This post will focus on how each Montreal Canadiens player has attempted to remove puck-possession from the opposition in the defensive-zone; specifically, whether they use their body or stick to remove possession when faced with a 1-on-1 situation in the defensive-zone.
The first graph is a visual representation on how many stick or body-checks each player attempts in the defensive-zone per-minute of even-strength ice-time. Obviously, defensemen engage in substantially more of these events than forwards. The second graph shows each player's success-rate at removing possession when attempting either a stick or body check. Again, focusing solely on the defensive-zone.
ATTEMPTS PER-MINUTE
Among defensemen, Nathan Beaulieu has attempted the most stick-checks in the defensive-zone per-minute of even-strength ice-time. That said, there is a small sample size available for Beaulieu. Among defensemen with substantial even-strength ice-time, Andrei Markov has attempted the most stick-checks per-minute. Other d-men with substantial stick-check attempts include; Josh Gorges and Raphael Diaz.
Jarred Tinordi is the only defensemen to have attempted more body-checks than stick-checks in the defensive-zone. As a result of this, Tinordi has attempted more body-checks per-minute than any other Montreal defenseman. Other d-men with substantial body-check attempts include Gorges and Francis Bouillon.
Douglas Murray has attempted the fewest stick-checks per-minute, while Diaz has attempted the fewest body-checks.
Among forwards, Tomas Plekanec, Alex Galchenyuk, and Louis Leblanc have attempted more defensive-zone stick-checks than any other forward. Surprisingly, David Desharnais has attempted the most defensive-zone body-checks (44% success-rate) per-minute among forwards; slightly more than fellow centre, Lars Eller.
Brandon Prust has attempted the fewest defensive-zone stick-checks per-minute played, and is one of only two forwards (along with George Parros' small sample size) to have attempted the same amount of d-zone body-checks as d-zone stick-checks.
SUCCESS-RATES
Among defensemen, Murray actually has the top success-rate when attempting to remove puck-possession in the defensive-zone by way of a stick-check. That said, among d-men with substantial ice-time, Markov actually has the top stick-check success-rate, while Gorges has the top success-rate when attempting a body-check.
The lowest body-check success-rates have been produced by both Tinordi, and Bouillon. PK Subban has been successful with only 51% of his attempts to remove puck-possession in the defensive-zone by way of a stick-check; this gives Subban the lowest success-rate in this category among Montreal defensemen.
Subban, Gorges and Beaulieu (SSS) are the only Montreal defensemen to have produced better success-rates when attempting d-zone body-checks, than when attempting stick-checks.
Prust has the top success-rate when using a stick-check to remove possession from the opposition; followed by Lars Eller, Gionta, Alex Galchenyuk, and Brendan Gallagher. The lowest defensive-zone stick-check success-rates have been produced by David Desharnais, Ryan White, and Rene Bourque.
Among forwards with substantial ice-time, Plekanec has the top d-zone body-check success-rate; followed by Moen and Prust. The lowest defensive-zone stick-check success-rates have been produced by Brian Gionta, Michael Bournival, and Rene Bourque.
Plekanec, White, Travis Moen, and Daniel Briere are the only forwards with better success-rates when attempting a defensive-zone body-check than they have produced when attempting a d-zone stick-check.
