Grebeshkov and Souray may have had their rates suffer if they had played more minutes.

Grebeshkov average half the time per game on the powerplay point than Pitkanen, for example. While Souray missed more than 2/3 of the season.

Had they logged minutes equivalent of Stoll or Pitkanen, in all likelihood, the massive increase in time would have driven down their averages.

I suppose that makes sense. A limited sample size can make numbers that appear contradictory appear.

Any study of powerplay production from the point men is by definition a case of small number statistics when it comes to the Oilers. :( Stoll had pretty decent numbers back there, but for the pure defencemen pickings were slim. Only four played so much as half a minute per game on the PP:

Defenceman: PPP/PP+
--------------------
Pitkanen: 9 / 22
Gilbert: 9 / 16
Grebeshkov: 3 / 16
Souray: 3 / 11

(I assume slight differences between BtN and NHL.com are due to the latter including 5v3 goals)

Both Gilbert and Grebeshkov were on for 16 PPG, often together I suspect as both were second-unit guys; yet Gilbert got triple the points. It's certainly odd to see Grebs, or anybody on the PP, involved in under 20% of the scoring plays while he's out there. It's probably not sustainable. Whether increased ice time would result in his PP+/60 going down, his point production going up, or both, I don't feel qualified to say. I do think Grebehkov's strength is in gaining the zone and he's still finding his sea legs as a poacher, whereas Gilbert excels in that role. But there's more to like than dislike in Grebeshkov's numbers; as long as the unit is successful do we really care who scores the points?

//there's more to like than dislike in Grebeshkov's numbers; as long as the unit is successful do we really care who scores the points?//

Sounds good to me.