Tracking each event during a game allows us to quantify players' performances across multiple statistical categories. Below is a list of the top Montreal Canadiens players in some of the metrics we track.
OFFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-BATTLE SUCCESS-RATE
A player is credited for a won puck-battle when he either removes puck-possession from an opposition player, or gains puck-possession from an opposition player. A player is credited with a lost puck-battle when he loses a puck-battle, or fails to remove puck-possession from an opposition player.
Among forwards with substantial ice-time, Ryan White has the top offensive-zone puck-battle winning-percentage (60%). Max Pacioretty (54%) and Brian Gionta (56%) are the only other forwards with success-rates above 54%. The lowest offensive-zone puck-battle winning percentage among forwards belongs to Tomas Plekanec (41%).
The leader among defensemen is Alexei Emelin (62%), while the d-man with the lowest offensive-zone puck-battle winning percentage is Tomas Kaberle at 41%.
DEFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-BATTLE SUCCESS-RATE
The Habs top defensive-zone puck-battle winning percentage actually belongs to Brad Staubitz. That said, Staubitz has a limited amount of events in this category, which could explain his high success-rate. Among players with substantial ice-time, Josh Gorges (60%), and Yannick Weber (60%) are tied for the team lead.
The top d-zone puck-battle success-rate among forwards belongs to Lars Eller (59%), while the lowest percentage belongs to Michael Blunden (39%).
NEUTRAL-ZONE PUCK-BATTLE SUCCESS-RATE
Josh Gorges has the top neutral-zone puck-battle winning percentage (65%), followed by Weber's 61% success-rate. Among forwards, the top rating is shared between Pacioretty (59%) and Gionta (59%), while the lowest neutral-zone puck-battle winning percentage is owned by Rene Bourque (38%), and Louis Leblanc (38%).
OFFENSIVE-ZONE PASSING-PERCENTAGE
Ryan White (70%) actually has the top offensive-zone passing success-rate on the team. That said, his pass-attempt totals are actually low. Among players with substantial events, David Desharnais is the Habs top passer in the o-zone, as he completes 65% of his o-zone passes. Other forwards with o-zone passing-percentages above 60% include Lars Eller, Aaron Palushaj, Mathieu Darche and Blake Geoffrion.
Raphael Diaz has the top o-zone passing percentage among defensemen, as he completes 72% of his o-zone pass-attempts.
Aside from Staubitz, the lowest o-zone passing-percentage belongs to Rene Bourque, as Bourque completes only 51% of his o-zone passes.
DEFENSIVE-ZONE PASSING-PERCENTAGE
Four Montreal forwards have d-zone passing success-rates above 70%. Those players include Scott Gomez (77%), Lars Eller (75%), David Desharnais (72%), and Petteri Nokelainen (70%). The lowest defensive-zone passing-percentage belongs to Blunden (54%).
The top passing-percentage among defensemen is owned by Kaberle (78%), while the lowest have been produced by Frederic St. Denis (68%), and Emelin (69%).
NEUTRAL-ZONE PASSING-PERCENTAGE
Scott Gomez is the only Canadiens player with a neutral-zone passing percentage above 80%. Plekanec is just slightly behind Gomez, with a success-rate of 79%. Surprisingly, the lowest neutral-zone passing-percentage among forwards belongs to Pacioretty, as he is successful with only 64% of his neutral-zone passes.
Among defensemen, Kaberle has the top n-zone passing-percentage (76%), while the lowest percentages belongs to Emelin (66%) and Campoli (66%).
Part 5 to follow
