagr did not have a better season than
  Francis ... to suggest otherwise is an insult to those with a modicum of
  hockey knowledge.  Save your almost maniacal devotion to the almighty
  plus/minus ... it is the most misleading hockey stat available.

  Until the NHL publishes a more useful quantifiable statistic including ice
  time per game and some measure of its "quality" (i.e., is the player put out
  in key situations like protecting a lead late in the game; is he matched up
  against the other team's top one or two lines; short-handed, etc), I would
  much rather see the +/- disappear altogether instead of having its dubious
  merits trumpeted by those with little understanding of its implications.

  Brad

-- 
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  Brad K. Gibson                           INTERNET: gibson@geop.ubc.ca
  Dept. of Geophysics & Astronomy         
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