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Canadiens defensemen score at historic pace

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Canadiens defensemen score at historic pace

The Canadiens’ offensive defensemen are doing a great job. They really are.

A few days ago, we learned that CH defensemen led the NHL in goals scored. But this morning, we can take it a step further.

According to Renaud Lavoie on BPM Sports this morning, the Habs’ defensemen have been scoring at a historic rate since the start of the campaign.

Historic? Yes, historic.

Of course, it’s still December, so this may change, but right now, Habs defensemen have scored over 30% (30.3, to be precise) of the club’s goals since the start of the season.

Lavoie, quoting statistician Guillaume Villemaire on the matter, claims that such a rate hasn’t been seen in 90 years.

Of course, as I said, it may be a completely different story at the end of the season. But right now, the CH leads the league (far ahead of the Flames, who are at 23.5%) and that says a lot about the guys’ contribution.

Among a younger-than-average Montreal blue line, here are the guys who scored the Flanelle’s 20 goals.

  • Mike Matheson: 5
  • Justin Barron: 5
  • Johnathan Kovacevic: 4
  • Gustav Lindstrom: 3
  • Kaiden Guhle: 2
  • Arber Xhekaj: 1

Jordan Harris, Jayden Struble and David Savard did not score. In the case of the last two, it’s no surprise… just like in the case of Mattias Norlinder, who didn’t play. #Logic101

Barron, Kovacevic and Lindstrom are surprising cases, let’s face it. Kovacevic believes that playing three-on-three in the summer helps him develop his offensive instincts… and I wonder if Barron has done the same, too.

But is it all positive? When you consider that the CH still ranks 26th in the NHL – tied with the Ducks – for goals scored with 66, you realize (even more) that the forwards aren’t scoring.

The club’s forwards have scored 46 times this season. In 24 games, that’s less than two per game.

At the club, only eight guys have scored at least four goals. Three of them are defensemen, and then there’sAlex Newhook, who will be stuck at seven goals for at least 10 weeks – if not longer.

Here are the (healthy) forwards who are in the CH’s top-8 scorers right now:

  • Nick Suzuki: 7
  • Cole Caufield: 7
  • Sean Monahan: 6
  • Brendan Gallagher: 5
Cole Caufield, Tanner Pearson (3), Juraj Slafkovsky (2), Jake Evans (1) and Christian Dvorak (1) are among the forwards who could give Martin St-Louis more this season.

Oh, did I tell you that Josh Anderson is still looking for the back of the net this season? I think you already knew that.


Breaking news

– It’s game day.

– The subject continues to be the talk of the town.

– Doesn’t look like he’s wearing a splint. When will he be back?

– The Blue Jays are in every race.

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