Two ways that we can quantify each player's impact on puck-possession is to calculate their success-rate when making a play with possession, and to communicate the number of successful plays with possession they are contributing per-minute of ice-time. If we were only to look at success-rates without looking at successful plays per-minute we would be unaware of the player's sample size, or of their actual impact within each game. Similarly, if we only looked at successful plays per-minute we would be unable to know how often the player is actually failing (turning the puck over) to make a play with possession.
In this post I've included each metric to relate how each Montreal Canadiens player has performed during the preseason. The first two graphs indicate each player's overall performance at even-strength, while the following six graphs reflect their performance in each zone.
OVERALL EVEN-STRENGTH PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATE
This graph indicates each player's success-rate when in possession of the puck at even-strength. It is calculated simply by dividing the number of successful plays with possession by the total number of attempted plays with possession. The higher the number, the more successful each player was when attempting to make a pass, deke, dump-in, dump-out, or shot on net.
Subtracting each player's puck-possession success-rate from 100, would produce each player's turnover-rate.
Lars Eller had the top puck-possession success-rate among forwards, with Jiri Sekac, Michael Bournival, and PA Parenteau close behind. Among defensemen, the top puck-possession success-rate was produced by Tom Gilbert, Alexei Emelin, and Davis Drewiske.
EVEN-STRENGTH SUCCESSFUL PUCK-POSSESSION PLAYS PER-MINUTE PLAYED
This graph indicates the number of successful even-strength puck-possession events each player has contributed per-minute played, and compares that to an average player playing the same position. The average is calculated using the numbers from all players who play each position. The higher he is above replacement value, the further his rating will be to the right of the graph; the lower the rating, the further to the left it will appear.
Jiri Sekac produced the most successful even-strength puck-possession plays per-minute played relative to an average winger. Other player who produced substantially more successful plays per-minute above average include; Lars Eller, Michael Bournival, Alex Galchenyuk, PK Subban and Tom Gilbert.
OFFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATE
This graph indicates each player's success-rate when in possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. It is calculated simply by dividing the number of successful plays with possession by the total number of attempted plays with possession. The higher the number, the more successful each player was when attempting to make a pass, deke, or shot on net.
Offensive-zone puck-possession success-rates are generally lower than those produced in other zones. This is simply the result of the increased defensive-pressure that exists the closer an event occurs to the opposition's net.
OFFENSIVE-ZONE SUCCESSFUL PUCK-POSSESSION PLAYS PER-MINUTE PLAYED
This graph indicates the number of successful even-strength puck-possession events each player has contributed in the offensive-zone per-minute played, and compares that to an average player playing the same position. The average is calculated using the numbers from all players who play each position. The higher he is above replacement value, the further his rating will be to the right of the graph; the lower the rating, the further to the left it will appear.
DEFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATE
This graph indicates each player's success-rate when in possession of the puck in the defensive-zone. It is calculated simply by dividing the number of successful plays with possession by the total number of attempted plays with possession. The higher the number, the more successful each player was when attempting to make a pass, deke, or shot on net.
Defensive-zone puck-possession success-rates are an important measuring tool when looking at how successful each player is at moving the puck out of the defensive-zone. Players with lower defensive-zone puck-possession success-rates generally give up more scoring-chances against than those players with higher success-rates.
DEFENSIVE-ZONE SUCCESSFUL PUCK-POSSESSION PLAYS PER-MINUTE PLAYED
This graph indicates the number of successful even-strength puck-possession events each player has contributed in the defensive-zone per-minute played, and compares that to an average player playing the same position. The average is calculated using the numbers from all players who play each position. The higher he is above replacement value, the further his rating will be to the right of the graph; the lower the rating, the further to the left it will appear.
Results within this metric can indicate one of two things. A low result could indicate that a player is having difficulty moving the puck out of the defensive-zone; resulting in more turnovers, or that a player is not spending as much time in the defensive-zone as other teammates playing the same position. As such, it should always be used in conjunction with other metrics.
NEUTRAL-ZONE PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATE
This graph indicates each player's success-rate when in possession of the puck in the neutral-zone. It is calculated simply by dividing the number of successful plays with possession by the total number of attempted plays with possession. The higher the number, the more successful each player was when attempting to make a pass, deke, or shot on net.
Neutral-zone puck-possession success-rates are an important measuring tool when looking at how successful each player is at minimizing neutral-zone turnovers. A post focusing on the link between neutral-zone play and scoring-chances can be found here.
NEUTRAL-ZONE SUCCESSFUL PUCK-POSSESSION PLAYS PER-MINUTE PLAYED
This graph indicates the number of successful even-strength puck-possession events each player has contributed in the neutral-zone per-minute played, and compares that to an average player playing the same position. The average is calculated using the numbers from all players who play each position. The higher he is above replacement value, the further his rating will be to the right of the graph; the lower the rating, the further to the left it will appear.
