Just another thought, but I wonder what this team would look like with Lundqvist or Rinne between the pipes?
I'd add Hainsey, and say he was a great positional D man and say he brings leadership and saves hungry children, but I'm sure we couldn't afford him.
Thank you for that humour. It had been tiring lately battling the Hainsey worshippers in other threads. You must have actually played high level hockey!
I love these ideas:
all opinions that do not agree with me must be because they don't know the sport
you need to play a sport high level in order to understand the game or be able to evaluate it's nuances
Obvious sarcasm, but I don't necessarily agree.
I have developed a healthy respect for the detailed statistical analysis you bring to the table and dare say I have learned quite a few things from you.
My insight comes from playing and coaching at the junior levels. I submit my opinions based on the "eye test" of watching the action. This includes not just following the puck carrier, but the other players on the ice as well and anticipating where the puck should be going next versus where it actually goes.
Some of the others in those Hainsey forums are out to lunch, however, and clearly don't have a sniff as I often feel I'm arguing with a 13 year old. That's all.
It actually had nothing to do with statistical evaluations versus eye-test.... even though no one does just the former exclusively. Not sure where that came from.
I think many often under estimate the knowledge and experience that some of our fellow posters here have.