Who's more likely to pass?
Who's more likely to dump the puck out?
Who's more likely to deke?
Continuing with the process of breaking down each Montreal Canadiens player's performance, this post will focus on each player's tendency when in possession of the puck in the DEFENSIVE-ZONE. This is done by calculating how many dump-outs, passes, or dekes each player attempted per-minute of ice-time. The total attempts at each option (pass, deke, or dump-out) is then divided by the total amount of events. The higher the number, the more often that player chose that particular option.
It is important to differentiate between attempted defensive-zone-zone events, and completed defensive-zone events. This post focuses on attempted, which includes both failed and successful attempts within each specific play (pass, deke, or dump-out).
DEFENSEMEN
Among Habs defensemen, Tomas Kaberle has been more likely to pass when in possession of the puck in the defensive-zone than anyone else, as Kaberle has chosen the pass option 89% of the time he has had possession in the defensive-zone. Francis Bouillon is just behind Kaberle, as he has chosen to pass 88% of the time he has had possession in the defensive-zone.
PK Subban has been the least likely among d-men to choose the pass option, as he has passed just 73% of the time he has had possession in the defensive-zone. In fact, Subban is the only defensemen to choose the pass option less than 80% of the time.
Subban has also chosen to deke an opposing player in the defensive-zone more often than any other Montreal defensemen, as he has chosen that option 12% of the time he has had possession in the defensive-zone. Surprisingly, Davis Drewiske has chosen the same option 10% of the time he has had the puck in the d-zone.
Kaberle, Bouillon, Josh Gorges, and Alexei Emelin have all chosen the deke option in the defensive-zone only 4% of the time.
Subban has chosen to dump the puck-out of the d-zone 15% of the time he's had possession, while Markov has chosen that same option 13% of the time. Drewiske has been the least likely to dump the puck-out of the d-zone; choosing that option only 5% of the time he has had possession in the defensive-zone.
FORWARDS
Wingers generally choose the dump-out option more, and the pass option less than centremen. This is due to the half-wall pressure wingers face in the defensive-zone.
David Desharnais has been more likely to pass while in possession of the puck in the defensive-zone than any other Montreal forward; choosing that option 79% of the time. Colby Armstrong is second among forwards, as he's chosen to pass the puck 75% of the time he has had possession in the defensive-zone.
Michael Blunden has chosen the pass option in the d-zone only 42% of the time, while Travis Moen is the only other forward to have chosen to pass the puck from the defensive-zone less than 50% of the time he has had possession.
Blunden is also among the leaders in attempted dekes in the defensive-zone (17%). Most of the attempts take place against opposing defensemen along the half wall. Other forward with a high percentage of defensive-zone dekes include Lars Eller (17%) and Gabriel Dumont (15%).
Tomas Plekenec has attempted to deke in the defensive-zone only 3% of the time he has had possession, while Alex Galchenyuk has chosen that option only 4% of the time.
Wingers are forced to dump the puck out of the defensive-zone far more often that centremen. Players most likely to chose the dump-out option include; Moen (43%), Blunden (42%), and Galchenyuk (40%).
Least-likely to attempt to dump the puck out of the defensive-zone is David Desharnais, who has chosen that option just 15% of the time he has had possession of the puck in the defensive-zone.
