But, is Kapanen good? Should we use the eye test or statistics to answer this question?
The answer with this is no different from any analytical exercise in that you observe, come up with a hypothesis, and then measure before coming to your conclusion. It’s essentially science. You use statistics because that is where you get evidence to prove or disprove your observations.
These things should not be mutually exclusive – literally no one who knows anything about hockey stats avoids watching hockey games. What would be the point? Statistics are an evaluation and analytical tool used to overcome the problems with the so-called eye test.