The Blackhawks' Patrick Sharp is the best player in the NHL.
Depending on your reaction to the above sentence, you're either going to love or hate today's post. We're looking at Corsi numbers, a straightforward way to separate hockey standouts from clunkers -- and a great way to tick off Don Cherry.
Corsi numbers are named after Sabres goaltending coach Jim Corsi, who apparently developed them, and have been popularized by blogger Vic Ferrari. A player's Corsi number is the difference between the number of shots directed at the opposing goal and the number of shots directed at his own goal while he is on the ice. Not just the differential in goals (which would be his plus/minus), but also in shots on goal, shots that miss the net and blocked shots. At the moment, Sharp leads the league (for players with more than 50 games played), while the Oilers' Jason Studwick has the lowest Corsi number in the NHL for a regular.
Why do Corsi numbers tick off Don Cherry? To find out, you need to be an ESPN Insider.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
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Peter Keating
Keating's blog covers the world of statistics and analytics. He will examine concepts for evaluating athletes and teams across all sports, not just those commonly associated with sabermetrics. He'll introduce researchers who are developing sports analytical tools. And he will present and examine "Next Level" findings from ESPN -- data analysis that goes beyond official statistics to explain strategies and performance.
Keating is a senior writer at ESPN the Magazine, where he has covered investigative and financial stories since 1999. He coordinates The Mag's annual "Ultimate Standings" project, which ranks all pro franchises according to how much they give back to fans. His work on concussions in football has earned awards from the Deadline Club, the New York Press Club and the Center for the Study of Sport in Society.
As an athlete, Keating has always combined the speed of Lou Piniella with the glovework of Darryl Strawberry, two childhood favorites. He lives in Montclair, N.J., with his wife, Karen, and their daughters, Eleanor and Samantha.
E-mail Peter: pkeating.nj@verizon.net or follow him on Twitter: @PKStatsBlog.