Is Kerfoot Good Defensively?

[Pokecheque]

Was just reading James Tanner on HockeyBuzz stating Kerfoot should have been considered for the Selke. I don't begrudge Kerfoot but that's a definite alternate reality type of contention because it not reality in this universe or plain of existence.

I'll admit I really wish that sort of discussion would die off, it's just getting in the way of rational discussion about his game. I love the guy and think he's seriously undervalued, but no, I don't think he should be considered for a Selke.

Now, I do believe the Selke has too often been awarded to the "Guy deemed to be a two-way player who scores a lot" so I'm all for revamping the criteria for who should get the Selke (and also the Norris) but this is IMO a bridge too far. I thought Erik Condra was a fantastic defensive forward at the time, if any sort of lower-tier guy should be eligible I'd like it to be someone like that.

 

[Avelanche]

No, actually, trying to measure a skater's defensive acumen by goals against is flawed. It's every bit as bad as plus/minus because like that stat, you're discounting the most obvious thing--the goaltender.

He was one of the few good defensive players on a bad defensive team, and the puck moved in the right direction when he was on the ice. The fact that he and his linemates didn't really have the talent to score at a regular clip or really sustain drives in the attacking zone shouldn't really negate that. People think if he's some great defensive forward then he should have stemmed the tide all by his lonesome. That's not how it works, and besides, it's generally agreed he played higher in the lineup than he should have because of depth issues.

Penalty killing is also a misnomer. Bobby Holik was regarded as one of the best defensive centers of his generation and never killed penalties in NJ. And we'll see if that stands...I'm guessing Babs will try him in that role, and I think he'll be quite good at it. I don't think we necessarily have to assume Bednar didn't use Kerfoot on the PK because he didn't think he wasn't any good at it.

I really do wish though, that while I understand what they were getting at, the EvolvingWild twins didn't insist on mentioning Kerf in the same conversation as the Selke. It's made things way, way too polarizing, and besides which, I don't agree with it. He is a very good defensive player, but he's not in the upper echelon of talents in the league. I don't consider him to be some kind of elite shutdown guy, he's a good utility player who can play a defensive role and make plays at the other end. He was miscast as a 2nd line guy (or at the very least, a guy who had to drive the play on his line) but despite that, he still produced as a pretty good clip.

Kerfoot was never put in a spot to drive the play. He played with jost and compher and wilson etc. on a protected energy line(because of the top line) not expected to score a lot or slotted up to play wing with mackinnon. also got tons of PP time.

Avs were not a bad defensive team when kerfoot was on it.

 

[Pokecheque]

Kerfoot was never put in a spot to drive the play. He played with jost and compher and wilson etc. on a protected energy line(because of the top line) not expected to score a lot or slotted up to play wing with mackinnon. also got tons of PP time.

Avs were not a bad defensive team when kerfoot was on it.

He was almost always the best player on his line, save for any shifts where a member of the top line was bumped down or he was bumped up, or he was paired with Soderberg. So yes, he absolutely had to drive whatever line he was on.

And he spent most of his time this year on the 2nd unit, not sure I'd characterize that as a "ton" of PP time.

And while there are a lot of metrics for team defense, they were 12th in terms of shots against/game and were 16th in goals given up. They may not have been *bad* but they weren't good, but he also played a part in making them better defensively.