Explain To Me Mike Knuble

As someone who has watched the Washington Capitals & hockey for one season, the only thing I can speak about is what happened during the current season.  Plus, you have to take what I say and realize that I am trying to learn hockey, and I don't know much about the game.  So every comment that I spew out is more of an educated guess based on statistics and my imperfect observations of the game.

Several times during the season I made comments that were my own personal opinions about players that should be traded, players that should or shouldn't be benched, and players that I felt were under-performing.  My hope was that someone would understand my situation and give me some substantial analysis about my comments to help me out.  Perhaps respectfully disagree.

Tell me some reasons why they shouldn't trade the player.  Tell me some reasons why the player needed to be benched.  Tell me some reasons why the stats were lying.  Several people did that and it really helped me out.  Several people also called me an idiot and told me they would never go to this site again.  Oh well.

Twoops!

So my latest Twitter comment that got people all riled up was Mike Knuble based.  After watching for one season, watching Knuble rarely score goals, and watching the coach hold him out of important playoff games, I then checked out his statistics.  After reviewing it all I wondered...why is it so bad that Mike Knuble is leaving?...Twitter Explosion!  (Note:  I may have worded it in a confusing way)


The emotional connection is one thing that I won't personally relate to being a new fan.  So I understand that aspect of the situation.  I understand that people are SAD to see him go.  But is it HURTING the team?  The question I find rampant in DC Sports when it comes to guys like Cooley and Ryan Zimmerman is; Do you want to win or do you want to love individual players?

So I took what I saw, combined it with the following stats, and made a Twitter hypothesis that the Caps would be better off without Mike Knuble:

I understand these are just three simple stats.  I know there is much more to hockey than these factors.  But it appears to me that Mike Knuble's best days are behind him, and re-signing him wouldn't be the best option for the team.

So instead of calling me a moron.  Instead of sending me hate mail.  Instead of blocking me.  Please  prove my hypothesis wrong.  Tell me his leadership and the way he plays the game make up for his decline in production.  Tell me that Dale Hunter just hated him and didn't let him play Mike Knuble hockey.  Tell me some other reasons why these stats lie.  Tell me why my reasoning is incorrect.

I'm not trying to be an ass about a player that all Caps fans love.  I'm trying to understand.