I suspect if you factor in the QOP and opponent you’ll see that those players and teams create more chances and take advantage of their scoring chances.
If I was evaluating these stats I’d throw out everything in the first few weeks of the season and against the really bad teams.
I'm not the one using SCA and HDSA as proof that the Leafs D is bad. I am simply pointing out how flawed that argument is.
By the way, if you look at just HDSA in the game logs, the 5 highest counts were
1. Hurricanes on 11-21 with 15. High Danger Goals For 1, High Danger Goals Against 2.
2. Wild on 12-01 with 14. HDGF 2, HDGA 2.
3. Canadiens on 10-03 with 12. HDGF 0, HDGA 1.
4. Sharks on 11-15 with 12. HDGF 1, HDGA 2.
5. Red Wings on 12-06 with 10. HDGF 3, HDGA 0.
Would you agree that Hurricanes and Red Wings are "bad" teams and removing those as well as the Canadiens game at the start of the season would actually boost the Leafs HDSA/60?
In retrospect, the 5 lowers HDSA counts were
1. Lightning on 12-16 with 1. HDGF 1, HDGA 0.
2. Panthers on 12-15 with 1. HDGF 2, HDGA 0.
3. Panthers on 12-20 with 2. HDGF 0, HDGA 0.
4. Jets on 10-27 with 2. HDGF 1, HDGA 1.
5. Rangers on 12-22 with 2. HDGF 3, HDGA 2.
Lightning are a pretty good team, as are the Jets. Further, those were almost all recent games showing improvement.