A forwards's ability to either maintain puck-possession for his team in the offensive-zone or get a shot on net, has both an obvious and a direct impact on their ability to create offensive-opportunities for their team.
This post will communicate the offensive-zone tendencies of each Montreal Canadiens forward while in possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. It will also focus on each forward's puck-possession success-rate in the offensive-zone, the percentage of their offensive-zone events that occur with possession, and how many offensive-zone puck-possession plays they contribute per-60 minutes of even-strength ice-time. Events used in this post include events that occurred during the season, as well as in the playoffs.
The percentages indicated within each pie graph represent the rate at which that player chose that puck-possession option. In other words, if a player has 42.1% indicated in the cycle pass portion of the pie, it means that 42.1 percent of the time that player made a play with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone he chose to make a cycle pass. The higher the percentage, the more likely that player was to chose that puck-possession play.
Offensive-zone possession rating is an attempt to rate each player's ability to create offense while in the o-zone. This is done by multiplying the number of scoring-chances they create for every 1 attempted offensive-zone puck-possession play by the number of puck-possession plays they contribute in the o-zone per-minute of even-strength ice-time.
In theory, the players who rate high using this system not only create more scoring-chances per-offensive-touch, they also engage in more offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-minute played. As you will notice, Habs forwards with high o-zone possession-ratings are also among the team's top offensive-players. This takes how efficient a player is and combines it with how often they have possession of the puck.
A list of all events tracked within this system can be found here.
HABS FORWARDS (AVG.)
As a group, Montreal Canadiens forwards had an offensive-zone puck-possession success-rate at EVEN-STRENGTH of 55.1%. Expressed simply, this means that 55.1% of the time they attempted to make a play while in possession of the puck in the offensive-zone they were able to either maintain possession, or get a shot on goal. In games where the Canadiens produced more even-strength scoring-chances than they allowed, Montreal's forwards had an o-zone possession success-rate of only 59.0%, when they allowed more scoring-chances than they produced their success-rate was 53.7%.
HABS CENTRES (AVG.)
As a group, Habs centres had an offensive-zone puck-possession success-rate at EVEN-STRENGTH of 56.9%. Expressed simply, this means that 56.9% of the time they attempted to make a play while in possession of the puck in the offensive-zone they were able to either maintain possession, or get a shot on goal. In games where the Canadiens produced more even-strength scoring-chances than they allowed, Montreal's centres had an o-zone possession success-rate of only 59.1%, when they allowed more scoring-chances than they produced their success-rate was 56.6%.
TOMAS PLEKANEC
Tomas Plekanec was successful with 54.3% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 180 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 35.1% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Plekanec had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.64.
Plekanec was more likely to attempt a shot than the average Habs centre, and was able to get 52.0% of his shot attempts on-net.
DAVID DESHARNAIS
David Desharnais was successful with 59.7% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 181.2 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 37.6% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Desharnais had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.78.
Desharnais was more likely to attempt a pass to the slot than the average Habs centre, and was successful with a forward-best 39% of his attempts.
RYAN WHITE
Ryan White was successful with 53.1% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 88.2 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 27.5% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. White had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 0.66.
White was more likely to attempt a shot than the average Habs centre, and was able to get 62.0% of his attempts on-net.
LARS ELLER
Lars Eller was successful with 55.8% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 207.6 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 34.5% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Eller had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.58.
Eller was more likely to attempt a deke than the average Habs centre, and was successful with 61% of his attempts.
HABS WINGERS
As a group, Habs wingers had an offensive-zone puck-possession success-rate at EVEN-STRENGTH of 54.2%. Expressed simply, this means that 54.2% of the time they attempted to make a play while in possession of the puck in the offensive-zone they were able to either maintain possession, or get a shot on goal. In games where the Canadiens produced more even-strength scoring-chances than they allowed, Montreal's wingers had an o-zone possession success-rate of only 58.9%, when they allowed more scoring-chances than they produced their success-rate was 52.5%.
BRANDON PRUST
Brandon Prust was successful with 56.8% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 195.6 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 37.3% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Prust had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.53.
Prust was more likely to attempt a pass to the slot than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 25% of his attempts.
BRENDAN GALLAGHER
Brendan Gallagher was successful with 53.3% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 226.8 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 40.2% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Gallagher had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 2.23.
Gallagher was more likely to attempt a deke than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 36% of his attempts.
GEORGE PARROS
George Parros was successful with 45.6% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 65.4 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 24.4% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Parros had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 0.14.
Parros was more likely to attempt a cycle-passes than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 38% of his attempts.
RENE BOURQUE
Rene Bourque was successful with 53.0% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 210.6 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 43.7% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Bourque had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.62.
Bourque was more likely to shoot than the average Habs winger, and was able to get 53% of his attempts through to the net.
THOMAS VANEK
Thomas Vanek was successful with 46.4% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 126.6 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 43.0% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Vanek had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.80.
Vanek was more likely to attempt an east/west pass than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 58% of his attempts.
BRIAN GIONTA
Brian Gionta was successful with 51.9% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 169.8 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 34.1% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Gionta had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.33.
Gionta was more likely to shoot than the average Habs winger, and was able to get 55% of his attempts through to the net.
DALE WEISE
Dale Weise was successful with 55.7% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 167.4 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 35.0% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Weise had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.29.
Weise was more likely to attempt a cycle pass than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 69% of his attempts.
ALEX GALCHENYUK
Alex Galchenyuk was successful with 55.7% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 185.4 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 37.9% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Galchenyuk had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.29.
Galchenyuk was more likely to attempt a deke than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 45% of his attempts.
TRAVIS MOEN
Travis Moen was successful with 53.0% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 133.8 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 28.5% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Moen had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 0.92.
Moen was more likely to attempt a pass to the slot than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 22% of his attempts.
DANIEL BRIERE
Daniel Briere was successful with 54.5% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 183 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 39.8% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Briere had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.50.
Briere was more likely to attempt a deke than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 58% of his attempts.
MICHAEL BOURNIVAL
Michael Bournival was successful with 57.7% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted 215.4 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 37.7% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Bournival had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 1.16.
Bournival was more likely to attempt a wall-deke than the average Habs winger, and was successful with 58% of his attempts.
MAX PACIORETTY
Max Pacioretty was successful with 54.9% of his offensive-zone puck-possession plays. He attempted a team-leading 254.4 offensive-zone puck-possession plays per-60, and 43.3% of his total events occurred with possession of the puck in the offensive-zone. Pacioretty had a offensive-zone possession-rating of 2.69.
Pacioretty was more likely to shoot than the average Habs winger, and was able to get 53% of his attempts through to the net.
PLAYER-BY-PLAYER OFFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATES
PLAYER-BY-PLAYER OFFENSIVE-ZONE POSSESSION RATINGS
