Through the first 3 games of the Montreal Canadiens 2013-14 season, Andrei Markov has been the Habs top defenseman.
Markov has the top overall risk/reward rating, as well as the best even-strength risk/reward rating among Habs d-men. Although Subban has had more offensive-touches than Markov, it's actually Markov who has the best offensive-touch success-rate (70.5%).
Where Markov has been particularly impressive is on the defensive-side of the puck. Number 79 has been more involved than Subban defensively, with 0.84 defensive-touches per-minute compared to Subban's 0.52. Markov's defensive success-rate is outstanding, as he's been successful with 75.6% of his attempts to remove puck-possession from the opposition; a full 22 percentage-points above Subban.
Markov's even-strength scoring-chance ratio last season was 0.47 scoring chances produced for every 1 scoring chance against. This season he's increased that ratio to an incredible 2.00; better than PK's ratio of 1.15 last season.
Markov also has the d-core's top takeaway to turnover ratio, as he's produced 3.19 takeaways for every 1 turnover. Last season his t-to-t ratio was 2.63. Subban's ratio of 1.94 takeaways to every 1 turnover this season is well below the 2.43 ratio he produced last year.
It's important to remember that these number are only through 3 games; it's still early.
DEFENSEMEN
RATINGS AND RATIOS7679D-MEN
OVERALL RATIO3.083.722.83
OVERALL RISK/REWARD RATING2.542.612.09
ES RATIO2.803.532.71
ES RISK/REWARD RATING2.362.552.01
ES OTOUCHES / MP2.772.162.20
ES SUCCESSFUL OFFENSIVE TOUCH %65.5%70.5%66.4%
ES DTOUCHES / MP0.520.840.67
ES SUCCESSFUL DEFENSIVE-TOUCH %53.6%75.6%60.0%
PP RATIO4.764.673.95
PP SUCCESSFUL OFFENSIVE TOUCH %80.5%76.7%78.3%
SH RATIO1.203.132.28
SH SUCCESSFUL DEFENSIVE-TOUCH %50.0%70.0%60.0%
TAKEAWAY TO TURNOVER RATIO (HIGHER IS BETTER)1.943.192.34
SCORING CHANCE FOR/AGAINST RATIO (HIGHER IS BETTER)1.502.001.15
7679D-MEN