I understand now what the +/- means, but what does it prove?

Question

What purpose does it serve?

Answer 1

It doesn't do as much as a lot of people think.....

While the "intent" of the statistic, to highlight the better defensive players is noble, +/- doesn't acheive it because it has a lot of problems.

Any Goal scored is a +, so right there the statistic is just as much about offense as defense. Maybe even more than that, because a good goaltender with help your +/- and a bad one will hurt it.

And as Bob mentioned above, special teams don't count. But killing a penalty IS defense.

And it's more about the team than YOU, bad players on good teams will still be +, good players on bad teams will still be -.

Defensemen tend to have higher minuses AND pluses simply because they play more minutes.

And something I think Bob will enjoy me pointing out for him: an enforcer may well have a minus because of what happens while HE is ON THE ICE. But his "intimidation" factor can save the team a lot of goals when he is NOT on it.

The +/- can certainly be helpful IF you are aware of it's weaknesses when looking at it. Some examples:

Derek Armstrong, last I looked was +15 on a team with lousy goaltending that had given up about 50 more goals than it had scored. In this case, the numbers say he is a good defensive player.

Dale Hawerchuk once led the Jets in scoring, and HE had the worst +/- on the team with -11. It's safe to say, that year anyway, he wasn't doing a lot of backchecking.

The Sabres back in the 70's had their "french connection" have +/-'s something like +1, +5, +6, while the Luce-Ramsay-Gare line who scored fewer points were something like +30, +35, +40. Again, from that it's safe to say this line was doing a much better job defensively.

So really, it's just a tool. It's numbers and numbers don't lie. But it requires some thought to interpret what they really mean.

Answer 2

Good at both ends of the ice (as a group) and your line scores more goals than it allows. Adds a defensive element to the stats.
Also, in relation to what the first guy says about + = wins, that is not necessarily true. A line can score 5 PP goals in a game and give up four even strength in that same game and the team can win 5-4 but those guys will still all be -4.
KNOW THIS-it has nothing to do with your overall TEAM PLAY but everything do do with your overall LINE PLAY. The team can be good but you can be a crappy LINE and still have a bad +/- and vice versa.
Also every goal scored is NOT A PLUS.
Also, yes a bad goalie will hurt your +/- and vice versa BUT a good line spends most of the time in the opposing end and does not give up alot of chances the other way-especially if they are good defensively (blocking shots-only allowing shots from the outside-clearing rebounds etc)
That said, it is a somewhat overrated stat in that it is not individualistic.

Answer 3

Its one of the best ways to rate a defenseman, because the defense's job is to keep the other team from scoring. So, if a defenseman as a + rating, then obviously he is doing his job on ice and his team is scoring more than its allowed. It is also used to rate other players if they are a team player and like to help out on the ice or not. Its a very important rating and proves to teams that you dont always care about scoring goals, you actually do the little things that help your team win. (because + means you win games, but like the second guy mentioned, ya you can win games with - ratings, but generally you strive for a + one.). Sure its not a 100 percent perfect, like teams who score a lot and have bad defense will get a + rating even though of the bad defense, but it is adequate for defenseman and other players in general to rate them on defense and on team playing. Note:
No matter how good a defenseman is, if your team can't score, you cant break the goose egg, but staying at 0 with no goals allowed is a feat to be admired. Also, it rates the team as a total, not just individual players, so if on a team there is one good defenseman and one crappy one, obviously the rating will not shown to the fullest extent because the crappy one (or the other members of the team in general) will pull it down. So it is not PERFECT, but gives an educated idea.

Answer 4

Bobby Orr who had a +124 in 1970-71 NHL season with the Boston Bruins well they had a great offencive team and that really help allot. but let's say he was playing for the California Seals he would of never had a + rating like that so it does help if your on a top team. just like if you put Chris Pronger on a team like the Columbus Bluejackets his + ratings would be very low to being on a team like the Anaheim Ducks. so the team your on really helps your +/- ratings. so the Bluejackets wouldn't trade a player for a Pronger just because of his +/- rantings cause it wont make a deference if your team still doesn't score many goals.


GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Answer 5

it proves nothing individually. The plus/minus is more statement about the overall play of a team. You can have a awsome defensemen play with a crappy defensemen, bad forwards and a bad goalie and he will have a awful plus/minus-highly overated catagory.

Answer 6

your stats look good if your team scores more than they give up, and you look bad (just about everyone on the team) if your team lets in more then they score.

It does tend to highlight who are the two way players, and who isn't.

Answer 7

you dont need to be scoring goals to help your hockey team... if you have 6 points and a +/- of +30 thats good for the team... if you have 100 points and a +/- of -50 then your doin your self good but the team isn't looking as good...