A defenseman's ability to move the puck successful out of the defensive-zone should be among the first attributes quantified when determining his ability to contribute to team success.
This post will communicate the defensive-zone tendencies of each Montreal Canadiens defenseman while in possession of the puck in the defensive-zone. It will also focus on each d-man's turnover-rate in the defensive-zone, the number of times they carry the puck out of the defensive-zone, and how many defensive-zone puck-possession plays they contribute per-60 minutes of even-strength ice-time. Events used in this post include events that occurred during the season, as well as in the playoffs.
The percentages indicated within each pie graph represent the rate at which that player chose that puck-possession option. In other words, if a player has 42.1% indicated in the outlet pass portion of the pie, it means that 42.1 percent of the time that player made a play with possession of the puck in the defensive-zone he chose to make an outlet pass. The higher the percentage, the more likely that player was to chose that puck-possession play.
A list of all events tracked within this system can be found here.
The data included here shows a direct link between a defenseman's defensive-zone turnover-rate and the amount of ES scoring-chances they are responsible for giving-up.
HABS DEFENSEMEN (AVG.)
As a group, the Montreal Canadiens defense had a defensive-zone turnover (give-away) rate at EVEN-STRENGTH of 27.5%. Expressed simply, this means that they turned the puck over 27.5% of the time they attempted a puck-possession play in the defensive-zone. In games where the Canadiens produced more even-strength scoring-chances than they allowed, Montreal's d-men had a d-zone turnover-rate of only 25.7%, when they allowed more scoring-chances than they produced their turnover-rate was 29.2%.
DOUGLAS MURRAY
Douglas Murray turned the puck over a disappointing 36.2% of the time he attempted a puck-possession play in the defensive-zone. He skated the puck out of the defensive-zone a below-average 1.72 times per-60 minutes of even-strength ice-time, and contributed 3.61 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60.
Murray's numbers relate the importance of a defenseman's ability to move the puck safely out of the defensive-zone, as he contributed the second-highest defensive-zone turnover-rate, and was responsible for the second-most scoring-chances against per-60.
Murray was forced into attempting a substantially-higher percentage of dekes along the wall than the average Habs defenseman. Murray was successful with only 61% of his defensive-zone outlet-passes; a team-low.
JARRED TINORDI
Jarred Tinordi turned the puck over a disappointing 39.2% of the time he attempted a puck-possesson play in the defensive-zone. He skated the puck out of the defensive-zone 2.04 times per-60, and contributed 2.45 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60.
Like Murray, Tinordi's numbers also relate the importance of a defenseman's ability to move the puck safely out of the defensive-zone, as he contributed the highest defensive-zone turnover-rate, and was responsible for the most scoring-chances against per-60.
Tinordi attempted a higher-percentage of outlet passes than the average Habs d-man, but was successful with only 62% of his attempts.
JOSH GORGES
Josh Gorges turned the puck over an incredibly-low 21.5% of the time he attempted a puck-possesson play in the defensive-zone. He skated the puck out of the defensive-zone only 1.01 times per-60, and contributed 3.87 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60.
Gorges puck-possession success-rate also shows us that a lower defensive-zone turnover-rate among defenseman also has a direct impact on scoring-chances against, as Gorges produced the lowest d-zone turnover-rate and was responsible for the fewest ES scoring-chances against per-60.
Gorges attempted a higher-percentage of d-to-d passes, and a lower-percentage of dump-outs than the average Habs d-man. He was successful with an impressive 91% of his d-to-d pass-attempts.
NATHAN BEAULIEU
Nathan Beaulieu turned the puck over 29.5% of the time he attempted a puck-possesson play in the defensive-zone. He skated the puck out of the defensive-zone 2.68 times per-60, and contributed 4.91 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60.
Beaulieu produced the third-highest d-zone turnover-rate, and was directly responsible for the fifth-most scoring-chances against per-60.
Beaulieu attempted a higher-percentage of outlet passes defensive-zone dekes than the average Habs d-man. Beulieu's defensive-zone turnover-rate was hurt by his 64% success-rate when attempting outlet passes.
MIKE WEAVER
Mike Weaver turned the puck over 28.2% of the time he attempted a puck-possesson play in the defensive-zone. He has skated the puck out of the defensive-zone a below-average 0.88 times per-60, and contributed 2.87 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60.
Weaver was directly-responsible for the third-most ES scoring-chances against per-60.
Weaver attempted a higher-percentage of outlet passes, and d-to-d passes than the average Habs d-man. Only PK Subban, Andrei Markov, and Gorges had a higher outlet pass success-rate than Weaver.
FRANCIS BOUILLON
Francis Bouillon turned the puck over 27.6% of the time he attempted a puck-possesson play in the defensive-zone. He skated the puck out of the defensive-zone an above-average 2.91 times per-minute 60, and contributed 3.71 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60.
Bouillon had the third-lowest defensive-zone turnover-rate among Habs defensemen, and only Gorges was directly responsible for fewer ES scoring-chances against per-60.
Bouillon attempted a substantially-higher percentage of d-to-d passes than the average Habs d-man. In fact, only Gorges was more-likely to attempt a d-to-d pass than Bouillon. Bouillon's d-zone turnover-rate was helped substantially by an 87% success-rate when attempting a d-to-d pass in the defensive-zone.
ALEXEI EMELIN
Alexei Emelin turned the puck over 28.7% of the time he attempted a puck-possesson play in the defensive-zone. He skated the puck out of the defensive-zone 1.79 times per-60, and contributed 3.87 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60.
Emelin was directly responsible for the fourth-most ES scoring-chances against per-60, while producing the fourth-highest d-zone turnover-rate.
Emelin's defensive-zone tendencies are very similar to the average Habs d-man; although he was more likely to attempt a dump-out than the average Habs d-man. Emelin was successful with only 38% of his attempts to beat a player 1on1 (deke) in the defensive-zone.
PK SUBBAN
PK Subban turned the puck over 24.0% of the time he attempted a puck-possesson play in the defensive-zone. He skated the puck out of the defensive-zone a team-leading 3.76 times per-60 played, and contributed 4.90 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60; another team-leading number.
Subban produced the second-best defensive-zone puck-possession success-rate, and was directly responsible for the fourth-fewest scoring-chances against per-60. That said, it's important to note that he contributed far-and-away more defensive-zone puck-possession plays than any other Habs defensemen. In other words, PK had possession of the puck in the defensive-zone much more often than any other Habs d-man.
Subban attempted a lower-percentage of outlet, and d-to-d passes, but a higher-percentage of dump-outs and stretch passes than the average Habs d-man. Subban had a team-high 77% success-rate when attempting to beat opposing players 1on1 (deke) in the defensive-zone.
ANDREI MARKOV
Andrei Markov turned the puck over 28.7% of the time he attempted a puck-possesson play in the defensive-zone. He skated the puck out of the defensive-zone 1.73 times per-60, and contributed 3.97 defensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60.
Despite the fourth-highest defensive-zone turnover-rate, Markov was directly responsible for only the third-most ES scoring-chances against per-60. This low chance-against total is a direct result of Markov having the second-best defensive success-rate in the defensive-zone among Habs d-men.
Markov attempted a higher-percentage of outlet, and stretch passes than the average Habs d-man. Markov's turnover-rate was hurt by a team-low 52% success-rate when attempting to safely dump the puck out of the defensive-zone.
