From: apland@mala.bc.ca (Ron Apland)
Subject: Re: plus minus stat
Organization: Malaspina College
Lines: 24

In article <1993Apr16.222846.17764@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca>, golchowy@alchemy.chem.utoronto.ca (Gerald Olchowy) writes:
> It is meaningless to compare one player's plus/minus statistic with
> another players' out of the context of the role and the playing time
> of the players involved.    

It's just as meaningless to compare goals, assists, PIM and any other stat I
can think of.  Each player is asked to take a unique role for his team.  The
contexts will never be the same from one player to another playing on the
same team or different teams.  And yet ... awards are given and promotions
received based in part on these meaningless stats.  The operative words are
"in part" - stats must be interpreted, tempered with other information one
has about the player.  


> To compare Jagr's and Francis's plus/minus is ridiculous and absurd...

And comparing Jagr's and Francis's points is just as ridiculous and absurd...
but not more ridiculous and absurd as comparing goals, assists, points, +\-
for Selanne, Lindros, Juneau, Potvin, and the other rookies in the league...
and yet...

How about looking at them for what they are and enjoy the game.

Ron