Rangers have a more successful group of defensive-defensemen, while the Habs have the more successful puck-movers
This post will focus on the defensive-zone puck-possession tendencies, and turnover-rates of the New York Rangers defensemen. The data was accumulated over the span of 10 non-sequential games during the 2013-14 season.
The data for for Kevin Klein comes partially from games he played with the Nashville Predators, while the data for Raphael Diaz comes from games he played with the Montreal Canadiens.
4-RAPHAEL DIAZ
Diaz had a defensive-zone turnover-rate of 27.2%. His turnover-rate would place him better-than-average among Canadiens defensemen, and substantially better than the median.
Diaz is more-likely than any other Ranger's defensemen to make a d-to-d pass in the defensive-zone. Diaz was successful with 92% of his d-to-d passes, 67.2% of his stretch passes, 70.6% of his outlet passes, and 63.4% of his dump-outs.
Diaz produced a defensive-zone defensive success-rate of 69.6%. This would place him above both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensemen.
5-DAN GIRARDI
Girardi produced a defensive-zone turnover-rate of 35.3% during the games tracked. His turnover-rate is worse than both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensmen.
Girardi was more likely to attempt a standard outlet pass to a winger or centreman than any other Rangers defensemen. Girardi was successful with 67.7% of his outlet passes, and 28.6% of his dump-outs.
Girardi produced a surprisingly-low defensive-zone defensive success-rate of 46.2%. This would place him well below both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensemen.
6-ANTON STRALMAN
Stralman produced a defensive-zone turnover-rate of 36.4% during the games scouted. His turnover-rate is worse than both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensmen.
Only John Moore is less-likely than Stralman to attempt a standard outlet pass to a winger or centreman, while only Ryan Mcdonagh and Moore are more-likely to dump the puck-out. Stralman is also more-likely to attempt a stretch-pass than any other Rangers d-man. Stralman was successful with 62.5% of his outlet passes, 33.3% of his dekes, and 42.9% of his dump-outs.
Stralman produced a defensive-zone defensive success-rate of 71.4%. This would place him above both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensemen.
8-KEVIN KLEIN
Klein produced a defensive-zone turnover-rate of 27.3% during the games tracked. His turnover-rate would place him better-than-average among Canadiens defensemen, and substantially better than the median.
Klein is the least-likely to attempt a dump-out from the defensive-zone. Klein was successful with 58.3% of his outlet passes, and an impressive 100% of his dump-outs.
Klein produced a defensive-zone defensive success-rate of 72.7%. This would place him above both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensemen.
18-MARC STAAL
Staal produced a defensive-zone turnover-rate of 27% during the games scouted. His turnover-rate would place him better-than-average among Canadiens defensemen, and substantially better than the median.
Only Diaz has shown himself to be more-likely than Staal to make a d-to-d pass in the defensive-zone. Staal was successful with 84.2% of his outlet passes, and 50% of his dump-outs.
Staal produced a defensive-zone defensive success-rate of 72.2%. This would place him above both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensemen.
27-RYAN MCDONAGH
Mcdonagh produced a defensive-zone turnover-rate of 31% during the games scouted. Surprisingly, his turnover-rate is worse than the average among Canadiens defensemen, but slightly better than the median.
McDonagh is more-likely than any other Rangers defensemen to attempt to beat an opposing forward 1on1 (deke) in the defensive-zone. Only John Moore is more-likely to dump the puck out than Mcdonagh. Mcdonagh was successful with 64.3% of his outlet passes, 33% of his dekes, and 70.1% of his dump-outs.
Mcdonagh produced a defensive-zone defensive success-rate of 73.9%. This would place him above both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensemen.
17-JOHN MOORE
Moore produced a defensive-zone turnover-rate of 42.1% during the games scouted. His turnover-rate is worse than both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensmen. That said, Moore has a smaller sample size than other defensmen included here.
Moore chooses to dump the puck out more-often than any other Rangers defenseman. Moore was successful with 42.9% of his outlet passes, and 80% of his dump-outs.
Moore produced a defensive-zone defensive success-rate of 77.8%. This would place him above both the average and the median produced by Canadiens defensemen.