Most hockey fans know the names Orr, Howe, Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby and McDavid. These gentlemen are house hold names. What is interesting is to look at the careers of all these individual players and try to find out what helped them to stand out as greats of all time or greats in the making.
Gretzky, Howe, Orr and Lemieux obviously were four of the most prolific scorers the game has ever seen. The point obtaining prowess of Gretzky is unparalleled and may never be a feat equaled. The goal scoring ability of Lemieux is extremely special. The end to end rushes by Orr still conjure up images of the game when it was still so raw and exciting, a time before systems took over the game. Each one of these greats put their stamp on the game.
But what can one now look at to metric or compare why they were so great? The game may have changed some over the past few decades, but one thing is certainly still true today. The team that scores more than the other team is ultimately all that matters at the end of the day.
Which leads to the most underrated statistic talked about in the game of hockey today. The plus minus stat. Just think about it. If you have more plusses then minuses you are contributing to your teams’ success in a tangible and meaningful manner. More plusses always means more wins, and more wins equals more successes.
In simple terms the plus minus stat is defined as: 1. If you are on the ice when your team scores you are given a plus 1. 2. If you are on the ice when your team is scored upon you are given a minus 1. Bottom line is the more plusses usually means more wins and the more minuses usually means more losses.
The current edition of the Buffalo Sabres shows a glaring weakness regarding this stat. Obviously, when you do not score many goals as a team, the pension for more minuses is greater. But the important comparison here is how do elite players in the game today stack up when it comes to plus minus.
Before jumping into the current state of the plus minus game for the Sabres let’s set a baseline of greatness that this stat has produced since its inception. To do this properly the following is the list of top fifteen all time on the career plus minus list according to, Hockey-Reference.com.
1. Larry Robinson* 1972-92 722
2. Bobby Orr* 1966-79 582
3. Ray Bourque* 1979-01 527
4. Wayne Gretzky* 1979-99 520
5. Bobby Clarke* 1969-84 507
6. Serge Savard* 1966-83 462
7. Denis Potvin* 1973-88 456
8. Nicklas Lidstrom* 1991-12 450
9. Bryan Trottier* 1975-94 449
10. Brad McCrimmon 1979-97 448
11. Guy Lafleur* 1971-91 446
12. Mark Howe* 1979-95 400
13. Scott Stevens* 1982-04 395
14. Steve Shutt* 1972-85 394
15. Mike Bossy* 1977-87 380
Larry Robinson of the famed and great Montreal Canadians squad of the late 1970s leads the way with an unbelievable plus 722. His career plus minus is miles ahead of everyone even including number two all-time in Bobby Orr at 582. Now to put these two top guys into perspective, the era was different, but both of these great defensemen battled against each other for many of the years they toiled in the league and Robinson also was blessed with a much longer career then Orr. Orr’s knee injuries stifled a career that may have been second to none.
One of the main pieces to glean from viewing this list is all of these players barring one have their name engraved on the Stanley Cup. No small feat to accomplish as any player fortunate to have won a Stanley Cup will tell you. There is no other statistical list in hockey that will provide you with more Stanley Cup winners, or pinpoint successful teams, then the plus minus stat.
Take this exact list for example. Denis Potvin at number 7, Bryan Trottier at number 9, and Mike Bossy at number 15, are all part of an Islanders dynasty that won four cups in a row from 1980 – 1983. Now this group may be a bit unique as Bryan Trottier is also 19th all time in NHL history for assists and Mike Bossy is 22nd all time in goals. The Islander squad of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s was definitely stacked. Surely a reason they were able to win four consecutive cups. Similarly this list also demonstrates the dominance of the Montreal Canadians of the late 1970’s which also won four cups in a row. Robinson, Savard, Lafleur, and Shutt were all teammates on those great Montreal Canadians squads.
So what does this mean in today’s terms, specifically regarding the Buffalo Sabres, and what can we conclude from this very important stat?
Since the draft in 2015 when Connor McDavid was taken first overall and Jack Eichel was taken second overall the two have been linked. They are both skating in their sixth seasons in the NHL and both have been with just one club, the Oilers for McDavid and Sabres for Eichel. Both have also played almost an identical number of games since their start in the league. McDavid has played in 378 NHL games while Eichel has logged 375 games.
Take a guess at the plus minus rating for each of these players.
Only McDavid has played in the playoffs with two appearances since entering the league, and unfortunately no playoff appearances for Eichel. McDavid is plus 50 for his career including the latest game played and Eichel is a disappointing minus 69 for his career also including the latest game played. Which computes to a whopping 119 point difference over the same time period and roughly the same number of games.
Some may say the Oilers were a better team than the Sabres, when McDavid and Eichel entered the league, some may not. At the time both the Oilers and Sabres were searching for a new beginning and a franchise player poised to take them to the promise land. Both players entered the league with hype and great expectations and for that matter with tremendous ability. McDavid has been and is still considered the better player of the two, but they both are of elite talent in the NHL, and capable of leading teams to the playoffs at the very least. But only one player, Connor McDavid, has been able to lead his team to the playoffs and he did it with a C on his chest as well. The poor lot of Sabres fans in WNY have not seen a sniff of the playoffs for a decade.
Imagine if Eichel accounted for a plus 50 for his career as well, it would have led to many more Sabres wins and possibly vaulted them into the playoffs. And this is the crux of the issue for the Buffalo Sabres and no it isn’t about just one player, but one player can make a difference. Truth is as a team they are failing miserably in every aspect of the game right now. It has actually gotten to the point of absurd with so many losses piling up night in and night out. They have become a team more interesting off the ice, rumor mill, than on the ice which is a major problem. The time has come to realize the Golden Goose you set your heart on paying off is not capable of delivering.
To sum up the plus minus reference and why it is so important, ponder this last detail. The NHL established a plus minus year end award in 1983. Unfortunately, the last time the award was given was in 2008 and Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings won. In 2007 a former Buffalo Sabres player won the award in Thomas Vanek, which also marked the last time the Buffalo Sabres were in contention to compete for the Stanley Cup. Both of these players may not be house hold names and all time greats, but their teams competed and made playoff runs. There is not a Buffalo Sabres fan who would not sign up today for a team that competed and made a playoff run.
Hence the reason to evaluate the plus minus stat. A 1-0 game is still a win and an even night in the plus minus column is better than a minus. Reasonable goals and small tasks building on one another is one way to climb out of a difficult spot and the Buffalo Sabres are in a hole of epic proportions. Simple equation is to play defensive hockey first and capitalize on one or two of your best opportunities each night. One or two goals do not matter if you are letting in an average of four or more each night. The reason the plus minus stat is still used today is to pinpoint this exact reference point.
Last plus minus stat to ponder. When looking at the top ten players, by ice time logged, of the East Division leading New York Islanders they combine for a plus 47 rating as of this posting for the season. In comparison the top ten players, by ice time logged, of the East Division cellar dwelling Buffalo Sabres they combine for an eye popping minus 112. The proof is in the pudding. The differential here is a mind blowing 159 from first to last place. A fairly honest and absolutely brutal statement on the current state of affairs for the Buffalo Sabres. Sadly this stat is only after 25 games played by the Islanders and 23 games played by the Sabres.
In WNY hockey fans need to face the brutal truth regarding the beloved Buffalo Sabres. Changing and hiring a new GM or coach may offer a positive change but in the end it is just a Band-Aid. The time has come to put a conscientious, competent and accountable group of players on the ice that want to win for each other, the city of Buffalo, fans of Buffalo and to build another great chapter for a once proud franchise.
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