SB Nation Dallas Editor's Pick

Benn vs. Richards... Addition Through Subtraction?

by Lance Walker on Nov 8, 2011 11:08 PM CST

So I thought I would start comparing Benn to Richards in stats and things to see how close they really are. Also, I was kind of curious as to how much the Stars are actually missing Richards right about now so I gathered up the NYR stats on him as well. I included a few of the intangibles and behind the scenes that I thought were worth just a quick mention. See all that after the jump...

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	S	S%	SHIFTS	TOI	FO%
*Brad Richards Stars 10-11*	6	12	18	9	6	3	0	45	13.33%	22.69	271.75	45.15%
Brad Richards NYR 11-12	4	6	10	-1	2	1	0	29	13.79%	23.15	286	49.75%
Jamie Benn Stars 10-11	3	6	9	-3	12	2	0	31	9.68%	22.00	200	34.80%
Jamie Benn Stars 11-12	4	11	15	6	16	0	1	37	10.81%	23.46	228	52.97%

I didn't really feel the need of going through much more after I compiled a spreadsheet of the first 13 games (the total GP of Richards this season) via ESPN's game log tool and saw this. Pretty amazing considering I left out tonight's game for Benn (1G, 2A, +2) just to make it an even comparison across the board.

You can't really use the excuse of Richards having tired legs already since this is early in the season, and this is when the Stars were trending well last season. Another excuse you may try to use is that they have different casts surrounding them, but if you go off that then have the Rangers dropped a pretty penny to have a significantly worse crew around Richards? More intangibles that others may or may not appreciate is that it seemed when Richards was on the ice it was more like our 2 defense men were having to handle 3 forwards (2 wingers and the center) while Richards became somewhat of a paperweight out there being moved around easy enough where he would probably have been better off just hopping off ice whenever the Stars had to play some D. Benn on the other hand has become a puck stripping king and has scored off that ability more than once. This adept skill has also led to several Stars scoring chances which is another hidden commodity (although I hear others on this site are working to make that not so hidden!) or assists from teammates burying well placed passes off the steal.

I'm looking forward to the rest of this season, and if this keeps up the Stars better pay Benn whatever he wants as he is certainly our best bet at a superstar in the making!

This is a user-created FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Defending Big D. FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable hockey and Dallas Stars fans.

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Comments

Oh no. You used that word.

Graham's Sports Crackers...they're tasty!

Never, under any circumstances, should you ever make fun of Brandon Worley.

by DFWTrojanTuba on Nov 9, 2011 1:32 AM CST reply actions

If you are referring to intangibles...

Yea I used that word as I didn’t know any other way to describe an extreme hunger for the puck. I even left out parts about how Benn is putting people through glass and I don’t ever see Richards playing with that kind of ferocity :D If you are not sure what I am talking about I refer you to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqJi3JaU3qg&feature=channel_video_title

by Lance Walker on Nov 9, 2011 1:54 AM CST up reply actions

LOL

I’m glad you understood which word I was referring to. Nothing wrong with it. I just laugh every time I see it.

Graham's Sports Crackers...they're tasty!

Never, under any circumstances, should you ever make fun of Brandon Worley.

by DFWTrojanTuba on Nov 9, 2011 2:04 AM CST up reply actions

Yea, quick apology to the "big man on campus" here

I know he is not a fan of intangible blogging, but I just wanted to get my point across that the statistics are already pretty close and this is during one of the best stretches of Richards’ year last year the difference really is in the hidden things. Can’t wait to see where the rest of this season takes us!

by Lance Walker on Nov 9, 2011 2:33 AM CST up reply actions

There's nothing wrong with blogging about intangibles

when you have evidence of any sort to back it up!

Just shouting “intangibles! because…. INTANGIBLES!!!” Is what everyone hates.

This is a good comparison. Heck, you can also add the 6 other players we were able to add with Richards’ salary money to the point totals too!

"He punched the highlights out of her hair.... He punched the HIGHLIGHTS out of her hair!!!" -- Young Neil

by Tsudbury on Nov 9, 2011 8:17 AM CST up reply actions

if your talking intangibles

than you forgot to mention that glenn sather makes bad decisions and john tortorella might be slowly developing schizophrenia.

while were on the topic of richards, the rangers are winning games now but they still play like a 7-8th seed team, if they miss the play offs it will be the 2nd time in 3 years and people will be calling for tortorella head. seeing as richards wanted to reunite with torts so bad wouldnt it be ironic if tortorella got fired?

by Long Island on Nov 9, 2011 7:09 AM CST reply actions

True story

It really seems like the Rangers are playing like Crawford’s Stars whereas the Stars are playing a lot more like a Hitchcock level of Stars (not quite as tight on the D, but lots of hard work etc) Lehts is doing a good impression of Belfour too.

by Lance Walker on Nov 9, 2011 4:43 PM CST up reply actions