Fogelhund
Registered User
- Sep 15, 2007
- 21,244
- 23,682
I mean, we can look at xGA/60 & CA/60 to see which teams gave up the most good chances and shots per 60 minutes. When Keefe took over on Nov 21, 2019 we ranked for the rest of the season:
5v5 xGA/60 - 15th
5v5 CA/60 - 13th
All-situations xGA/60 - 10th
All-situations CA/60 - 14th
We were a top half of the league defensive team when Keefe took over, something Babcock never was able to get out of the team. We have to remember that was the majority of the time we were missing at least one of Muzzin or Rielly, and we're adding a very good defensive/transition defenseman in Brodie to the mix.
Also, I wasn't saying Dermott is a 1st pairing defenseman, I was saying his GAR impact was one of the best 62 defenseman in the league, which means his overall impact is of a first pairing defenseman quality. Same as Muzzin, same as Brodie, same as Rielly. Also, just because I think our defenseman are the best in the division, that doesn't mean they're the best defensively. Obviously defense and defenseman are intrinsically linked, but defenseman provide lots of value besides defense that make up their overall value. It's like looking at points for forwards and ranking them based on that.
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I'm kind of a show me guy. I'm not a stats denier in any sense of the word... but show me (not you, but the team itself) that this team is good defensively, and only then I'll believe it. I'd be thrilled if it proved to be true though.