Raphael Diaz is among the league-leaders in points for defensemen, and currently has more assists than any other d-man in the NHL. Granted, six of his 8 points were produced on the powerplay. But, Diaz's even-strength play has also been substantially better than last season.
Scoring chances were not tracked last season. This year, Diaz's even-strength scoring chance ratio of 0.38 (3 for 8 against) places him fourth among Habs defensemen; behind Alexei Emelin, Andrei Markov, and Francis Bouillon.
OFFENSIVE-ZONE
Diaz has engaged in a similar amount of offensive-zone events this year, and has produced a similar offensive-zone risk/reward rating and ratio. His success-rate removing possession in the offensive-zone is actually lower, but his success-rate maintaining o-zone possession is substantially higher. This is the product of an improved offensive-zone puck-possession success-rate (58.6% compared to 51.8%), which in turn, is the result of a substantially better success-rate getting pucks through to the net; up from a dismal 29.2% to 44.4%.
#61 DIAZ
SCORING CHANCES FOR N/A 3
CHANCES AGAINST N/A 8
OFFENSIVE-ZONE (EVEN-STRENGTH) DIAZ
2011-12 DIAZ
2012-13
SUCCESSFUL OFFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK/BATTLES PER-MINUTE 0.02 0.03
OFFENSIVE-ZONE RISK/REWARD RATING 0.11 0.10
OFFENSIVE-ZONE RATIO (SUCCESSFUL TO UNSUCCESSFUL PLAYS) 1.40 1.38
OFFENSIVE-ZONE LOOSE-PUCK RECOVERIES 0.095 0.116
OFFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-BATTLE WINNING-PERCENTAGE /MP 45.7% 100.0%
OFFENSIVE-ZONE EVENTS / MP 0.645 0.643
FORECHECKING SUCCESS-RATE 68.3% 60.0%
INTERCEPTED OPPOSITION PASSES /MP 0.054 0.013
SUCCESSFUL O-ZONE PUCK POSSESSION PLAYS /MP 0.192 0.219
O-ZONE PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATE 51.8% 58.6%
DEFLECTIONS N/A 0.00
ATTEMPTED O-ZONE PASSES /MP 0.179 0.244
SUCCESSFUL O-ZONE PASSES /MP 0.129 0.154
O-ZONE PASSING SUCCESS-RATE 72.3% 63.2%
ATTEMPTED O-ZONE DEKES 0.019 0.013
SUCCESSFUL O-ZONE DEKES 0.012 0.013
O-ZONE DEKE SUCCESS-RATE 64.7% 100.0%
ATTEMPTED SHOTS /MP 0.173 0.116
SHOTS THROUGH TO THE NET /MP 0.051 0.051
SHOTS THROUGH SUCCESS-RATE 29.2% 44.4%
TRUE SHOOTING-PERCENTAGE (GOALS / ATTEMPTED SHOTS) 1.9% 0.0%
DEFENSIVE-ZONE
Diaz's defensive-zone numbers are up across the board. It starts with his new found ability to recover loose-pucks in the defensive-zone. Diaz seemed hesitant last season, but has increased his loose-puck recovery numbers from .307 loose-puck recoveries per-minute last year, to .540 loose-puck recoveries this season.
His puck-battle winning percentage is up nearly 20%, as is his overall defensive success-rate. He has intercepted fewer passes per-minute played, but has blocked more shots.
He is producing more successful puck-possession events, and has improved his puck-possession success-rate from 67.3% to 76.7%; third behind only Bouillon and Tomas Kaberle. Each of his defensive-zone passing, defensive-zone deke, and dump-out success-rates are also improved.
The most impressive number, and indicative of overall improved play in the defensive-zone is Diaz's defensive-zone ratio. He produced 1.90 successful plays for every 1 unsuccessful play in 2011-12, but is producing 3.72 successful plays for every 1 unsuccessful play this year.
#61 DIAZ
DEFENSIVE-ZONE (EVEN-STRENGTH) DIAZ
2011-12 DIAZ
2012-13
DEFENSIVE-ZONE RISK/REWARD RATING 0.67 1.50
DEFENSIVE-ZONE RATIO (SUCCESSFUL TO UNSUCCESSFUL PLAYS) 1.90 3.72
DEFENSIVE-ZONE LOOSE-PUCK RECOVERIES /MP 0.307 0.540
DEFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-BATTLE WINNING-PERCENTAGE 52.9% 70.6%
DEFENSIVE-ZONE EVENTS /MP 2.18 2.61
DEFENDING IN D-ZONE SUCCESS-RATE/MP 63.9% 81.6%
INTERCEPTED OPPOSITION PASSES /MP 0.099 0.064
BLOCKED SHOTS /MP 0.108 0.154
SUCCESSFUL D-ZONE PUCK POSSESSION PLAYS /MP 0.685 1.145
D-ZONE PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATE 67.3% 76.7%
ATTEMPTED D-ZONE PASSES 0.910 1.325
SUCCESSFUL D-ZONE PASSES 0.637 1.016
D-ZONE PASSING SUCCESS-RATE 70.0% 76.7%
ATTEMPTED D-ZONE DEKES 0.019 0.064
SUCCESSFUL D-ZONE DEKES 0.007 0.051
D-ZONE DEKE SUCCESS-RATE 35.3% 80.0%
ATTEMPTED DUMP-OUTS 0.076 0.103
DUMP-OUTS 0.042 0.077
DUMP-OUTS SUCCESS-RATE 54.4% 75.0%
