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.
This installment will focus on special teams. It is important to note that ratings are calculated based on ice-time. A higher rating is the combination of substantial events per-minute of ice time, and a high number of successful events per-minute of ice-time. Ratios on the other hand, do not take into account ice-time, and are simply the number of successful plays for every 1 unsuccessful play.
POWERPLAY RISK/REWARD
Among players with substantial powerplay ice-time, Andrei Markov (3.64) has the top powerplay risk/reward rating, and is one of only two Canadiens players with a PP rating above 3.00. Tomas Kaberle has the second-best rating at 3.16. The lowest PP rating among defensemen with substantial powerplay minutes belongs to Chris Campoli, as his PP rating is only 1.86.
Among forwards, the top PP rating belongs to Tomas Plekanec (2.34). The only other forward with a PP rating above 2.00 is David Desharnais (2.23). The lowest PP rating among players with substantial PP time belongs to Erik Cole. Cole's low rating is the product of low event totals compared to ice-time. Cole's job is to go to the front of the net. He's not the playmaker. As such, he's not involved in the powerplay setup, and is not able to pad his event totals with multiple passes around the box.
POWERPLAY RATIO
The top powerplay ratio belongs to Andrei Markov. Markov's PP ratio (6.16) is head-and-shoulders above any other Canadiens player, as the second-best ratio belongs to Kaberle; with a PP ratio of 4.08. Campoli has the lowest ratio, as he produces only 2.48 successful plays on the powerplay for every 1 unsuccessful play.
Desharnais has the top powerplay ratio among forwards, as he produces 3.18 successful plays for every 1 unsuccessful play. In fact, Desharnais is the only forward with a PP ratio above 3.0. Plekanec has the next best PP ratio at 2.98. The lowest ratio among forwards with substantial PP time belongs to Cole, as he makes only 2 successful plays for every 1 unsuccessful play while on the powerplay.
SHORT-HANDED RISK/REWARD
Among Canadiens players with substantial penalty-killing ice-time, Lars Eller (1.18) has the best short-handed risk/reward rating. Eller, along with Plekanec (1.01), is one of only two Habs with SH ratings above 1.0. The lowest SH rating among forwards with substantial PK time belongs to Petteri Nokelainen (0.26).
Among defensemen, the top PK rating belongs to Subban (1.08), followed closely by Raphael Diaz (1.06). The lowest PK rating among d-men is owned by Alexei Emelin (0.58).
SHORT-HANDED RATIO
The top short-handed ratio belongs to Tomas Plekanec. Plekanec makes 2.18 successful plays while short-handed for every 1 unsuccessful play. Other forwards with ratios above 2.0 include; Ryan White (2.13), Eller (2.12), and Mathieu Darche (2.03).
The top PK ratio among defensemen belongs to Josh Gorges (2.06). The only other d-man with a ratio above 2.0 is Subban, as he makes 2.01 successful plays while short-handed for every 1 unsuccessful play. The lowest short-handed ratio among defensemen belongs to Campoli (0.47).