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Let's start with a great highlight reel from last season in which he truly emerged as one of the league's best.
Credit: Anthony Cook (he makes really good videos)
Per the NHL.com release posted here
Giordano led all defensemen and tied for sixth in the NHL with 16 points in 13 games to power the Flames (15-8-2, 32 points) to a 9-4-0 November record and third place in the Pacific Division. He also paced the League with a +12 rating, led all blueliners and ranked third in the NHL with 12 assists, and posted one game-winning goal (Nov. 13 vs. ARI). Giordano opened the month with points in seven straight contests, extending his overall point streak to nine games (5-9—14) and matching the longest such stretch of his NHL career (Jan. 14 – Feb. 1, 2014: 4-6—10). He also recorded his 20th point in his 18th outing of the season, becoming the fastest Flames defenseman to reach the milestone since Al MacInnis in 1993-94 (6-14—20 in 18 GP). Overall, Giordano found the scoresheet in 11 of 13 November games. The 31-year-old Toronto, Ont., native leads all defensemen with 19 assists and 25 points in 25 outings this season. He also is tied for second among blueliners with a +14 rating.
Those numbers are one thing but his underlying numbers are what is driving his success so far this season:
- Gio is shooting at 10.34% in all situations
- So far this season he is averaging 2.3 shots per game, 5.7 shots/60, and 9.7 shots per goal. His ability to drive possession is understandably the most important part to the Calgary Flames war-machine right now.
- To fully understand what he is doing offensively, he is responsible for 68.4% of the ES assist% for the team, 31.6% of the PP assists, and it doesn't stop there.
- Goal wise, 66.7% of the goals at ES are from him. 16.7% of the PP goals are from Gio as well.
- His 25 points on the season alone account for 24% of the goals on the team and 76% the team's assists are from him total. Which has him currently averaging 2.46 points/60.
- His ability to be a workhorse continues as he's averaging 24:36 TOI and 30.8 shifts a game.
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- Examining the "CF%/FF%" With and "Without Giordano" columns are the biggest areas to examine along with TOI, and OZS% to follow.
- Remember to consider sample sizes of TOI together as well - so guys like Max Reinhart, Raphael Diaz, and other defensemen may have questionably small numbers. I wasn't super sure how to highlight or draw attention to TOI here but I think it helps.
- The second column of "CF% without/FF% Without" are the columns specific to Mark Giordano's numbers without that respectful player playing with him on the ice.
Watch the damn video too, I wanted it included to ensure all those folks who love the "eye-test" were satisfied.