FanPost

Metro Division Defensemen 5v5 Chart (corsi possession and p/60 stats) as of 12/25

"He's a good player...and thorough." - Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The latest 5v5 chart for the Metro division. This time defensemen.

(Here is the link to the forwards post, in case you missed that one.)

The Y-axis of this chart is basically how well each defenseman has done in Corsi-possession. It is more sustainable and less fluky than the X-axis, which is points-per-60, especially at this point in the season.... Also, probably more-so than the forwards, the defensemen points-per-60 is dependent on the teammates of their own team. (It's easier for a PIT defenseman out there at 5v5 with Crosby to pick up points than it is for defensemen on other teams, for instance.)

This chart is minimum of 20 games played per defenseman.... Size of bubble is total 5v5 TOI so far this season.

You can find three NYI defensemen in the upper right (where you want to see them) and the other three are a bit below zero, towards the middle.

And here is the direct link to the following chart, for better viewing:

The defensemen in the upper right have been the most effective at 5v5. (Note that Mike Green should be at x = 1.75.)... Isles have arguably three of the four most effective 5v5 defensemen in the Metro this season so far, in Leddy, Boychuk, and Visnovsky. (Green being the other.)... Part of their placement on the x-axis is due to Isles' forwards scoring a lot at 5v5, whereas for the y-axis that is theoretically compensated for.

Hickey, deHaan, and Hamonic are close in proximity on the chart. Each is doing well in point-scoring at 5v5-- probably better than most of us expected. However, each of them has been somewhat disappointing, as far as their possession performance.... But that means each can do better the rest of the season. Hickey and deHaan are capable of being plus-possession defensemen, while Hamonic is capable of at least average possession hockey.

All-in-all it looks good. Three defensemen look excellent here for Isles. The other three are far from the bottom left corner, and each of those three has been substantially better in a previous season.... If Boychuk and Visnovsky each leave as UFAs, others will have to be better, though.

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