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Calgary Flames: Comparing Giordano To Other Power Play Defenseman

August 6, 2013, 11:09 AM ET [54 Comments]
Todd Cordell
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
You can follow Todd on Twitter @ToddCordellCGY!

I was looking through some Calgary Flames statistics from last season because, let's face it, there isn't much else to do right now.

While I was doing so, I came across some interesting numbers. Numbers that suggest not only is Mark Giordano not a good defenseman on the power play, but that he's rather bad at it.

Giordano was 2nd on the Flames among defenseman in 5 vs. 4 minutes last season. You'd think, with the Flames running a power play that clicked at a 20% rate, that he would've had some impressive power play point totals. Was that the case? No. Were his underlying 5 vs. 4 numbers good? Again, no. Not only that, but they were quite bad.

I wanted to see how other defenseman league wide, that were 2nd on their team among defenseman in 5 vs. 4 minutes, fared on the power play compared to Giordano.

I did just that and made a chart to compare numbers. Let's just say, Giordano's don't exactly hold up.

Notes: From left to right the statistics are, team power play percentage, 5 vs. 4 points, points per 60 minutes of 5 vs. 4, shots per 60 minutes of 5 vs. 4 and percentage of goals said player recorded a point on while on the ice. It should be noted that Marek Zidlicky is the only defenseman on the list who was first among defenseman in 5 vs. 4 minutes played on their respective teams. The rest of the players were 2nd among defenseman in 5 vs. 4 minutes.



Despite playing similar 5 vs. 4 minutes to the rest of the players listed and playing on power play that clicked at 20%, Giordano is dead last in points per 60 minutes of 5 vs. 4 play. That's alarming and also pretty telling.

He had just two 5 vs. 4 points and was last in percentage of goals scored that he recorded a point on. Even his shot totals per 60 minutes of 5 vs. 4 were worst among defenseman compared.

Obviously there are some higher quality players who were used in similar situations like P.K. Subban, for example, but even then the difference in numbers should be nowhere near this substantial; especially considering the Flames power play success rate.

Giordano is still a good defenseman, obviously, but it's pretty surprising and disappointing that he couldn't keep up with lesser defenseman who play on worse power play units like Jared Spurgeon and Marc-Andre Bergeron.

It's also pretty bad that Girodano's points per 60 minutes of 5 vs. 4 were less than half of the 2nd worst defenseman in that regard, which is Andy Greene. His points percentage doesn't even come close to anyone listed, either.

Luck likely factored into some of this, but even then his totals are pretty abysmal across the board.

Some of you may think it's unfair to compare his success to others around the league who have different players, systems, etc. to work with so I decided to also compare Giordano's numbers to the two other Flames defenseman who played regularly on the power play: Dennis Wideman and T.J. Brodie.

Below is a chart tracking the same numbers as above.



Once again, you'll notice that Giordano is last in pretty much every category and that he doesn't come close to anyone in points per 60 minutes of 5 vs. 4 nor in points percentage. Luckily for Giordano, Brodie essentially didn't take shots while playing on the power play so he at least topped someone in one category.

Overall Giordano's power play numbers are terrible and when you compare them to his teammates and other defenseman who play in the same situations as he, it's pretty clear that he doesn't deserve the minutes he's been getting.

It appears going forward that the best, and most likely, thing to do is give Brodie more power play minutes while reducing Giordano's minutes in 5 vs. 4 situations.

After all, it's a results driven league and with Giordano the results just aren't there.

**

Who will lead the Flames in defensive scoring?

A look at some interesting, and surprising, Flames statistics.

My take on T.J. Brodie's contract extension with the Flames.

Who will be the Flames starting goaltender this season?

Calgary Flames sign college free agent Josh Jooris.

What is Mike Cammalleri's trade value?

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