Breaking down offensive-zone passing success-rates and completion totals per-60 can help us define players, as well as determine their strengths and weaknesses. It helps us quantify each player's offensive-zone contribution, while also helping to explain why some players have higher overall completion-rates than others.
As shown below, David Desharnais high success-rate getting passes to teammates in the slot explains a good chunk of his offensive-numbers, while Vanek's propensity for low-percentage passes (east/west, to-the-slot) explains why his overall completion-rate is low. Tomas Plekanec's low passing success-rate compared to Desharnais sheds some light on Plekanec's comparatively-low assist total, while Markov's ability to complete east/west passes, as well as passes for 1-timers is also clearly quantified.
This post will focus on offensive-zone passing. It will communicate both the number of successful passes within each sub-category each Montreal Canadiens player completed per-60 minutes of even-strength ice-time, as well as their success-rate within each category.
Offensive-zone passes are broken down into four sub-categories. They include passes to the slot, east/west passes, cycle passes, and passes made off of the rush. I've also included the number of successful passes for 1-timers each player completed per-60, as well as the number of controllable passes they were not able to control per-60.
A list of all events tracked within my system can be found here.
OVERALL SUCCESSFUL OFFENSIVE-ZONE PASSES PER-60
This graph communicates the combined total of all offensive-zone passing sub-categories.
Among defensemen, Andrei Markov completed the most offensive-zone passes per-60; followed closely by PK Subban. Douglas Murray completed the fewest offensive-zone passes per-60. Looking at centres, we see that David Desharnais completed the most offensive-zone passes per-60, while Ryan White completed the fewest. Max Pacioretty not only completed more offensive-zone passes than any other winger per-60, he also completed more o-zone passes than any other Montreal player. George Parros completed the fewest offensive-zone passes per-60, while Travis Moen was successful with only slightly more.
OVERALL OFFENSIVE-ZONE PASSING SUCCESS-RATE
Andrei Markov had the highest offensive-zone passing success-rate among Habs defensmen, while Jarred Tinordi, and Douglas Murray had the lowest success-rates. Defensemen generally produce higher o-zone passing success-rates than forwards, as the bulk of their offensive-zone passes are under less pressure than forwards who are positioned closer to the opponents net.
David Desharnais produced the top offensive-zone passing success-rate among Montreal forwards for the third straight year. The lowest offensive-zone passing success-rate among centres belonged to Tomas Plekanec. Among wingers, Brendan Gallagher had the top offensive-zone passing success-rate, while Thomas Vanek actually produced the lowest. Vanek's low success-rate is more a product of his pass choices rather than an inability to complete passes, as Vanek attempted substantially more high-risk passes (east/west, to-the-slot) than other Montreal forwards.
SUCCCESSFUL PASSES TO THE SLOT PER-60
A successful pass to the slot is self-explanatory. It a successful attempt to pass the puck to a teammate positioned in the slot. Shots from the point that are deflected by a teammate positioned in the slot are also included.
Among defensemen, Subban, Markov, and Beaulieu completed substantially more passes to the slot per-60 than other Montreal defensemen. Jarred Tinordi, and Douglas Murray completed the fewest o-zone passes to the slot.
Among forwards, Desharnais and Vanek completed far-and-away more passes to the slot per-60, while Travis Moen, White, and Weise completed the fewest.
PASSES TO THE SLOT SUCCESS-RATE
In terms of success-rates, Josh Gorges had the best success-rate when attempting a pass to a teammate positioned in the slot. Francis Bouillon had the lowest success-rate. Among forwards, Desharnais had the top success-rate within this passing category; followed by Gallagher, and a surprising George Parros. Plekanec had the lowest success-rate among centres, while Moen had the lowest among wingers.
SUCCESSFUL CYCLE PASSES PER-60
As with passes to the slot, cycle passes are also easy to understand. A cycle pass is classified as any pass that occurs along the boards, or along the outside of the defending team's box in the offensive-zone.
Alexei Emelin completed the most offensive-zone cycle passes per-60 among Habs defensemen, while Nathan Beaulieu completed the fewest. Plekanec completed the most cycle passes per-60 among centres, while White completed the fewest.
Pacioretty was successful with more cycle-passes per-60 than any other Canadiens player; followed by Weise and Gallagher. Parros and Moen completed the fewest cycle-passes per-60 among Habs forwards.
CYCLE PASS SUCCESS-RATE
Subban had the top cycle-pass success-rate among Habs defensemen, while Beaulieu had the lowest. Among centres, Desharnais had the top success-rate, while White produced the lowest. Despite a low cycle-pass total per-60, it was actually Travis Moen who had the top cycle-pass success-rate on the team, while the lowest success-rate among forwards belonged to Parros.
SUCCESSFUL EAST/WEST PASSES IN THE OFFENSIVE-ZONE PER-60
An east/west pass in the offensive-zone occurs when a player attempts to pass the puck to a teammate on the opposite side of the defending team's box. These passes can occur through a seam or along the offensive blue line. East/west passes along the boards below the opposition's net are included in cycle pass totals, rather than in east/west totals.
Not surprisingly, Markov completed more offensive-zone east/west passes per-60 than any other Habs defensemen. Markov's east/west passes usually occurred along the offensive blue line, but he was also thread passes through seam. Emelin completed the second-most east/west passes per-60 on the entire team, while Murray completed the fewest among defensemen.
The Habs most creative offensive-forwards were also among the leaders in this category. Pacioretty actually completed the most o-zone east/west passes per-60 among forwards; followed by Alex Galchenyuk, Vanek, and Desharnais. Both Parros and Moen did not attempt (or obviously complete) any east/west passes in the offensive-zone.
EAST/WEST PASSES SUCCESS-RATE
East/west are a play usually only attempted by a team's more creative players. This explains the higher success-rates among those players with limited attempts. In fact, lower success-rates (outside of Weise and Parros) point to many of the Habs more active east/west passers. for this reason, completing totals indicated in the above graph paint a substantially-better picture than the success-rates shown below.
SUCCESSFUL PASSES FOR 1-TIMERS PER-60
This graph communicates how many offensive-zone passes for 1-timers each Montreal Canadiens player completed per-60 minutes of even-strength ice-time. A player is credited for a successful pass for 1-timer, when he completes a pass to a teammate who attempts a shot on the opposing net without stopping and controlling the puck.
Not surprisingly, Andrei Markov completed the most offensive-zone passes for 1-timers per-60 of any Habs player. Among forwards, Desharnais, Vanek, and Briere completed the most passes for 1-timers, while White, Parros, and Weise completed none.
MISSED PASS-RECEPTIONS PER-60
This graph shows us how many controllable passes in the offensive-zone each Montreal Canadiens player failed to control per-60 minutes of even-strength ice-time. A missed pass reception is credited when the pass touches the receiving player's stick without being deflected by an opposition player. Failure to control passes into skates are not credited as failed pass-receptions.
Jarred Tinordi failed to control more offensive-zone passes directed at him per-60 than any other Montreal defenseman. Among centres, Desharnais failed to control the most passes per-60, while Rene Bourque produced the most missed-passes per-60 among wingers. Pacioretty's low total in this category is particularly impressive; considering he was the Habs most active player in the offensive-zone (2.53 events per-minute).
