I don't view them as evil. And I agree that they're a tool. They provide a compilation of stats that have been interpreted in a specific way by these sources of information. The issue I've had with them in the past is how they're interpreted here. They're commonly used as the be-all, end-all in a conversation. If a player has poor metrics, we rarely get a discussion about why, which is imperative.
Duncan Keith was a tremendous example of a player who was viewed as one of the worst statistical defensemen in the league when he was acquired by Edmonton. And not only did he come here to take a key role in our top four, he had a significant positive impact on a green Evan Bouchard.
When it comes to Klingberg, he's not some unique player. He's always been a puck-moving offensive defenseman. If you put him in a situation where he's playing with skilled forwards on strong transition team, there's a good chance he thrives. I don't agree that limiting a player's opportunity necessarily helps their game. For a player like Klingberg, it probably hinders it.
I just have to laugh at some of the conclusions that these stats have come to in the past. Like Adam Larsson 'benefitting' from his time paired with Caleb Jones. They get interpreted in very interesting ways.