SignThornton said:
McCabe is not a better than average defensive defenseman, this is my whole argument. He coughs up the puck more than other elite defensemen do. I guess having him on the same team as Wade Belak or Aki Berg makes him look like an above average defenseman but he's not and I'm not fooled one bit. Plus/Minus is probably the most overused stat in the game. It doesn't always reflect how well or bad you play defensively.
FYI, the Leafs are 27th 5/5 which is even worse.
Yes he cough's up the puck more than elite defenceman do. But that doesn't make him average. Your correct about +/- . But you are not presenting an argument about McCabe's defensive play. You are stating your opinion that he is average defensively. I disagree with your opinion and will present a contrary argument that McCabe is not average.
Look at the stats. There are only 4 players with over 28 minutes per game.
Lidstrom +6
Pronger +4
McCabe +2
Kaberle -2
Only three of them are plus players.
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/stats?s...iewName=summary
Now look at the teams GF 5 on 5 and GA 5 on 5
Det 112 81
Edm 100 108
Tor 85 105
Obviously Pronger and Lidstrom should be on the ice for more goals. (Plus mcCabe missed 9 games) and have much better +/- but they don't. On the other hand Pronger and mcCabe are just as likely to be on the ice for a GA, Lidstrom less so.
http://www.nhl.com/nhlstats/stats?s...ewName=goalsFor
Now look at non-PP points.
Lidstrom 16 GP 57
Pronger 8 GP 58
McCabe 19 GP 48
All three players get huge ice. McCabe looks like his +/- should be alot worse because his team is awful 5 on 5. But McCabe does generate more offense than Pronger and Lidstrom and that will have a positive effect on his +/-. But it is on a team that is far worse offensively than Det or Edm.
If McCabe was average defensively he should have a +/- alot worse than Pronger or Lidstrom , especially since all three are playing almost half the game. But the differences are minimal.
It is possible that McCabe's offensive talents have completely made up for average defensive play. The problem with this argument is that the leafs GF is alot lower than Det and Edm.
