Agreed. The corsi and fenwick stats
Have to be looked at with context. I like how Murray talked about it a couple weeks ago saying Wiercioch has been the best defensemen on this team for years according to advanced stats, ever better or as good as Karlsson. Is Wiercioch better than Karlsson, Methot, Ceci? Of course not. There is more to hockey than what corsi takes into consideration. Wiercioch is still slow, very bad positioning and such a spaghetti out there. I'd take Cowen everyday before Wiercioch and I strongly believe he is better than Wiercioch. Wier has not been able to land a spot on the lineup for 3 years now. What makes a guy like Gryba,Ceci,Methot and Karlsson stick with the team and not Wiercioch if Wiercioch has better advanced stats?
If you can't see the flaws(many many flaws) in Wier's game you have to either be blind or rejecting the fact that he's not as good as stats tell you. Cowen on the other hand definitely has some things to work on like intelligence and his pinches but I like the progress I've seen. He's not where we'd like him to be but I see him as a Coburn type
Defensemen. He may not be a true top pairing guy but will be able to play some solid minutes down the road thanks to sound positioning and strenght to take people out of the front of the net. He can provide some offense but it's not flowing at this point, very raw and non confident when he pinches. However, Wiercioch has nothing that tells me that he'll be a regular defensemen in the NHL ever. You need positioning and strenght as a defensemen playing against top lines and he doesn't have that. Especially if he has no speed. Very bad combo. Only thing he has is a good first pass and sometime pinch but what good does that do when you cant come back in time .
You are so unforgiving of wier's flaws yet you are quick to dismiss Cowen's or at least down play them. I think Cowen is worse then Wier and i'm not particular happy with Wier. I reject the notion that Cowen has good positioning. Guy can't read the play worth **** so how is suppose to know where to be? At least Wier had 23 points in 53 games. Cowen is suppose to be at the very least semi responsible defensively yet he constantly misreads plays and make the dumbest pinches imaginable.
Comparing Cowen to Wier is pointless though... they both arent good enough in their roles.
I look at Wier and see a guy you might be able to shelter and get some points out of. I look at Cowen and see a guy who still thinks hes in junior. Hasnt been able to catch up to the NHL game yet. I'm not holding out hope. He wouldnt be the first guy with all the tools and no tool box to fail. More often then not its the players that can't think the game at an NHL level that crash in burn in top 6 and top 4 roles then the players with physical limitation. Not saying Wier is some sort of hockey sense genius but at least he knows what he is and plays within his limitation.
The flashes are complete BS. Zibanejad showed flashes....Cowen has showed little to nothing. People want to see something thats not there. More often then not hes a liability. People exaggerate a big hit or a fight or a game where he thankfully doesnt absolutely suck but there are no flashes of a solid top 4/top pairing guy.
Slowly but surely it seems people are starting to see what Cowen is. Hopefully sens management figures it out before the rest of the league.
I dont ask for much from Cowen.... Just dont get exposed and dont consistently be the worst or second worst dman on the ice for the sens
The idea that Cowen isnt confident puzzles me too. Guy held out, said he didnt understand why he was being scratched and was confident enough to question his suspension. This compounded with his willingness to pinch aggressively and occasionally rush the puck makes me think he is somewhat confident. Low confidence players dont want the puck. Cowen seems to try to do to much with the puck.
I think Wier has better positioning then Cowen. When given the time to skate back in an organized fashion he can use his stick and reach well. Where he struggles is when he has to go into the corners or behind the net. He usually loses the battles and when the puck gets moved quickly he cant skate back into position fast enough