Flames Fancy Stats Through 17 Games

9 years ago

We’re 17 games (or just over 20%) into the Calgary Flames schedule, so it’s time for another check-in regarding how the club’s players are doing in all areas fancy stats.

We have a mix of stuff we’re tallying ourselves (scoring chances and zone entries), and stuff we’re putting from data collected by the fine folks at War on Ice and Hockey Analysis.

Except for zone entries, all stats refer to even-strength numbers, and we’re limiting things to players who have played 10+ games due to sample size concerns.

BEST CORSI

Forwards: Paul Byron (49.61%), Jiri Hudler (47.46%), Sean Monahan (47.05%)
Defense: Mark Giordano (45.94%), T.J. Brodie (45.85%)

WORST CORSI

Forwards: Brandon Bollig (34.4%), Lance Bouma (37.58%), Joe Colborne (37.61%)
Defense: Deryk Engelland (37.8%), Ladislav Smid (39.36%)

TOUGHEST MINUTES (Opponent Corsi%)

Forwards: Devin Setoguchi (52.61%), Paul Byron (52.55%), Jiri Hudler (52.49%) [Monahan just off the leaderboard at 52.46%]
Defense: T.J. Brodie (53.09%), Mark Giordano (52.93%)

EASIEST MINUTES (Opponent Corsi%)

Forwards: Brandon Bollig (49.84%), Lance Bouma (50.18%), Josh Jooris (50.83%)
Defense: Ladislav Smid (50.52%), Deryk Engelland (51.1%)

MOST O-ZONE STARTS

Forwards: Johnny Gaudreau (50.39% OZS), Jiri Hudler (48.61%), Brandon Bollig (47.17%)
Defense: Kris Russell (51.5% OZS), Deryk Engelland (48.28%)

LEAST O-ZONE STARTS

Forwards: Matt Stajan (32.78% OZS), Curtis Glencross (35.54%), Mikael Backlund (37.74%)
Defense: Ladislav Smid (35.24% OZS), T.J. Brodie (36.32%)

SCORING CHANCE LEADERS

Forwards: Curtis Glencross (51.3 SCF%), David Jones (50.7%), Paul Byron (50.37%) [Jooris just off leaderboard at 49.28%]
Defense: Mark Giordano (53.72 SCF%), T.J. Brodie (49.49%)

SCORING CHANCE SLACKERS

Forwards: Mason Raymond (31.58 SCF%), Devin Setoguchi (34.85%), Brandon Bollig (37.36%)
Defense: Deryk Engelland (34.51 SCF%), Kris Russell (36.36%)

DUMPERS

Forwards: Devin Setoguchi (25% carry), Brandon Bollig (26.32% carry), Josh Jooris (27.27%)
Defense: Ladislav Smid (0% carry), Deryk Engelland (20.59% carry)

CARRIERS

Forwards: Johnny Gaudreau (64.23% carry), Mikael Backlund (59.15% carry), Paul Byron (58.43% carry)
Defense: T.J. Brodie (45.74% carry), Kris Russell (27.06% carry)

TAKEAWAYS

For the curious, Calgary’s player usage chart (via Hockey Abstract):

The “tough minutes, good Corsi” club includes Paul Byron, Jiri Hudler, Sean Monahan, T.J. Brodie and Mark Giordano.
In the Setoguchi vs. Jooris race for getting to play regular NHL minutes: Setoguchi plays tough minutes, has okay Corsi and awful scoring chance numbers. Jooris plays easy minutes, has okay Corsi and really good scoring chance numbers.
Smid and Engelland are a terrifying pairing possession-wise.
Brandon Bollig is the Deryk Engelland of the bottom-six.
Johnny Gaudreau’s possession numbers have improved, but they’re still not very good. Luckily for him, he plays for the Flames, so nobody’s possession numbers are all that great.
My “I like David Jones” mindset of late has been backed up by the scoring chance numbers, but his Corsi numbers are fairly blah.
There’s not a huge division between the quality of competition between the Flames leaders and bottom-end, but that’s probably a product of their road-heavy schedule.

Away? Easiest competition went to (F) Bollig, Bouma & Stajan, (D) Diaz & Smid. Hardest competition went to (F) Gaudreau, Byron & Colborne, (D) Brodie & Giordano.
Home? Easiest competition went to (F) Bollig, Jooris & Bouma, (D) Smid & Engelland. Hardest competition went to (F) Glencross, Stajan & Hudler, (D) Brodie & Giordano.
Yes, road teams are totally targeting Johnny Gaudreau, which is entirely what they should be doing as rational decision-makers.