Montreal Canadiens: What do the stats say of Nick Suzuki and Cale Fleury?
By Omar L
Let’s first focus on what the Montreal Canadiens should want from either (advanced-wise) starting with Fleury.
Playing on the bottom pair is, in some ways, similar to being a forward on the fourth line. Your job is to be present, spend as little time as possible in your own zone, and refrain from taking penalties and giving up high-danger chances in your own end. Fleury has always been known for being an “offence-first defenceman” but has rounded out his game after a year under Joël Bouchard in Laval. That said, his defensive awareness was a point of interest, and he showed growth in that department at training camp.
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To look at how well Fleury suppresses shots, we’ll look at his RelCA/60, which shows the number of scoring attempts allowed when he’s on the ice vs. off the ice. The lower the number, the better while it’s counterpart, shots generated – RelCF/60, is better the higher it is.
Fleury has a RelCA/60 of 14.37 and a RelCF/60 of -22.75 at 5v5. This means he is spending most of the time trying to defend rather than advance the puck and create chances, and when he does, it’s not very useful. Overall, the 20-year-old isn’t driving possession or limiting attempts made by the opposition, which stands out like a sore thumb.
Kulak has been better defensively with a RelCA/60 of -4.53. His offence isn’t saying much, but Julien isn’t really looking at that area of the game when you’re on the bottom pair despite the fact that it can be an asset. That said, Kulak has the ability to play higher in the lineup and will improve as the year goes on.