Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!
I don't agree 100% with that analysis. It assumes all shots are made equal. I don't agree, team defense heavily influences save percentage. I have yet to see a metric that cleanly separates the goalie. I just don't believe a shot from the point with no traffic is equal to a shot from the slot on a two on one.
P.S. we were typing at the same time...
My biggest issue with stats like these - beyond your point that it assumes all shots are equal - is that it assumes all
GOALS are equal. My belief has always been that some goals are bigger than others. Go-ahead goals - whether it be early in the game, or more so later in a game - are HUGE. Game-tying goals likewise. Goals that expand a lead aren't quite as important, and decrease importance as a lead gets bigger. Likewise, goals that close a multi-goal gap can have value OR not, depending upon the situation of the game. That's all just very basic competitive logic. But ALL are weighted equally in any simple straight-line statistical analysis.
My arguments as to the relatively meaningless nature of SOG's - and let's face it, only GOALS count when determining wins & losses - track the same basic logic. As goes the (in)famous but highly accurate quote by Coach Herm Edwards back in the day ...
"You play to WIN the game!" Only players with a selfish, me-first mentality give a rat's you-know-what about personal stats.
I'd be happy to go on an extended rant on why starting pitchers' W-L record is now vastly undervalued by Pocket Protector Nation, but this is a hockey site, and I'm already risking too much "high horse" annoyance on the goalie stat subject matter to waste it needlessly.
Bottom line: a talented, disciplined goalie who can come up with the goods when the game is on the line is the most valuable goalie any team can hope to have. One who makes the routine saves routine, limits rebounds to bail out his/her defense, does not leak soft goals, AND rises to the big competitive moments is the guy/gal you want out there when the chips are down. Simple as, and good luck trying to generate an objective, accurate and reliable advanced metric on that one.
It's why I focus so much on the importance of a team like UNH making it deep into postseason competitions as often as possible. You can only learn how to play (and then how to succeed) in high-pressure settings by playing in them - the more, the better. And last year the team got there, which will benefit the current sophs and juniors for at least two more seasons. There's a good chance that won't pay dividends later this year (hopefully I'm wrong on that), but it will be there to draw upon "next year" (see this thread's title). JMHO.