Focusing on a player's defensive-rating in the offensive-zone may seem contradictory, but it's actually an attempt at rating each player's ability to create turnovers in the offensive-zone. Players that rate high in this category are generally a team's best forecheckers.
Events used in this calculation include; offensive-zone puck-battle wins, offensive-zone puck-battle losses, offensive-zone loose-puck recoveries, lost races to loose-pucks in the offensive-zone, blocked or intercepted loose-pucks in the offensive-zone, and successful stick checks.
FORWARDS
Ryan White had the highest forechecking success-rate. White was successful with 76% of his attempts to acquire or remove puck-possession from the opposition in the offensive-zone.
Seven other Canadiens forwards had success-rates at, or above 70% when forechecking in the offensive-zone. Those players include; Brian Gionta (72%), Andrei Kostitsyn (71%), Mathieu Darche (72%), Max Pacioretty (75%), Louis Leblanc (72%), Erik Cole (73%), and Lars Eller (71%).
Andreas Engqvist had the lowest forechecking success-rate. Engqvist was successful with only 64% of his attempts to remove or acquire puck-possession from the opposition in the offensive-zone.
Five Habs forwards had success-rates below 68% when forechecking. Those players include; Petteri Nokelainen (67%), Travis Moen (67%), Micheal Blunden (67%), David Desharnais (67%), and Aaron Palushaj (66%).
Gabriel Dumont did not engage in enough events to include him within this report.
DEFENSEMEN
The top defensemen in this category are generally the most successful defensemen when attempting to pinch-in at the offensive-blueline. Rookie Alexei Emelin led all Habs defensemen with an impressive 82% success-rate when attempting acquire or remove puck-possession from the opposition in the offensive-zone.
Two other Habs d-men had success-rates above 75%. They include; PK Subban (78%), and Andrei Markov (76%).
Two Canadiens defensemen were successful with less than 79% of their attempts to remove or acquire puck-possession from the opposition in the offensive-zone. They include Tomas Kaberle (69.8%), and Yannick Weber (68%).
