Eye Test Vs. Analytics: What Do You Trust In Edmonton Oilers Player Debates?

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The Edmonton Oilers are a strong Stanley Cup contender (even with this weekend's results) and are blessed with a knowledgeable and passionate fan base.

Back in the olden days, all discussion surrounding individual players involved boxcar statistics (games, goals, assists, points) and the eye test. If a player scored 30 goals in a season, it was still possible to express concern about things like physicality and consistency, but criticizing a 30-goal scorer is a difficult chore.

In the early 2000s, analytics began creeping into the game and offered us an opportunity to view the results from a different angle. That 30-goal scorer became more vulnerable to a critical eye, depending on how he scored those goals. If 20 came on the power play, and he was a five-on-five sinkhole (his line giving up more goals than scoring goals) room was available to question the overall contribution of said player.

Defenceman Evan Bouchard and goaltender Stuart Skinner are under close scrutiny from the fan base due to inconsistent performance.

Despite the mistakes, the math says both men are delivering within their own established levels of ability.

The video shows some alarming turnovers from Bouchard this season. He's also less effective than he has been in the past in getting pucks through on the power play.

Based on math, and the knowledge Edmonton is trying to reduce goals-against at five-on-five, the Bouchard numbers this season suggest he's not a major drag on outscoring.