Gretzky vs. Jordan

[MadLuke]

OK, so you feel goals scored short-handed is an indicator of defensive play.

If not very directly so, must be quite correlated with zone exit abilities, anticipation-steal-turnover creation, a clear sign coaches are using the player on the PK and again correlated with some defensive play (and probably speed a nice asset to have in all situation including defensive play).

The players with the most short-handed goal since 2000

Hossa: 34 (received selke vote 15 time in is career)
St-Louis: 29 (received selke vote 4 time)
Mike Richards: 28 (received selke vote 6 time)
Brad Marchand: 26 (received selke vote 7 time)
Brian Rolston: 23 (received selke vote 6 time)
Vermette: 22 (received selke vote 4 time)
Nash:22 (received selke vote 3 time and did show on team canada how good it could be at it)
Grabner: 21 (received selke vote 1 time)
Plekanec: 20 (received selke vote 7 time)
Matt Cullen: 20 (received selke vote 2 time)
Alfredsson: 20 (received selke vote 7 time)

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

If not very directly so, must be quite correlated with zone exit abilities, anticipation-steal-turnover creation, a clear sign coaches are using the player on the PK and again correlated with some defensive play (and probably speed a nice asset to have in all situation including defensive play).

The players with the most short-handed goal since 2000

Hossa: 34 (received selke vote 15 time in is career)
St-Louis: 29 (received selke vote 4 time)
Mike Richards: 28 (received selke vote 6 time)
Brad Marchand: 26 (received selke vote 7 time)
Brian Rolston: 23 (received selke vote 6 time)
Vermette: 22 (received selke vote 4 time)
Nash:22 (received selke vote 3 time and did show on team canada how good it could be at it)
Grabner: 21 (received selke vote 1 time)
Plekanec: 20 (received selke vote 7 time)
Matt Cullen: 20 (received selke vote 2 time)
Alfredsson: 20 (received selke vote 7 time)

All true. Except you are portraying an era that Gretzky didn't play in.

There are 11 players with more short-handed goals than Hossa. All played in Gretzky's era.

Steve Yzerman scored 50 shorties. He scored 39 of them when he was not even consider an average defensive player. He led the league in short-handed goals 3 times, never getting a single Selke vote in those 3 seasons. Pavel Bure led the league twice, no Selke votes. Mario has the record for most SH goals in a season. Zero Selke votes. Completely different philosophy on penalty killing in the Gretzky era.