Data-generated scouting provides us with an exclusive opportunity not available otherwise. The data collected allows us to combine the totals for each player in order to communicate the potential strengths and weaknesses of projected lines, or defensive-pairings. Combining each player's offensive and defensive-touch totals with their potential linemates helps determine the potential contribution of each possibility.
It's important to remember that the totals included here do not represent these players' totals while playing together. They actually represent each player's individual totals combined.
SUCCESSFUL OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE-TOUCHES (all 3 zones)
This graph indicates how the player's making up the Habs defensive-pairings, as well as possible line-combinations have played in all 3 zones. The higher the bubble, the more successful defensive-touches (plays acquiring/removing puck-possession) the players have combined to produce. The further to the right the bubble is, the more successful offensive-touches (plays with possession) the players have contributed. The bigger the bubble appears, the more events those players have engaged-in per-minute.
DEFENSIVE-PAIRINGS
This graph provides us with a clear understanding of the outstanding play produced by Andrei Markov and PK Subban. The Habs top duo have combined for significantly-more successful defensive-touches, and offensive-touches than any other Montreal-pairing.
The graph also shows the different identity of the two possible third-pairings. The Murray/Diaz combination have combined for more successful defensive-touches than any other pairing outside of Markov/Subban, while the Bouillon/Diaz pairing have contributed more successful offensive-touches than Murray/Diaz.
FORWARD-LINE POSSIBILITIES
This graph displays some current lines as well as some potential combinations. It's important to remember that some of the lines contain the same player, so this isn't an either/or scenario.
Among current lines, the Pacioretty/Desharnais/Gallagher line have produced more successful offensive-touches than any other line. The Bournival/Plekanec/Gionta line has actually produced more successful defensive-touches, and only slightly-fewer offensive-touches than 67-51-11.
The creation of the Galchenyuk/Plekanec/Gionta line against the Buffalo Sabres, as well as the short-term success they enjoyed, could force the natural creation of a Bournival/Eller/Briere line. That line (49-81-48) has actually combined for more successful offensive, and defensive-touches than any current trio.
On paper, the Galchenyuk/Plekanec/Gionta line would produce the fewest successful offensive-touches of any current line, and only more successful defensive-touches than Prust/White/Moen. That said, the line's short-term success makes the possibility intriguing, while the strong numbers from the 49-81-48 line insulates the change well.
The graph also gives us a clear view of the dangers of a Bourque/Briere/Moen combination. That trio has combined for the fewest successful defensive-touches, as well as the fewest successful offensive-touches. The danger here comes from a lack of involvement, as Briere and Bourque have engaged in the fewest even-strength events per-minute played of any Montreal players.
As mentioned earlier, the Prust/White/Moen line have combined for the fewest successful defensive-touches among current lines. That said, the line is a fourth-line, and has actually contributed almost as many successful offensive-touches as the 27-81-48 line.
The questions, and answers don't end here. As the wealth of data provides us the opportunity to evaluate the line offensive and defensive-touch totals in each zone separately, as well as their success-rates. We can even combine their failed offensive, and defensive-touch totals.
That's the strength of data-generated scouting. As it provides us with an exclusive opportunity to use the data collected for each player in order to communicate the potential strengths and weaknesses of each line.
