Stan Bowman Looks At The Blackhawks Centers

[southern_cross_116]

Sharp's faceoff numbers aren't very good and his +/- rating plummeted last season despite fantastic goal production, which would lead you to believe that he isn't responsible enough on the defensive end to be a center. I don't think his offensive numbers go down when he's at center, but the team's overall defense does.

I don't think the faceoff info is right entirely -as this info is from the prior year ( no idea what their statistical source is, but it matches with the ratings used in SOM hockey -and they do is use compiled stats into some sort of regurgitated replay system. -I guess what I' saying is that their ratings are arbitrary, based upon various stats.).

Of the 20 centers that scored more points than Sharp, only eight won a higher percentage of their faceoffs last year than Sharp (51.7%): Toews (57.3), Koivu (56.9), Crosby (55.9), Kesler (55.1), Datsyuk (55.1), Thornton (53.9), Lecavalier (53.3) and Zajac (52.9).

At a lower percentage in the past year - it is not really a drastic drop off and seems within a range that can bounce around a median base line.

I also don't think that the analysis on team D is correct either -as he played mostly Centre in 2009-10 and was plus 26 or something. In fact I think that suggests just the opposite- that he is more valuable to overall team defense when playing centre.

+/- can be pretty misleading too -as if a guys does most of his scoring on the powerplay it is not going to show up as a plus in that stat.