Scoring Chances Update, through March 17, 2011

Mikhail Grabovski remains the top dog on the Leafs, as he still leads all regulars in scoring chance differential at even strength.  He has also excelled on the PK, too, since earning more icetime there.  His usual wingers, Kulemin and MacArthur, have had their numbers at EV remain steady as well since the last update 23 games ago.

Read on to view the Toronto Maple Leafs’ scoring chances by individual players through March 17, 2011.  Scoring chances have been recorded by myself for all but three Leafs’ games, two were recorded by Derek Zona and George Ays (one each), and one has gone unrecorded (game #18 vs. New Jersey).

The definition of a scoring chance, as originally written at the Copper & Blue:

"A scoring chance is defined as a clear play directed toward the opposing net from a dangerous scoring area – loosely defined as the top of the circle in and inside the faceoff dots (nicknamed the Home Plate), though sometimes slightly more generous than that depending on the amount of immediately-preceding puck movement or screens in front of the net. Blocked shots are generally not included but missed shots are. A player is awarded a scoring chance anytime he is on the ice and someone from either team has a chance to score. He is awarded a ‘chance for’ if someone on his team has a chance to score and a ‘chance against’ if the opposing team has a chance to score."

In my work on the Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring chances are being tracked for the Calgary Flames (by Kent Wilson over at FlamesNation), Edmonton Oilers (Dennis), Florida Panthers (Derek Zona), Montreal Canadiens (Olivier), NY Rangers (George Ays), and Washington Capitals (Neil Greenberg).  Scott Reynolds of the Copper & Blue has also been tracking scoring chances for the Los Angeles Kings since they acquired Dustin Penner from the Oilers.

Now, a look at the Leafs and some quick comments.

EVEN STRENGTH:

 So, like I said up top, Grabovski and co. continue to carry this team.  Phil Kessel, on the other hand, has seen his line give up a high amount of scoring chances, and this has only been exacerbated by the arrival of Joffrey Lupul.  Keith Aulie’s numbers suffer a lot from his performances during his first call-up to the Leafs.  Since the Beauchemin trade, when he was brought in to fill the void on D, he’s been on the ice for 84 Leafs chances for and 102 chances against.  Still a bit shaky but he’s very young and has had moments where he’s shown that he could develope into a valuable defender down the road.  Supposed shutdown defenceman Mike Komisarek has given up just 0.21 chances less than Brett Lebda per 60 minutes of even strength icetime.

Since Tomas Kaberle was shipped out to Boston, his old partner Luke Schenn is 71-79 at EV.  With Kaberle, he was in the black with 245 chances for and 219 chances against.  On the year, Schenn is 144-154 without old #15 on his left side.

I apologize for the error made in the last update; Armstrong was listed as playing far more EV minutes than he had at that time.  I don’t know what wrong there, to be honest, or why I didn’t even realize it at the time.

POWER-PLAY:

 Kaberle leads all pointmen in chances for on the PP by a sizeable margin.  Even with Phaneuf producing lately, the Leafs still miss their longtime PP quarterback.  Lupul has added to the Leafs attack on the man advantage, with a little less chances for than the guy he was traded for, but he’s also bled much less shorthanded chances against than Versteeg.

PENALTY-KILL:

I’ve been loving the work by Grabovski and Kulemin on the PK.  Mike Brown, after coming off the injured list (upper body injury), didn’t see a single second the PK for 11 consecutive games and has only been given minutes there again in the last two.  Armstrong and Bozak have tailed off a bit.