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The case for or against Sbisa – by the numbers


Bob Long

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OK couple of asks as I realize this can be a heated topic:

 

1) I’d like this to be factual and backed up with numbers/links, not a venting forum for people that dislike Sbsia, so in your replies please use stats or other data to back up the statements, and

 

 2) keep it civil, its all good, just killing time until the draft.

 

So with that in mind I’m backing up each statement with a link. Also, I’ve had to go back to some 2015 stats but given he has improved this year and it’s a shortened year too, so I think that’s acceptable.

 

 Looking at Sbisa’s stats, I think a solid case can be made that he is a positive for this team. I’m not saying a star, I’m saying positive. If you judge him on Corsi, he’s terrible. But is that his job? When you look at hits, grabbing up loose pucks, and separating guys from the puck,  he’s in some good company.

 

 

My conclusion: If he continues to improve his positioning, and keeps hitting and taking pucks away, he’s an asset worth keeping.

 

 Having said that though I’m willing to be swayed by facts if you got ‘em B)

 

 

1. Hits 

 

He’s willing to hit, and hit hard. He’s comparable in total hits to Brent Burns, Doughty, Del Zotto, & OEL.

 

 [http://www.foxsports.com/nhl/stats?season=2014&category=DEFENSE&group=1&sort=11&time=0&pos=4&team=0&qual=0&sortOrder=0]

 

 

 2. Loose pucks

 

Sbisa is better than league average recovering loose pucks, in all zones.  

 

[http://sportlogiq.com/2015/09/23/vancouver-canucks-defense-is-the-nhls-most-aggressive-on-loose-pucks/]  

 

 

 3. Defensive zone hits that separate opponents from the puck

 

11th in the league in this stat in 2015. This is by far Sbisa’s best area.

 

[http://www.vancourier.com/pass-it-to-bulis/the-redemption-of-luca-sbisa-has-begun-1.2121604]

 

 

4. Shots

 

Here’s where it gets really bad for Sbisa. He’s criticized most over his shot numbers. But I’d argue that’s not his job, based on his skill set outline above.

 

He’s in the same range here as Clayton Stoner and Rob Scuderi – two guys you don’t associate with outstanding shot statistics.

 

[http://stats.hockeyanalysis.com/ratings.php?disp=1&db=201516&sit=5v5&pos=defense&minutes=50&teamid=0&type=individual&sort=icorsi&sortdir=DESC]

 

[https://hockey-graphs.com/2015/12/22/sbisa-the-sens-and-the-scramble-evaluating-defensive-play-following-a-shot-attempt/]

 

 

5. Positioning

 

Its hard to gauge this one statistically, but maybe someone out there has something better on this front. The one stat from this season that supports his improvement is that he’s a +5, which I think speaks to better play this year vs. previous. And +5 is good enough for #3 on the team +/- stats.

 

But if someone out there has a better stat link for positioning please post it.

 

[http://canucks.nhl.com/club/stats.htm?gameType=2&season=20152016&srt=pm] 

 

 

6. Salary

 

Oh yes, the salary. So who’s in the same price range? None of these guys are as good as Sbisa in separating guys from the puck, so while I think you can argue Sbisa overpaid, he’s not really that far overpaid. If his contract was 3.0 per, I don’t think anyone would be arguing that it was too high.

 

Cody Franson – 3.3 per

 

Stoner – 3.3

 

Scuderi – 3.4

 

Krug – 3.4

 

Smid – 3.5

 

 

 

 

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Sbisa is not as bad as people make him out to be, the issue is that the Canucks don't/didn't have enough depth at defence, and he was forced into a top four role which he shouldn't be in. 

 

Sbisa would make a good 6th/7th Dman in the lineup because he's one of our more physical guys. The only problem is that he's getting paid more than what he's worth.

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I was pretty anti-Sbisa at the beginning of the season, but it was hard not to notice the leaps and bounds the guy made in improving aspects of his game that needed work.

 

He's a very decent defenseman that has shown some flashes of excellence. That end to end rush he did against Colorado (I think) was unreal and his dish to Horvat for the goal was perfect. Someone who can do that, is someone who has talent.

 

And seeing as how the defense is continuing to shape up, Sbisa will remain a welcome addition with his hard hitting style of play.

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I'm in the camp for Sbisa. Like Linden said, he's the only guy back there willing to play physical, in your face hockey.

 

Not all defensemen are gonna be good at everything, but the reason you have a defense pairing or heck, even a team, is that you're teammates are there to support your deficiencies and bring out your best. Just pair Sbisa with a solid puck mover and we're good.

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14 minutes ago, Bob Long said:

OK couple of asks as I realize this can be a heated topic:

 

1) I’d like this to be factual and backed up with numbers/links, not a venting forum for people that dislike Sbsia, so in your replies please use stats or other data to back up the statements, and

 

 2) keep it civil, its all good, just killing time until the draft.

 

So with that in mind I’m backing up each statement with a link. Also, I’ve had to go back to some 2015 stats but given he has improved this year and it’s a shortened year too, so I think that’s acceptable.

 

 Looking at Sbisa’s stats, I think a solid case can be made that he is a positive for this team. I’m not saying a star, I’m saying positive. If you judge him on Corsi, he’s terrible. But is that his job? When you look at hits, grabbing up loose pucks, and separating guys from the puck,  he’s in some good company.

 

 

Good analysis. Thanks for taking the trouble to get actual  numbers. I agree that Sbisa contributes to the phyiscal game and that is a plus. But the bottom line is scoring more goals than the other team and Sbisa does not contribute much to scoring goals. And he has more than his share of defensive mistakes. I checked out WAR-ON-ICE for his WAR (wins-above-replacement). His WAR is poor (and that is being generous).

 

WAR is far from a perfect stat and maybe it does not mean much at all. By the "eye test" Sbisa did seem better this year but I am far from convinced he can even be more that a marginal 3rd pairing guy. I know Benning likes his size and physical play, but if Tryamkin and Pedan are in the mix (and they are much younger than Sbisa) I see him getting passed on the depth chart.

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2 minutes ago, JamesB said:

Good analysis. Thanks for taking the trouble to get actual  numbers. I agree that Sbisa contributes to the phyiscal game and that is a plus. But the bottom line is scoring more goals than the other team and Sbisa does not contribute much to scoring goals. And he has more than his share of defensive mistakes. I checked out WAR-ON-ICE for his WAR (wins-above-replacement). His WAR is poor (and that is being generous).

 

WAR is far from a perfect stat and maybe it does not mean much at all. By the "eye test" Sbisa did seem better this year but I am far from convinced he can even be more that a marginal 3rd pairing guy. I know Benning likes his size and physical play, but if Tryamkin and Pedan are in the mix (and they are much younger than Sbisa) I see him getting passed on the depth chart.

Yah I've been digging into it on and off this year because being at the games, I thought I noticed something better in his positional play in particular but didn't have anything to back it up. I also like that he's just a quiet hard worker, willing to fight on occasion. 

 

I think the overpayment argument lies in offence - if he scored 3-5 goals and had 15 assists, that wouldn't be heard at all. I also think the stat he excels at - getting the puck away from guys in the d zone, isn't nearly as highly touted. You never really know how many chances he took away with that kind of play. I think comparing him to Bartkowski gives you a sense of that. 

 

http://war-on-ice.com/playerseason.html?name1=Luca0Sbisa

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15 minutes ago, Blömqvist said:

I'm in the camp for Sbisa. Like Linden said, he's the only guy back there willing to play physical, in your face hockey.

 

Not all defensemen are gonna be good at everything, but the reason you have a defense pairing or heck, even a team, is that you're teammates are there to support your deficiencies and bring out your best. Just pair Sbisa with a solid puck mover and we're good.

Larsen?  

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I like Sbisa.  

A little overpaid, but he's a good bottom-pair guy who can lay the body and win puck battles.  If he can keep the gaffes to a minimum he is very effective.

Unfortunately all some people look at is the salary and the odd turnover and they decide to make him the whipping boy.

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Sbisa's low point totals kind of surprise me because on the (admittedly rare) occasion he looks pretty slick in the o zone.  Easily our most athletically gifted defenseman at this juncture.  

 

He improved this year despite injuries and if he can take another step next year in terms of consistency I can see him being a quality piece.  

 

At this point he's really worth rolling the dice on, salary and all. 

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I am 'ok' with Sbisa

I am not ok with his caphit

 

What I struggle most with Sbisa is I usually can't tell if he is trying to make a pass or just trying to clear the puck when it gets on his stick in the d-zone.

*memories of cringing at Slegr*

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sbisa is paid to be our #5 dman

and he basically does that

complain all you want about his limits.. for him to have less limitations would move him up to be a top 3 dman

and then he is badly underpaid

he is what he is

middle of the road dman with decent nhl skills and gets paid accordingly

we all want everyone of our players to over perform and out earn their contract .. i get that

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