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14 January 2011
There has been some suggestion that the criticism of Brett Lebda has been too harsh this season. Some people are feeling that Brett Lebda is being victimized for what can at best be called a slow start to the season. Two of the staples of this argument are, he's won a cup, and you're ignoring what he did in Detroit. The first one can easily be refuted by the fact that there have been many horrible players that have their name on the Stanley Cup, (Christobel Huet is a nice lazy recent example) but the second point is much more fun to refute.
Brett Lebda's career year was Detroits cup year. It wasn't his best goal total season, wasn't his best point season, but it is the one season where he averaged more than 15 minutes of ice time a game, not a bad measurable for the value of a defenseman.
Here is how Lebda measured up to Detroits other Defensemen that season:
-Lebda was 7th on the Red Wings Defense for TOI/G playing a half minute less a game than 46 year old defenseman/zombie Chris Chelios.
- The noted "Offensive" Defenseman was also 7th in PP TOI/G
- Lebda was 9th in PK TOI/G averaging 20 seconds a game
- He was 8th out of defenseman in shooting percentage. Has the lowest shooting percentage of the goal scorers
- He was 6th on the team in Blocked shots, the lowest total of defenseman playing more than 32 games
- Lebda was 5th out of the defense with number of times on ice for goal. Only Chelios had a lower total of players who played more than 32 games
- His +/- at home and within his divison were a team worst
- And finally he was second among defensemen in PIM
Of Course It's The Playoffs that defined that season, here's Lebdas contribution to the blueline:
- Of the 7 defensemen used in the playoffs Lebda had the lowest TOI/G
- He averaged 4 seconds of PP TOI/G and 3 seconds of PK TOI/G
- He was 7th in Blocked shots (Half the total of the 6th place defenseman)
- He had the lowest +/-
- He was on the ice for the few Goals For and despite averaging only 3 seconds of PK time a game he was on the ice for 2 shorthanded goals
- He did not record a point in the finals
- Brett was a healthy scratch for first three playoff games
So without going into the further details of Lebdas suckitude, his career year is still a difficult case for him being in the lineup. Lebda benefitted from Brad Stuart playing only nine games that season, and with other key defensive injuries to Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, and Chelios he played into the lineup far too often. After his career year he immediately dropped back down to 14:59 TOI/G coincidentially when the Red Wings defense was healthier.
If you want to learn more on why Brett Lebda sucks, please consult your local Redwings fan.
Here, Here,or Here
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