This year? Probably. But that hardly proves anything in regards to Staal and Stastny. Vanek wasn't playing with a couple of maroons 5 on 5 up until a few months ago, and has had both ample and quality PP time. He hasn't made up the huge playmaking gap between he and Crosby even though
he's had the opportunity to do so.
Different scenarios, different results - though I see where you were going with this.
P.S. Congrats to Stastny on beating his club record rookie point streak yesterday and tying the NHL rookie record point streak tonight!
I really think you're breaking down things in a way that is too concrete and defined to describe a hockey player.
IE: "Stastny is a better playmaker, and Staal is better at everything else" ? This is oversimplification and in general not accurate.
I think we disagree on a lot of levels here. I mean, I guess I could go through a list of attributes like vision, puck control, offensive spacing and intuition, passing, puck possession on the cycle, movement without the puck, etc... where I think Stastny is better then Staal, right now.
And to go out on a leap and call Staal a "superior" goal scorer seems a stretch this year, given a difference of 5 goals. He's got a couple more goals sure....but.....we're not talking a 500% difference, which is what you so succintly call the "playmaking" stat is at...
Moreover, I don't necessarily think that the best penalty killer in the NHL is the one with the most shorthanded goals. I think there are a number of intangibles there, that are hard to quantify and you seem to pass over.
As a whole, I think the product that Stastny puts on the ice, is more refined, with greater impact on the game and generally more impressive then Staal. And given the age difference, perhaps it should be. But again, the Calder isn't an age-weighted award.
