Analytics and advanced statistics have boomed in popularity across the NHL during the past couple seasons, with more and more stories either dedicated to or including shot-based numbers such as Corsi and Fenwick as indicators of puck possession as well as predictors of success for teams and players.
So what about the goaltenders? Are there metrics suitable for evaluating them?
In a perfect world there would be some kind of goaltender rating which factors in everything, similar to the quarterback rating used in the NFL.
In reality, as Columbus Blue Jackets goaltending coach Ian Clark once explained, the position may be too dynamic for one definitive statistical measure because there are so many outside variables which can affect each goalie's statistical performance.
"Goalies react to the hand dealt to them; they don't get to control play," Clark said. "Unlike a quarterback or a pitcher, who gets to control and dictate the play, goaltenders are recipients of the play, and as such there is a huge impact on how the team plays in front of them and statistical outcomes.
"Sergei Bobrovsky, Henrik Lundqvist and Tuukka Rask all face completely different things and have no control over it, whereas Peyton Manning controls what is going on over his playing surface when he lines up behind the ball. That affects statistics, and that is one of the reasons goaltending is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to using pure numbers."
Goaltending does not exist in a vacuum. Team play is a part of every goalie's success, and the biggest factor in success is the quality of shots faced.
Traditional statistics treat every shot the same, but you don't have to be a goalie to know there's a difference between an unscreened wrist shot from the point, a one-timer in the slot, and a backdoor tap-in.
Quantifying the differences is key. Some newer goaltending statistics try to factor in quality using shot distance or by grading shots from within a "home plate" area in front of the net, but former New York Rangers goalie Steve Valiquette doesn't think it's enough.
"It's not about location, it's not about distance from net, forget all that," Valiquette said. "It's about the sequence....continued
