By-Tor.com

Congratulations, NPG! Your team is kicking some butt!

The Devils are on a rise as the line of Gionta, Gomez, and Elias are back together. They are now up in to 5th place ahead of Tampa Bay.

Now, I have a hockey question I can't figure out. Can someone please explain the +/- system to me? Thank you...

PV wrote:Now, I have a hockey question I can't figure out. Can someone please explain the +/- system to me? Thank you...

If you're on the ice when your team scores an even strength goal, you get a point for +/-. If you're on the ice when your team gives up and even strength goal, you lose a point.

by-tor wrote:

PV wrote:Now, I have a hockey question I can't figure out. Can someone please explain the +/- system to me? Thank you...

If you're on the ice when your team scores an even strength goal, you get a point for +/-. If you're on the ice when your team gives up and even strength goal, you lose a point.

Thank you, By-tor! I appreciate that.

So, here comes more dumb question stuff. The higher the positive number the better and the lower the negative number the worse. Right?

PV wrote:So, here comes more dumb question stuff. The higher the positive number the better and the lower the negative number the worse. Right?

Correct. Positive numbers mean your line(s) are scoring more than they're giving up. Negavite numbers mean you line(s) are giving up more than they're scoring.

There is a school of thought that says the +/- stat is meaningless, dunno where I fall on that.

Look at Modono. A -17 last I checked, and although he has had an off year (early on anyway), I find that almost hard to believe. I mean, if you take that stat and say that is the sum of who he is as a player, I am not sure that's a valid statement.

Also since some guys play most of their minutes on the PK, they are probably going to have a pretty high - number, but I don't think that's exactly reflective of their play in general.

Thanks, By-tor and NPG! I appreciate the explanations.

I am leaning toward agreeing with you, NPG. I would not place too much value on this statistic myself.

Now I know where to come with my hockey questions, you guys are great, thanks!

neilpeart_gal wrote:Look at Modono. A -17 last I checked, and although he has had an off year (early on anyway), I find that almost hard to believe. I mean, if you take that stat and say that is the sum of who he is as a player, I am not sure that's a valid statement.

His +/- for this season doesn't speak to the type of career player he is, but it is a reflection of the type of year he is having (not a normal year for Modono). +/- is hard to look at and say how the individual player is doing; but it does help to judge how that player's line(s) are doing as a whole.

neilpeart_gal wrote:Also since some guys play most of their minutes on the PK, they are probably going to have a pretty high - number, but I don't think that's exactly reflective of their play in general.

That wouldn't matter. +/- only comes into play for full strength (5 on 5 / 4 on 4) goals.

PV wrote:I am leaning toward agreeing with you, NPG. I would not place too much value on this statistic myself.

In any sport, it's usually not good to judge a player by just one stat. And, if you talk to 10 different people about the numbers, you'll more than likely get 10 different views. Most stats not only take into account the play of the player, but the other players around him. In the case of Modano, his poor +/- this year not only reflect his off year, but the preformance of the others on the ice at the same time as him. The only stat in hockey that I can think of which is pretty much all on the player is save precentage for goalies.

by-tor wrote: That wouldn't matter. +/- only comes into play for full strength (5 on 5 / 4 on 4) goals.

That's right, I totally forgot about that.

I agree about the save pct. too. That's about the only one that I find is indicative of anything.

PV wrote:The Devils are on a rise as the line of Gionta, Gomez, and Elias are back together. They are now up in to 5th place ahead of Tampa Bay.

Oh what a difference a week makes.

But By-tor! Avs go down to Columbus!

PV wrote:But By-tor! Avs go down to Columbus!

Give them enough two man advantages, and even the Blue Jackets can win.

DAMN I missed that.

But yeah, the 5 on 3s will kill you.

Preds play the Hawks tonight at home. Lets hope we kick some BUTT!!!!

neilpeart_gal wrote:DAMN I missed that.

It's all here in black and white, the ref's went crazy after the first period....

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/boxscore?gid=2004022829

I still can't believe they called Joe Sakic for throwing his stick to Blake (after Blake's stick broke) when the Blue Jackets were already on a 5-3. Even the Columbus announcers found that strange, saying that not only do you pretty much have to shoot someone when you're defending a 5-3 to get a penalty, but also that they have never seen a "throwing the stick" penalty called. They didn't even know it was a rule (neither did my wife or I), and had to have their crew look it up.

But even after all that, it still took the BJ's (pun intended ) overtime to beat the Av's.

Uh I would have to say, "throwing the stick" is a new rule to me, too. WTF??

Eh, the Avs will still be in the playoffs, so no big whoop. We, however, need to get all the points we can.

Go Broons.

Caps suck.

*runs like hell from Siggy*