Cole's o-zone numbers down

Eric Cole was the Montreal Canadiens leading goal-scorer last season; although Max Pacioretty actually had more even-strength goals. Cole produced this offense by pushing the play offensively. He attempted the most offensive-zone dekes, and the second-most shots; while only Pacioretty attempted more shots per-minute of ice-time than number 72.

OFFENSIVE-ZONE


This season has seen Cole engage in fewer offensive-zone events per-minute played; from 1.80 last season to 1.74 this year. He also has a lower offensive-zone risk/reward rating, a lower o-zone ratio, and has removed puck-possession from the opposition less often.

A good portion of Cole's 2011-12 offense was produced off of turn-overs, as he was the third-most successful Montreal forward when attempting to remove puck-possession from the opposition in the offensive-zone. 

He has recovered more loose-pucks this season, but has been less successful producing offense once he has possession. Not only has he attempted fewer dekes and passes, but his o-zone passing success-rate is down from 58.5% to 57.1%, while his success-rate beating opposition players 1on1 (deke) is down substantially; from 50.4% to 42.9%.

These lower success-rates are not due to a change in tendency, as Cole has chosen to pass 44% of the time he has had possession in the offensive-zone this year compared to 45% last year. He has chosen the shoot option 27% of the time this year (28% in 2011-12), and the deke option 29% (28% in 2011-12).

He has been able to get a higher percentage of his attempted shots through to the net, but has attempted fewer shots per-minute played.

#72 COLE
SCORING CHANCES FOR	N/A	5
CHANCES AGAINST	N/A	2
OFFENSIVE-ZONE (EVEN-STRENGTH)	COLE 2011-12	COLE 2012-13
SUCCESSFUL OFFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK/BATTLES PER-MINUTE	0.08	0.06
OFFENSIVE-ZONE RISK/REWARD RATING	0.40	0.31
OFFENSIVE-ZONE RATIO (SUCCESSFUL TO UNSUCCESSFUL PLAYS)	1.58	1.43
OFFENSIVE-ZONE LOOSE-PUCK RECOVERIES	0.338	0.367
OFFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-BATTLE WINNING-PERCENTAGE /MP	50.0%	75.0%
OFFENSIVE-ZONE EVENTS / MP	1.804	1.740
FORECHECKING SUCCESS-RATE	73.3%	65.9%
INTERCEPTED OPPOSITION PASSES /MP	0.061	0.097
SUCCESSFUL O-ZONE PUCK POSSESSION PLAYS /MP	0.603	0.503
O-ZONE PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATE	55.2%	54.2%
DEFLECTIONS/ MP	0.15	0.06
ATTEMPTED O-ZONE PASSES /MP	0.487	0.406
SUCCESSFUL O-ZONE PASSES /MP	0.285	0.232
O-ZONE PASSING SUCCESS-RATE	58.5%	57.1%
ATTEMPTED O-ZONE DEKES	0.302	0.271
SUCCESSFUL O-ZONE DEKES	0.152	0.116
O-ZONE DEKE SUCCESS-RATE	50.4%	42.9%
ATTEMPTED SHOTS /MP	0.301	0.251
SHOTS THROUGH TO THE NET /MP	0.165	0.155
SHOTS THROUGH SUCCESS-RATE	54.8%	61.5%
TRUE SHOOTING-PERCENTAGE (GOALS / ATTEMPTED SHOTS)	6.4%	0.0%

DEFENSIVE-ZONE

Contrary to his o-zone numbers, almost all of Cole's 2012-13 numbers in the defensive-zone are better than last year.

He has a substantially better defensive-zone risk/reward rating and ratio, to go along with a defensive success-rate nearly 20 percentage-points better than last season. He has produced more successful puck-possession plays (passes and dump-outs), but has yet to attempt a defensive-zone deke; interesting, considering he attempted the second-most defensive-zone dekes among forwards last year.

Another important product of Cole's success in the defensive-zone is the number of d-zone events he's engaged in. Thanks to playing better in the defensive-zone, Cole's defensive-zone events have gone from 0.99 per-minute played in 2011-12 to 0.83 this season. Less d-zone events usually point to less time spent in the defensive-zone.

#72 COLE
DEFENSIVE-ZONE (EVEN-STRENGTH)	COLE 2011-12	COLE 2012-13
DEFENSIVE-ZONE RISK/REWARD RATING	0.30	0.56
DEFENSIVE-ZONE RATIO (SUCCESSFUL TO UNSUCCESSFUL PLAYS)	1.85	5.14
DEFENSIVE-ZONE LOOSE-PUCK RECOVERIES /MP	0.236	0.290
DEFENSIVE-ZONE PUCK-BATTLE WINNING-PERCENTAGE	43.5%	100.0%
DEFENSIVE-ZONE EVENTS /MP	0.99	0.83
DEFENDING IN D-ZONE SUCCESS-RATE/MP	68.5%	87.0%
INTERCEPTED OPPOSITION PASSES /MP	0.052	0.039
BLOCKED SHOTS /MP	0.030	0.019
SUCCESSFUL D-ZONE PUCK POSSESSION PLAYS /MP	0.238	0.309
D-ZONE PUCK-POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATE	59.7%	80.0%
ATTEMPTED D-ZONE PASSES	0.224	0.271
SUCCESSFUL D-ZONE PASSES	0.140	0.213
D-ZONE PASSING SUCCESS-RATE	62.6%	78.6%
ATTEMPTED D-ZONE DEKES	0.054	0.000
SUCCESSFUL D-ZONE DEKES	0.031	0.000
D-ZONE DEKE SUCCESS-RATE	56.7%	N/A
ATTEMPTED DUMP-OUTS	0.097	0.097
DUMP-OUTS	0.068	0.097
DUMP-OUTS SUCCESS-RATE	69.4%	100.0%

It's important to not that these are early numbers, and will change dramatically through the course of the season. It is also important to remember Cole's slow offensive start last year.

HABS: Numbers and notes from Jan 27th win over New Jersey

4-3 overtime win

SCORING CHANCES

Within this system, a scoring chance must involve a shot on net.

Even-strength scoring chances were 10 for Montreal and 8 New Jersey.

Breaking them down by period, the Habs had 6 even-strength scoring chances to New Jersey's 5 through the first period. Both teams had 1 scoring chance in the second, and Montreal had a 2-1 edge in the third. The Habs and Devils each had 1 scoring chance in overtime.

POSSESSION AND DEFENSIVE SUCCESS-RATES vs. WASHINGTON (EVEN-STRENGTH)

Montreal continued the trend of producing superior defensive-zone possession success-rates this season. That said, their possession ratings in the offensive-zone continue to be under last year.

The Habs defensive success-rates in all three zones were impressive against New Jersey. In fact, they produced their best defensive numbers in the defensive-zone this season.

	2011-12	2012-13	TOR L	FLA W	WAS W	NJ W
SUCCESS-RATE MAINTAINING O-ZONE POSSESSION	56.5	51.99	53.37	50.88	53.15	50.54	SUCCESS-RATE MAINTAINING O-ZONE POSSESSION
SUCCESS-RATE MAINTAINING N-ZONE POSSESSION	69.7	67.82	68.25	64.36	65.96	71.13	SUCCESS-RATE MAINTAINING N-ZONE POSSESSION
SUCCESS-RATE MAINTAINING D-ZONE POSSESSION	67.5	73.76	76.65	74.10	74.49	71.07	SUCCESS-RATE MAINTAINING D-ZONE POSSESSION
	2011-12	2012-13	TOR L	FLA W	WAS W	NJ W
SUCCESS-RATE REMOVING POSSESSION IN O-ZONE	71.2	76.48	70.51	77.78	82.42	77.98	SUCCESS-RATE REMOVING POSSESSION IN O-ZONE
SUCCESS-RATE REMOVING POSSESSION IN N-ZONE	71.6	81.78	85.94	87.04	69.39	82.42	SUCCESS-RATE REMOVING POSSESSION IN N-ZONE
SUCCESS-RATE REMOVING POSSESSION IN D-ZONE	68.5	80.18	75.69	81.10	78.05	85.49	SUCCESS-RATE REMOVING POSSESSION IN D-ZONE
	2011-12	2012-13	TOR L	FLA W	WAS W	NJ W

POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATES FORWARDS

	8	14	17	20	21	27	32	51	53	72	73	81		TM TOT
O-ZONE POSS.	42.86	45.45	39.13	72.73	50.00	52.94	37.50	37.50	50.00	64.29	66.67	66.67	O-ZONE POSS.	50.54
N-ZONE POSS.	33.33	57.14	84.62	100.00	60.00	66.67	100.00	75.00	75.00	66.67	80.00	62.50	N-ZONE POSS.	71.13
D-ZONE POSS.	60.00	72.73	66.67	50.00	44.44	44.44	83.33	75.00	50.00	87.50	75.00	60.00	D-ZONE POSS.	71.07
	8	14	17	20	21	27	32	51	53	72	73	81		TM TOT

POSSESSION SUCCESS-RATES DEFENSEMEN

	26	55	61	68	74	79		TM TOT
O-ZONE POSS.	25.00	83.33	50.00	0.00	44.44	58.33	O-ZONE POSS.	50.54
N-ZONE POSS.	66.67	100.00	55.56	100.00	70.00	80.00	N-ZONE POSS.	71.13
D-ZONE POSS.	81.25	78.26	76.00	58.82	72.00	75.00	D-ZONE POSS.	71.07
	26	55	61	68	74	79		TM TOT

DEFENSIVE SUCCESS-RATES FORWARDS

	8	14	17	20	21	27	32	51	53	72	73	81		TM TOT
O-ZONE DEF	80.00	86.67	71.43	100.00	89.47	90.91	77.78	62.50	90.00	60.00	66.67	73.33	O-ZONE DEF	77.98
N-ZONE DEF	66.67	75.00	77.78	75.00	100.00	100.00	50.00	0.00	100.00	80.00	100.00	66.67	N-ZONE DEF	82.42
D-ZONE DEF	83.33	100.00	62.50	75.00	81.82	100.00	100.00	71.43	83.33	77.78	85.71	83.33	D-ZONE DEF	85.49
	8	14	17	20	21	27	32	51	53	72	73			TM TOT

DEFENSIVE SUCCESS-RATES DEFENSEMEN

	26	55	61	68	74	79		TM TOT
O-ZONE DEF	33.33	100.00	60.00	83.33	62.50	83.33	O-ZONE DEF	77.98
N-ZONE DEF	100.00	100.00	83.33	100.00	100.00	76.92	N-ZONE DEF	82.42
D-ZONE DEF	84.62	88.89	93.33	66.67	88.89	87.50	D-ZONE DEF	85.49
	26	55	61	68	74	79		TM TOT