Only wins should be the measure of a netminder
By Damien Cox
In recent years, the wisest of the wise have decided that it isn't GAA that matters most. After all, if a goalie faces five shots per game and lets in two, a flashy GAA of 2.00 might not be telling you all you need to know.
Instead, save percentage, something those of us who watched the game before the Original 30 never even knew existed, has become the sexy measuring stick for goaltenders.
Like on-base percentage in baseball, save percentage has come to be seen as the true measure of what a goaltender is accomplishing every night.
The problem with this number, of course, is that it doesn't take into account the quality or difficulty of shots a goalie faces. Just how many he stops out of how many he faces.
Well, in the new NHL, it may be time to simplify again. As in, just wins, baby.
Victories are what matter the most, and perhaps should be the decisive issue when it comes to passing on the Vezina legacy.
It's too bad I have no idea what to say about this.
Labels: damien cox, hockey
