Is Alex Vlasic Better Than Will Cuylle? NHL Stats Decide

Few NHL comparisons generate more debate than Alex Vlasic vs Will Cuylle. The numbers reveal a genuinely competitive matchup — Will Cuylle takes 4 categories while Alex Vlasic claims 2, making this one of the closer head to head comparisons at the D position. Every statistical category matters in a matchup this tight.

Will Cuylle's Plus/Minus of -6 compared to Alex Vlasic's -49 represents a 716.7% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Will Cuylle's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Games Played, where Alex Vlasic posts 262 against Will Cuylle's 251 — a gap of just 4.4%. Alex Vlasic can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 4-2 tally suggests. In any debate, Games Played is the statistical ammunition for the Alex Vlasic side.

Defensive play in the NHL is measured through a combination of offensive contribution and plus/minus rating. Elite defensemen contribute points while anchoring their team's defensive structure — a balance that defines the position's greatest players.

The verdict favors Will Cuylle — 4 categories to 2 — but Alex Vlasic makes this far from a one-sided debate. Anyone building the case for Alex Vlasic has real statistical ammunition particularly in Games Played where the gap narrows to just 4.4%. The numbers have spoken, but the argument will continue.