Wait, let me take another run at this lede.
The way we evaluate players in the NHL is in flux. As analysts, we’re trying to figure out which metrics we should be using to understand which parts of a player’s game. Do points still matter? And if so, how much? Certainly less than we used to think but to what extent? What about play driving? Can we roll up a player’s contribution into a single metric like Wins Above Replacement (WAR)? If we’re looking for a a player to illustrate this struggle, Yanni Gourde is an ideal case study.