Montreal Canadiens: An interesting Brendan Gallagher stat from the year

There was an interesting stat from Brendan Gallagher’s season with the Montreal Canadiens that further proves how special of a player he is.

It’s an understatement to say that Brendan Gallagher was the best player for the Montreal Canadiens this year. The smirking agitator took his level of play to a higher level reaching a career high in both goals (31) and overall points (54).

Marc Bergevin mentioned ahead of the 2017-18 season that a good way for the team to improve its offensive output was at the feet of those who didn’t produce the year before. Gallagher was a member of that list after scoring only 10 goals. However, a pair of hand injuries affected the 25-year-old’s shooting and willingness to stand pat in his go-to areas. That reluctance was nowhere to be found this season and thus, 31 goals.

Besides that, Gallagher’s determination, work ethic, and willingness to compete no matter what was commemorable. Whenever there was a game where the Montreal Canadiens didn’t bring their best, or most importantly try, Gallagher could never be a part of that conversation. The 2010 fifth-round pick produced no matter who he played with, and if Max Pacioretty ends up being traded, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who should be the next captain.

Possession is Skill

Primary stat lines are fun to look at, but there is a deeper layer around Gallagher. Advanced stats are continuing to become a marquee reference guide in the NHL. They aren’t the end-all-be-all of player evaluation and team building, but they do provide another look as to what is happening on the ice.

In the last five years, the league has prioritized possession. Holding on to and skating with the puck has proven to be a better strategy for some teams. Additionally, it usually stems from the more skilled players on the team.

Players like Alex Galchenyuk and Jonathan Drouin are the ones who many would assume to be at the top of any and all possession lists on the Montreal Canadiens. They play a style that has them carry the puck and make small plays in the offensive zone that allows them to get it to their teammates to generate scoring chances.

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That is where Corsi-For (CF%) comes into play. This indicates the number of shots going towards the opponents net. Individual CF% is a good way to look at the performance of an individual player, but hockey is a team sport. Now we get into Relative Corsi (Rel CF%). The stat shows a player’s individual CF% in comparison to the rest of the team when they are off the ice.

A positive Rel CF% shows that the team generates more when said player is on the ice, and a negative Rel CF% means the opposite.

Gallagher is a Driver

Now back to Gallagher. The Alberta native led all forwards on the Montreal Canadiens this season in Rel CF% with a 5.3 at even strength. In comparison, Galchenyuk and Drouin had a respective -1.5 and 0.2. Eye opening, isn’t it?

Gallagher is a very good player with skills of his own, but you wouldn’t expect him to be a possession player as well. Again that term is generally reserved for another class. This is also representative of Gallagher’s play away from the puck as much as it speaks to his offence. If your team gets more shots directed towards the net when you’re on the ice, it can only mean that you’re doing good things.

In comparison, Gallagher’s Rel CF% was also greater than anyone on the Tampa Bay Lightning, the highest on the team was Alex Killorn at 4, and would have him second on the Winnipeg Jets. Looking further at his stat relative to the rest of the NHL, among players this season who have have seen at least 1000 minutes of time on ice, Gallagher ranks eighth.

Next: Drafting Zadina Could Force a Pacioretty Trade

It’s another piece of evidence that shows how solid of a performer Gallagher is. If the rest of the team were to improve their defensive responsibility and execution, the Montreal Canadiens will be better off. That also comes down to the makeup of the team which will probably be addressed over the offseason.