Is Benoit Really... Anything?

[rumman]

Sounds like my wife's approach to finances....

I nipped that problem in the bud decades ago, easier to push them back a inch than drag them back a mile imo……….

 

[Fogelhund]

Benoit is dead last among Leafs defensemen by xGF%, by a considerable margin.

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I like Benoit a lot, but he hasn’t been “fine.” He’s clearly been struggling so far. He gets a pass because he does a lot of good physical grunt work and isn’t afraid to mix it up to stick up for himself, his teammates, or just being an asshole.

The problem in looking at singular stats, is it often ends up with biased results. Should we expect Benoit to have the same xGF%, with 75% dZone starts, while Rielly has 36% dZone starts?

It's the same with forwards... Holmberg at 19% oZone starts, while Nylander is at 59.8%.

Usage matters. Quality of competition matters.

Meanwhile, Benoit also has the second best ACTUAL GA/60 of D on the team, and we are a positive in GF vs. GA when he's been on the ice.

I'm not trying to make the argument that he's a great D or anything, just that we can't point to one data set to prove a point. In the end I agree with some of the comments above... if we think the 6D is the problem here.... I know we all want superstars in every spot on the team, but there has to be near league minimum guys, and you get what you pay for, more or less.