This post will focus on each Montreal Canadiens player's ability to make successful plays while attempting to remove puck-possession from the opposition. Events used in this calculation include; stick-checks, body-checks, blocked passes, and blocked shots. A successful defensive-touch can be described as any successful attempt to remove puck-possession from the opposition by way of a hit, stick check, blocked pass, or blocked shot. Consequently, any failed attempt at either of these events would constitute an unsuccessful defensive-touch. Only even-strength events were used in this calculation.
HOW TO READ THE GRAPH
- The higher a player's bubble is, the more UNSUCCESSFUL defensive-touches they contributed per-minute of ice time.
- The further to the right a player's bubble is, the more SUCCESSFUL defensive-touches they contribute per-minute of ice-time.
- The bigger a player's bubble is, the more events they engaged in per-minute of ice-time.
A player whose bubble appears in the bottom-right of the graph contribute more successful and less unsuccessful d-touches than a player whose bubble appears in the top-left of the graph.
DEFENSEMEN
Raphael Diaz and Jarred Tinordi have produced the most failed attempts to remove puck-possession from the opposition per-minute played. Francis Boullon contributed the fewest unsuccessful defensive-touches. Andrei Markov however, produced the most successful defensive-touches, while Josh Gorges, and PK Subban contribute the fewest.
CENTRES
Lars Eller produced the most successful defensive-touches per-minute, while also producing the fewest failed defensive-touches.
WINGERS
Michael Bournival and Max Pacioretty produced the most successful defensive-touches per-minute played, but have played 1 less game than their teammates. Among those players with 2 games played, Alex Galchenyuk has the most successful d-touches, while Brendan Gallagher has yet to produce a failed d-touch. That said, Gallagher has also produced the fewest successful defensive-touches.
Brian Gionta, and Rene Bourque have contributed the most failed defensive-touches per-minute played.
