Illegal Curve Hockey

Categories: Numbers Game

Numbers Game – ES + PP Minutes per point

In today’s Numbers Game, I complete the player efficiency analysis. Previously, I examined each players minutes per point statistic on the power play and on even strength. Today, I combined each player’s power play and even strength production to determine their combined minutes per point statistic (based on statistics as of Feb. 20/08).

ES + PP Min/G

Alexander Ovechkin leads the league in goals with 48 and is also the league leader in ES + PP Min/G. In fact, 8 of the players in the top 10 in ES + PP Min/G are also in the Top 10 in goals. Absent from the top 10 are Vincent Lecavalier and Olli Jokinen. Radim Vrbata is the lowest ranked player in goals that is in the top 20 in ES + PP Min/G. He is 21st in the league with 24 goals, but ranks 11th in ES + PP Min/G.

ES + PP Min/A

As expected, Crosby, Savard, Spezza, Sedin and Datsyuk place in the top 5 of PP + ES Min/A. They are also among the league leaders in assists, with the exception of Crosby who missed significant playing time due to a groin injury, although he does still rank 13th. Frolov and Hemsky both rank 28th in assists, but sit 10th and 18th respectively in PP + ES Min/A.

ES + PP Min/P

Sidney Crosby also tops the list in ES + PP Min/P. He averages a point once every 14:51. His teammate, Malkin, sits right behind him in second place. It’s hard to imagine what they can do when Hossa returns. Ottawa’s Spezza and Alfredsson sit 3rd and 5th respectively.

After a careful analysis of the minutes per point statistic, it clearly paints a more accurate picture of a player’s offensive efficiency than overall points. The statistic incorporates both the number of games a player plays as well as how much ice time they get.

It should be emphasized that this stat is an indicator of offensive efficiency, not who is a “better” player. No one is going to suggest that Langenbrunner is a better player than Lecavalier because he is ranked much higher in PP Min/P. It is merely a reflection of their productivity during the playing time they receive. Further, there is no guarantee that a player will continue its productivity if given more playing time. As well, players like Lecavalier get more playing time because of their defensive contributions in addition to their offensive contributions. That being said, Langenbrunner does make a pretty strong case for more playing time!

For Illegal Curve, I am Adam Gutkin.

Adam