HABS: Which AHL Prospects are showing improvement over last five-games?
Comparing performance over last 5-games with season averages
*last 5 game averages include the 5 games including and immediately preceding Jan 4th, 2012.
Those totals hi lighted in green show improvement over the last 5-games, while those hi lighted red have been at least 2 percentage points lower over the last 5-games.
HABS: Kaberle remains better option than Weber or Diaz
Comparing Kaberle's, Diaz's and Weber's 2011-12 numbers
Barring any trades prior to the 2012-13 season, the last (6th) spot on the Habs everyday defensive-core will likely come down to Tomas Kaberle, Raphael Diaz, or Yannick Weber.
Kaberle's salary makes him an easy target for negative criticism. That said, when we base judgement on performance rather than salary we see that Kaberle remains the better option on the blueline.
HABS: Kaberle remains better option than Weber or Diaz
Comparing Kaberle's, Diaz's and Weber's 2011-12 numbers
Barring any trades prior to the 2012-13 season, the last (6th) spot on the Habs everyday defensive-core will likely come down to Tomas Kaberle, Raphael Diaz, or Yannick Weber.
Kaberle's salary makes him an easy target for negative criticism. That said, when we base judgement on performance rather than salary we see that Kaberle remains the better option on the blueline.
Especially if PK is not back in the line up. We need Kaberle's skills and experience on the PP.
While your numbers are great and all - I disagree about Diaz. From etching the Spengler Cup, and hearing reports out of Switzerland, his game seems to have taken another step this year.
Either way, I see Kabs cemented on the D with Diaz/Bouillon rotating and Weber not seeing much ice-time (except practice) unless injuries.
While your numbers are great and all - I disagree about Diaz. From etching the Spengler Cup, and hearing reports out of Switzerland, his game seems to have taken another step this year.
Either way, I see Kabs cemented on the D with Diaz/Bouillon rotating and Weber not seeing much ice-time (except practice) unless injuries.
It's possible that Diaz can take a step forward now that he's more familiar with North American ice and after a good run back in Switzerland. But it wouldn't surprise me if Kaberle is still slightly better, and more than slightly better offensively. But Kaberle is still the more logical of the two to trade for now.
HABS: Exclusive 2011-12 numbers for returning defensemen
The numbers included here represent each Montreal Canadiens returning defensman's event-by-event puck-possession statistics from last season. The two charts are broken down into offensive and defensive-zones.
Based on those numbers, in terms of maintaining and removing possession, Desharnais had equal/above team average rates in 4 out of 6 categories. Pacioretty and Cole did equal/above team average in 3 out of 6 categories.
Carey Price has not been able to control the placement of the rebounds he's allowed as well as he has in the past.
Granted it is early in the season, and this is in no way a call to push the panic button. Carey Price has looked solid this year. His save percentage is through the roof, and he's yet to give up an even-strength goal against. That said, there's aspects of his play that aren't quite at the level they've been in the past.
Let's blame it on a short training camp, with no exhibition games.
HABS: Early numbers show Habs as an improved puck-possession team
Through 3 games, the Montreal Canadiens have produced better possession and defensive success-rates than they did in 2011-12. They have spent less time with possession in the defensive-zone, and also less time defending in the defensive-zone. They have moved the puck up ice more successfully; producing fewer turnovers.
Simply put, they have spent more time with possession, and less time defending.
Eric Cole was the Montreal Canadiens leading goal-scorer last season; although Max Pacioretty actually had more even-strength goals. Cole produced this offense by pushing the play offensively. He attempted the most offensive-zone dekes, and the second-most shots; while only Pacioretty attempted more shots per-minute of ice-time than number 72.
Comparing his year-to-date numbers in 2012-13 with his 2011-12 numbers
Raphael Diaz is among the league-leaders in points for defensemen, and currently has more assists than any other d-man in the NHL. Granted, six of his 8 points were produced on the powerplay. But, Diaz's even-strength play has also been substantially better than last season.
HABS: Player-by-player takeaway to giveaway ratios
Gorges and Armstrong leading the team
This graph is a visual representation of each Montreal player's ratio of takeaways to giveaways. The higher the ratio, the more times that player acquires/removes puck-possession from the opposition for every one time they give the puck away to the opposition.
HABS: Rene Bourque and Max Pacioretty; by the numbers
Through 10 games, Rene Bourque is only 2 goals and 1 point short of his 38-game total with Montreal last season.
Pacioretty is quietly averaging a point per-game. That said, he's still looking for his first goal of the season. His struggles may just come down to hitting the net.
HABS: Rene Bourque and Max Pacioretty; by the numbers
Through 10 games, Rene Bourque is only 2 goals and 1 point short of his 38-game total with Montreal last season.
Pacioretty is quietly averaging a point per-game. That said, he's still looking for his first goal of the season. His struggles may just come down to hitting the net.
Through his first 11 career NHL-games Montreal Canadiens prospect Alex Galchenyuk is fifth on the team in scoring, and has a team-leading plus-6 traditional plus-minus rating.
Galchenyuk helps create 3.4 scoring chances for every 1 scoring chance against; the sixth-best scoring chance ratio among forwards, and second to only Lars Eller among forwards who have played centre.
HABS: Individual player takeaway to giveaway ratios
Gorges with top ratio
Tracking every puck-possession play during a game allows us to calculate each players takeaway to giveaway ratio. Takeaway to giveaway ratios are calculated by adding up each event whereby a player acquires puck-possession from the opposition (puck-battle, loose-puck recovery, blocked pass, blocked shot, etc.) and dividing that number by the total events whereby that player gives the puck away (failed pass, failed deke, etc.).
