A look at the Habs centremen heading into the first round series against Boston

A look at grades and averages by metric for Habs centremen
(Grades vs. Boston this season are below)


Tomas Plekanec led all Canadiens centremen with a mark of 63. Plekanec's final grade was 2 percentage-points above his closest rival.

1.Tomas Plekanec (63)
2. Scott Gomez (61)
3. David Desharnais (61)
4. Lars Eller (61)
5. Jeff Halpern (60)

#14 Tomas Plekanec

Despite leading all centremen in points, Plekanec's top grade is the product of his work in the defensive-zone. He led all pivots in defensive-zone puck-battle winning percentage, defensive-zone takeaways, defensive-zone blocked shots, and defensive-zone blocked passes. Plekanecs' total for neutral-zone takeaways is nearly double that of his closest rival, while he also has the top winning percentage in both defensive-zone faceoff categories.

#11 Scott Gomez

Gomez's grade is buoyed by his work carrying the puck through the neutral-zone. He leads all centremen in success-rate when carrying the puck into the offensive-zone, as well as successful neutral-zone passes and deaks. That said, Gomez has the second-most neutral-zone giveaways, and the lowest success-rate when engaging in neutral-zone puck-battles. He has the second-lowest offensive-zone puck-battle winning percentage, while completing the lowest percentage of offensive-zone passes when compared to the 4 other centremen. Gomez leads all centremen in both offensive-zone faceoff categories.

#58 David Desharnais

Desharnais has the second-highest offensive-production among centres. He also has the top winning percentage when engaging in offensive-zone puck-battles to go along with a team-leading 7 offensive-zone takeaways. Desharnais struggles in the defensive-zone. He has the lowest defensive-zone puck-battle winning percentage, and the second lowest completion-rate for defensive-zone pass-attempts.

#81 Lars Eller

Eller's mark is hurt by his work in the offensive-zone faceoff circle, and his inability to get shots through to the net. That said, he has the second-best success-rate when engaging in offensive and defensive-zone puck-battles. He leads all centremen in offensive-zone passing percentage, and is among the leaders in offensive-zone takeaways despite enjoying substantially less ice-time.

#15 Jeff Halpern

Surprisingly enough, Halpern's low-mark is the product of an inability to win faceoffs in the offensive-zone. Halpern has won only 33% of his offensive-zone faceoffs. He leads all centres in neutral-zone puck-battle winning percentage, while having the second-best success rate when dumping the puck into the offensive-zone.


Overall

	11	14	15	58	81		TM TOT
OZPBW	337	321	134	279	251	OZPBW	4278
OZPBL	304	265	122	186	202	OZPBL	3293
OZPASS+	31	44	0	25	19	OZPASS+	390
OZPASS-	19	14	0	8	4	OZPASS-	160
OZDEAK+	5	9	0	6	3	OZDEAK+	58
OZDEAK-	3	2	0	6	4	OZDEAK-	40
SKI +	209	189	51	113	89	SKI +	1948
SKI-	53	60	18	34	37	SKI-	740
DI+	127	141	86	73	78	DI+	1946
DI-	28	43	20	23	29	DI-	533
OZTA	3	7	0	7	6	OZTA	73
	11	14	15	58	81		TM TOT
DZPBW	186	172	121	124	158	DZPBW	3947
DZPBL	148	99	80	104	97	DZPBL	2777
DZPASS	30	20	0	11	11	DZPASS	558
DZPASS-	7	10	0	5	4	DZPASS-	228
DZDEAK+	5	0	0	0	4	DZDEAK+	37
dZDEAK-	0	1	0	1	2	dZDEAK-	14
DZTA	30	39	21	21	20	DZTA	535
DZGA	40	42	25	19	23	DZGA	884
DZ-BL-SHOT	16	30	17	20	15	DZ-BL-SHOT	611
DZ-BL-PASS	1	4	0	1	0	DZ-BL-PASS	56
	11	14	15	58	81		TM TOT
NZPBW	92	76	41	89	78	NZPBW	1038
NZPBL	106	67	28	71	68	NZPBL	821
NZPASS+	23	15	0	4	5	NZPASS+	189
NZPASS-	2	6	0	1	2	NZPASS-	65
NZDEAK+	1	1	0	2	4	NZDEAK+	23
NZDEAK-	0	1	0	1	1	NZDEAK-	7
NZTA	19	34	17	21	16	NZTA	471
NZGA	41	53	28	29	19	NZGA	667
	11	14	15	58	81		TM TOT
DZFOW	65	76	35	59	38	DZFOW	300
DZFOL	81	63	33	55	34	DZFOL	300
DZPKFOW	10	67	12	7	0	DZPKFOW	111
DZPKFOL	13	71	18	10	0	DZPKFOL	122
OZPPFOW	60	41	0	9	0	OZPPFOW	119
OZPPFOL	37	33	0	18	0	OZPPFOL	92
OZFOW	92	82	16	37	28	OZFOW	277
OZFOL	72	82	35	52	35	OZFOL	327
NZFOW	11	12	0	3	4	NZFOW	30
NZFOL	5	13	0	4	6	NZFOL	29
	11	14	15	58	81		TM TOT
Shot THRU	21	27	2	7	7	PS THRU	658
Shot BL/missed	14	30	1	6	11	OZ PS BL	419
POINTS X2	40	54	20	44	22	POINTS X2	652
+/-	-8	3	0	-3	-3	+/-	-6
SHOTS	97	129	31	55	32	SHOTS	1398
	11	14	15	58	81		TM TOT
WINS	1503	1593	604	1014	885	WINS	19697
BATTLES	2484	2545	1012	1650	1466	BATTLES	31221
GRADE	61	63	60	61	60	GRADE	63
PLAYER	11	14	15	58	81		TM GR

Overall percentage by metric

METRIC	11	14	15	58	81	METRIC	TEAM TOT
%OZPBW	53	55	52	60	55	%OZPBW	57
OZPASS%	62	76		76	83	OZPASS%	71
OZDEAK%	63	82		50	43	OZDEAK%	59
SKI%	80	76	74	77	71	SKI%	72
DI%	82	77	81	76	73	DI%	78
OZTA	3	7	0	7	6	OZTA	73
	11	14	15	58	81		TEAM TOT
%DZPBW	56	63	60	54	62	%DZPBW	59
DZPASS%	81	67		69	73	DZPASS%	71
DZDEAK%	100	0		0	67	DZDEAK%	73
DZTA	30	39	21	21	20	DZTA	535
DZGA	40	42	25	19	23
DZ-BL-SHOT	16	30	17	20	15	DZ-BL-SHOT	611
DZ-BL-PASS	1	4	0	1	0	DZ-BL-PASS	56
	11	14	15	58	81		TEAM TOT
%NZPBW	46	53	59	56	53	%NZPBW	56
NZPASS%	92	71		80	71	NZPASS%	74
NZDEAK%	100	50		67	80	NZDEAK%	77
NZTA	19	34	17	21	16	NZTA	471
NZGA	41	53	28	29	19		667
	11	14	15	58	81		TEAM TOT
DZFOW%	45	55	51	52	53	DZFOW%	50
DZPKFOW%	43	49	40	41		DZPKFOW%	48
OZPPFOW%	62	55		33		OZPPFOW%	56
OZFOW%	56	50	31	42	44	OZFOW%	46
NZFOW%	69	48		43	40	NZFOW%	51
	11	14	15	58	81		TEAM TOT
SHOTS THRU%	60	47	67	54	39	SHOTS THRU%	61

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Vs. Boston (4 games)

Ranking the centres against Boston produces the same order as we get against the rest of the league. However, the final grades run 2 to 6 percentage-points lower against the Bruins.

1.Tomas Plekanec (60) -3 points below his season average
2. Scott Gomez (59) -2 points below his season average
3. David Desharnais (58) -3 points below his season average
4. Lars Eller (55) -5 points below his season average
5. Jeff Halpern (54) -6 points below his season average

Grades vs. Boston

PLAYER	11	14	15	58	81		TM GRADE
WINS	141	132	55	83	61		1633
BATTLES	240	221	101	143	110		2689
GRADE	59	60	54	58	55	GRADE	61
PLAYER	11	14	15	58	81		TM GRADE

#14 Tomas Plekanec


Plekanec has won 19% more of his defensive-zone puck-battles against Boston than any other centreman. He also leads with an 88% success-rate when dumping the puck into the offensive-zone, but unlike his previous season-total, number 14 has struggled in the defensive-zone faceoff circle; particularly at even-strength.


#11 Scott Gomez

Gomez has below average marks in the defensive-zone, but above average marks in the offensive zone. His success-rate carrying the puck into the offensive-zone against the Bruins is the team's best, while his success-rate when engaging in offensive-zone puck-battles is second only to Eller. His success-rate for defensive-zone puck-battles is low, but his winning percentage for neutral-zone puck-battles is an absolutely horrendous 38%.


#58 David Desharnais


Desharnais has had the most offensive-success of any Habs' centre against Boston. He is also the only pivot not in the minus. He is below the team-average in both offensive and neutral-zone puck-battles, while his success-rate when attempting to carry the puck into the offensive-zone is an uncharacteristically low 60%. Desharnais has also struggled with special-team faceoffs; he has been successful with only 33% of his defensive-zone penalty-killing faceoffs, and only 20% of his offensive-zone powerplay faceoffs.


#81 Lars Eller

Eller has been brutal in the faceoff circle against the B's. He's managed to win only 38% of his defensive-zone faceoffs, and 25% of his offensive-zone faceoffs. That said, he has the top success-rate when engaging in offensive-zone puck-battles, while amassing the same amount of points as Gomez and Plekanec. Eller has had difficulty in the neutral-zone against Boston. He's won only 36% of his neutral-zone puck-battles, while his success rates for both dump-ins and carry-ins are the lowest among centremen.


#15 Jeff Halpern

Halpern's success-rates for puck-battles in all 3 zones is among the lowest on the entire team. His only solid play has come when dumping the puck into the offensive-zone and winning defensive-zone faceoffs.


Percentages by metric (vs Boston)

	11	14	15	58	81		TEAM TOT
%OZPBW	56	45	40	47	69	%OZPBW	54
%SKI +	85	69	0	75	64	%SKI +	79
%DI+	86	88	86	60	50	%DI+	81
%DZPBW	48	84	54	63	65	%DZPBW	57
%NZPBW	38	57	33	52	36	%NZPBW	55
	11	14	15	58	81		TEAM TOT

	11	14	15	58	81		TEAM TOT
%DZFOW	40	45	75	55	38	%DZFOW	47
%DZPKFOW	100	50	67	33		%DZPKFOW	59
%OZPPFOW	79	67		20		%OZPPFOW	67
%OZFOW	48	50	0	80	25	%OZFOW	45
%PS THRU	100	0				%PS THRU	73
	11	14	15	58	81		TEAM TOT