It also isn’t a hard concept to grasp that when he barfs up about a goal against per game, it decreases the chance of the team winning significantly. That’s exactly what he’s been doing lately.
“Oh just ignore that back breaker he coughed up to toss the game because he scored a few points several games ago.”
Talking about winning championships. Comical. How many Stanley cup champs have a top pair d man throwing pucks away like this?
No.
Him barfing up a goal per game doesn't hurt our chances to win if he generates atleast a goal per game.
Statistically at 5 on 5 - the average NHL players is on ice for 2.37 GF/60 and on ice for 2.37 GA/60. If you take the average player personified X5 and play them against the average player personified X5, the game will be 3-2 for one team 33% of the time, 3-2 for the other team 33% of the time, and tied at 2 going to OT the other 33% of the time. A .500 points percentage.
Thing is - he also literally doesn't barf up goals against. Occasionally he makes bad plays that result in goals against, which is obviously not good.
But Bouchard is on the ice for 3.03 GF/60 and 2.17 GA/60. Not only does he score more then the average player, but he gets scored on less. A plus 0.80 goals per game.
That means if we play 5 Bouchard's versus 5 of the average NHL player, 67% of the time we win 3-2, and the other 33% of the of the time the game is tied 3-3. An 0.825 points percentage.
For comparison - Makar is on ice for 2.80 GF/60 and 1.93, a plus 0.93. Hedman is on ice for 3.04 GF/60 and 2.17 GA/60, a plus 0.81. Q.Hughes is 3.23 GF/60 and 2.27 GA/60, a plus 0.96. Werenski is 2.82 GF/60 and 2.04 GA/60, a plus 0.78. Slavin is 2.7 GF/60 and 2.31 GA/60, a plus 0.39. Theodore is 2.61 GF/60 and 1.96 GA/60, a plus 0.65.
Is Bouchard perfect? No. Does he f*** up a lot? Yes. Is there a lot of things that I'd like him to do better? Absolutely.
But he also helps us win more often than he helps us lose.