S97 defense part 1: Defenders

[VattghernCZ 1,120]

Part 0, where I explain what this is about, is available here. I talk about the stats I'm tracking, and the way I'm tracking them.

 

Now it's time for the proper part one of the project. Let's start with the defenders, because a) there's fewer of them than forwards, 2) this whole thing is about defense which is their main job and thirdly, my player is a wannabe defensive defenseman and I want to see how he performed as a rookie compared to the rest of the league.

 

I'll highlight top 6 defensemen for every stat I tracked, and I'll add my subjective top 6 in overall ranking based on the combined weighted rankings. I'll also include the full list of tracked stats for every defender in the VHL.

 

Puck Retrievals (PR)
Weight: 40%
Puck possession is the most important factor when evaluating defense, in my opinion. Once there is a lose puck, especially in your defensive zone, you want to get a hold of it before the opponent does. That's why puck retrievals have the biggest impact on the final ranking.

 

1. Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage  @Grape  1126 PR
2. Tommy Sleeves   @dasboot  1102 PR
3. Guntis Gavilrovs   @Girts  1095 PR
4. Alagsantere Groenvold   1077 PR
5. Callum Gary Yannick Janser  @Daniel Janser   1056 PR
6. Erik Thorvaldsson   @Tetricide  1043 PR

 

Pass Interceptions (PI)
Weight: 25%
First of all, the number of pass interceptions is RI-DI-CU-LOUS. High enough to change my mind about building a pass-first player in the future? Maybe. High enough that passing and playmaking will be the topic of my next offseason article? Definitely. Disrupting passes in your defensive zone prevents the opponents from creating quality scoring chances and often directly leads to breakouts and counterattacks.

 

1. Joseph Dubois  @Dubois  2331 PI
2. Tommy Sleeves   @dasboot  2112 PI
3. Alagsantere Groenvold   2077 PI
4. Erik Thordvaldsson   @Tetricide 1854 PI
5. Bric Sheithaus   @Oldhead91  1816 PI
6. Callum Gary Yannick Janser  @Daniel Janser   1736 PI

 

Shots Blocked (SB)

Weight: 20%

While blocking shots is necessary for penalty killers and true shutdown specialists, the fact it's by default a reactive play rather than a proactive play makes them not the best tool to evaluate players' overall defense, in my opinion. Still, they play a part in it. And out of these stats I'm tracking, it's the only one not requiring a Python code to collect, so that's nice.

 

1. Joseph Dubois @Dubois  270 SB
2. Slava Kovalenko @OblivionWalker  232 SB
3. Bric Sheithaus  @Oldhead91  231 SB
4.  Petit Hughie   @Sen  217 SB
5. Alagsantere Groenvold   202 SB
6. LaClapbomb Hitstick IV   @Greasy Gary  202 SB

 

Successful Hits (SH)

Weight: 15% (it hurts me to assign them this little)

I'm using "Successful Hits" instead of hits listed on player stats. The difference is that the usual hits include love taps, while "successful hits" are hits that separate puck carrier from the puck. Hits are definitely useful situationally, but overall defense is more about positioning and stick work.

 

1. Tommy Sleeves  @dasboot  257 SH
2. Callum Gary Yannick Janser  @Daniel Janser   256 SH
3. Guntis Gavilrovs  @Girts  235 SH
4. Fradin McGryer  @Fradin99  193 SH
5. Boris Bone-Breaker @RileyL  182 SH
6. Obuz Schneider Canet du Bocage   @Grape  177 SH

 

Overall weighted ranking

 

1. Tommy Sleeves  @dasboot  3.25 weighted rank
2. Callum Gary Yannick Janser  @Daniel Janser   5.20 weighted rank
3. Alagsantere Groenvold  5.90 weighted rank
4. Bric Sheithaus   @Oldhead91  6.40 weighted rank
5. Joseph Dubois  @Dubois  8.80 weighted rank
6. Guntis Gavilrovs  @Girts  9.25 weighted rank

 

Tommy Sleeves is really running away with this one, in my opinion. He's been an absolute wrecking ball for the most of his career, but he's really showing that there's much more to him than just hitting everything that moves.

 

Article on forwards is coming next week.

 

All tracked stats are available here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/117YLrvSyvX_cfkffe1yT5x1cLJi4O6HmyYnnlBOAPS0/edit?usp=drivesdk

[JCarson 798]

Definitely agree that we lack a number of stats that would help in defining a defensive minded defender.  Anything that picks up the ability of a player to get the puck back when their team doesn't have it, along with any stat that links to the ability to get the puck out of your defensive zone would be great additions.  Hits and blocks only provide minimal context to what is a much larger set of skills.  Would like to see how an expanded data set could provide contest to proving a hall of fame career for a defensively minded player.  It is my opinion that we overweight points attained in looking at hall of fame induction.  I give this article a 9 out of 10.