This post will compare players on the Montreal Canadiens through the team's second and third intra-squad games of the 2014-15 season. The games that were tracked took place on September 20th, and 21st, 2014.
Relative to replacement, or above replacement speaks to how that player performed when compared to an average player playing the same position. Averages are calculated from the numbers produced by the players on the same team. To calculate the value "relative to a replacement" we simply subtract the average value produced by players who play the same position from each player's individual value. Two games is an absolutely tiny sample size. As such, these graphs are only meant to represent how these players performed in these two games. They are not meant as a statement on these players' long-term potential.
These graphs represent just a small example of the metrics I've produced.
SCORING-CHANCES PER-POSSESSION PLAY; RELATIVE TO REPLACEMENT
This graph represents the number of scoring-chances each player has contributed per-possession play. A possession play is defined as any play made while in possession of the puck; these include shots, passes, dekes, dump-outs, dump-ins, etc. A player receives credit for a scoring-chance only when he is directly involved in the play that produced the scoring-chance. Players who rate well within this metric can be described as opportunistic; as they tend to make the most out of their puck-possession plays.
SCORING-CHANCES for PER-MINUTE PLAYED; RELATIVE TO A REPLACEMENT
This graph communicates the number of scoring-chances per-minute played each player has contributed. Individual results are compared to players who play the same position. Once again, a player receives credit for a scoring-chance only when he is directly involved in the play that produced the scoring-chance.
SCORING-CHANCES against PER-MINUTE PLAYED; RELATIVE TO A REPLACEMENT
This graph communicates the number of scoring-chances against per-minute played each player was directly responsible for. Individual results are compared to players who play the same position. A player receives credit for a scoring-chance against only when he is directly involved in the play that produced the scoring-chance. Within this graph, LOWER IS BETTER!
EVEN-STRENGTH RATING; RELATIVE TO A REPLACEMENT
This graph communicates each player's rating relative to a replacement. Players' ratings are calculated by subtracting the number of failed events each player produced per-minute from the number of successful plays they produced per-minute. How involved in the player a player is directly impacts their rating; the more a player is involved the higher the rating he can produce. Individual results are compared to players who play the same position. A list of all the events tracked within this system can be found here.
EVEN-STRENGTH TAKEAWAY TO TURNOVER RATIO; RELATIVE TO A REPLACEMENT
This graph communicates each player's even-strength takeaway to turnover ratio; relative to a replacement. Players' T-to-T ratios are calculated by dividing the number of takeaways a player produced by the number of turnovers they make. A turnover is defined as any failed event with possession. They include passes, dekes, shots, etc. A takeaway is defined as any successful attempt to remove puck-possession from the opposition; they include stick-checks, body-checks, blocked passes, blocked shots, etc.
Players who handle the puck less, and are more active defensively generally produced strong results within this metric.
EVEN-STRENGTH RATIO; RELATIVE TO A REPLACEMENT
This graph communicates each player's ratio relative to a replacement. Players' ratios are calculated by dividing the number of successful events each player produced by the number of failed plays. Unlike ratings, ice-time, or involvement has no impact on ratios. Individual results are compared to players who play the same position. A list of all the events tracked within this system can be found here.
OVERALL O-ZONE POSSESSION PERCENTAGE; RELATIVE TO A REPLACEMENT
This graph communicates how much "time" each player spends with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone; relative to a replacement. Expressed simply, this graph shows the percentage of each player's overall events that were spent with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. The calculation is done by dividing the number of events a player contributed with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone by the total number of events (both offensive and defensive) they contributed in all 3 zones.
Teams who produce a high percentage of o-zone events with possession generally out-chance their opponents.
OVERALL D-ZONE DEFENDING PERCENTAGE; RELATIVE TO A REPLACEMENT
This graph communicates how much "time" each player spent defending in the defensive-zone; relative to a replacement. Expressed simply, this graph shows the percentage of each player's overall events that were spent attempting to remove possession from the opposition in the defensive-zone The calculation is done by dividing the number of events a player contributed while attempting to remove possession of the puck from the opposition in the defensive-zone by the total number of events (both offensive and defensive) they contributed in all 3 zones. Within this graph, LOWER IS BETTER!
Teams who produce a high percentage of d-zone events while defending are generally out-chanced by the opposition.
OFFENSE-DRIVING PLAYERS PER-60; RELATIVE TO A REPLACEMENT
One of the main objectives in hockey analytics is to establish a direct link between specific events that occur on the ice and scoring-chances. Obviously, the further away from the opponents' net (outlet pass) an offense-driving play occurs the less likely the play is to result in a scoring-chance. Similarly, the closer the event is to the opponents' net (pass to the slot), the more likely it is to result in a scoring-chance. Not surprisingly, the players who produced the most offense-driving plays per-60, were also among those players who produced the most scoring-chances per-60.
Only plays that push the puck up-ice while maintaining possession, or events in the offensive-zone that directly result in a shot on net are counted as offense-driving plays. A list of all the events I track can be found here.
Successful offensive-zone events included are: Offensive-zone passes off of the rush, offensive-zone east/west passes, offensive-zone passes to the slot, offensive-zone loose-puck recoveries (off of dumps, broken plays, and rebounds), shots, and deflections
Successful neutral-zone events included are: Neutral-zone open-ice dekes, east/west passes, and north/south passes, along with redline and offensive-blueline controlled-carries
Successful defensive-zone events included are: Outlet passes, stretch passes and defensive-blueline carries.
Beware of small sample sizes within this metric.
