We’ve all heard them. The old reliable hockey cliches.
“Grit”, “experience”, “leadership” “veteran”, “good in the room”, etcetera.
These, and others like them, are the buzzwords that permeate pro sports, the things we’ve always claimed champions are made of. Unlike goals, assists, and wins, however, we can’t exactly track and measure them. These are intangible qualities. Things that exist, but can’t be counted numerically. In contract negotiations, they can be used, but can’t be presented in a stats table or a pie chart.
And yet, these things bring value. And oftentimes, a price tag. Typically a large one, and typically for a player with their best days behind them.