Producing offense is about creating scoring-chances, while creating scoring-chances is almost entirely dependant on making successful plays while in possession of the puck. This post will focus on the number of successful puck-possession plays (offensive-touches) each Montreal Canadiens player has produced per-minute of ice-time. It will also communicate the number of scoring chances created for each of these successful possession plays.
A successful offensive-touch is described as any successful play made while in possession of the puck. Events in all 3 zones that occur at even-strength are included. Specific events used in this calculation include; passes, dekes, shots, and dump-ins.
Among defensemen, PK Subban has produced substantially more successful offensive-touches than his teammates. Andrei Markov has produced the second-most successful puck-possession plays per-minute; followed by Josh Gorges, Raphael Diaz, and Alexei Emelin. There's a drop-off following Emelin, with another significant drop off after Francis Bouillon.
Lars Eller has produced the most successful offensive-touches among centremen, while Ryan White has contributed the fewest. Michael Bournival, Brandon Prust, Max Pacioretty, and Brendan Gallagher have produced the most successful puck-possession plays per-minute among wingers, while George Parros (SSS) has contributed the fewest. Players with substantial ice-time who have contributed the fewest successful o-touches per-minute include Rene Bourque, and Daniel Briere.
While the first graph focused on the number of successful offensive-touches per-minute played, this graph will attempt to quantify each player's level of offensive-creativity. Creating scoring-chances are the result of not only making successful puck-possession plays, they are about making the right play, at the right time, in the right position on the ice.
Subban and Markov have easily produced the most scoring-chances for each successful puck-possession play. In fact, they have produced twice as many even-strength scoring chances per-offensive-touch than any of their defensive-teammates. The offensive drop-off after the Habs top-2 d-men is staggering.
The numbers produced by the Habs centremen are actually quite surprising. Particularly the fact that Ryan White's numbers are so similar to the other 3 centres. That said, Tomas Plekanec, who has produced the most scoring-chances per-successful offensive-touch, is actually the team's best defensive-centre.
Briere has produced the most even-strength scoring-chances for each successful offensive-touch. Briere is among the Habs least-active players, and has been consistently involved in the fewest events per-minute played. That said, Briere's scoring-chance numbers reflect a player with an impressive ability to pick his spots.
Other wingers who have produced a significant number of scoring-chances for each successful puck-possession play include; Gallagher, Pacioretty, Alex Galchenyuk, and Travis Moen. Brandon Prust, Brian Gionta, and Michael Bournival have produced the fewest scoring-chances per successful offensive-touch. This is understandable, as Prust and Gionta have contributed more puck-possession events in the defensive-zone than any other Montreal winger, while Bournival leads the team in neutral-zone events with possession.
Data-generated scouting provides us with player-specific data. This data helps quantify each player's contribution, while shining a light on strengths and weakness that simply can't be documented otherwise.
