Fantasy hockey experts Jason Chen and Michael Amato wonder when it’s time to panic when certain NHL players underperform, such as Alex Ovechkin. Adam Fantilli [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAxNzA0NDczMTU0OTU1MDI4/usatsi_21632923_168400847_lowres.jpg] Adam Fantilli When evaluating the newest players in the NHL, it takes more than goals and assists to see who has the edge. Now, the public can take a closer look. The NHL unveiled a new addition to its website with NHL EDGE [https://edge.nhl.com/en/home] puck and player tracking statistics, including skating speed, skating distance, shot speed, shot and save location and zone time. The site launched on Monday as the NHL looks to provide the public more access to the data and tracking information that teams and broadcasters have had behind the scenes for a few years. While everyone’s first search on the NHL EDGE platform was the league’s top stars, such as Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, and Cale Makar, let’s dive into some of the data on the NHL’s future. The NHL EDGE platform gives us our first glimpse into some of the data NHL rookies produced in their first handful of games in the league. CONNOR BEDARD, C, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS Key Stat: Eight high-danger shots on goal (97th percentile). Although he has just four points in six games, Connor Bedard [https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/8484144] has been absolutely electric for Chicago to start the season. His skating data is extremely enlightening in particular. Connor Bedard has skated a greater distance than just about any other player in the NHL, ranking sixth among all players and third among forwards, with 20.59 miles, behind just Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. At even strength, his 15.72 miles travelled rank fourth among NHL forwards behind Kucherov, Point, and last year’s Calder winner, Matty Beniers. What’s interesting is that his top speed hasn’t eclipsed 22 miles per hour, but for bursts of speed in the 18 to 20 mph and 20 to 22 mph ranges, Bedard is in the 99th and 98th percentile of skaters, respectively. Although Bedard isn’t one of the fastest players in the NHL – he was never really expected to be – his quickness and ability to fly all over the ice at a consistently high speed is elite. His shooting data is impressive as well. He is among the league leaders in total shots and high-danger shots generated, sitting just outside the top 10 in both categories. He has still yet to take what the NHL deems as a long-range (commonly known as low-danger) shot, meaning he attacks the slot and gets to the inside as a shooter. Much like his skating, he doesn’t reach the top end of shot speed, failing to register a shot above 85 mph, but his ability to generate shots in the 70 to 80 mph range and 80 to 90 mph range rank him in the 98th and 92nd percentile league-wide. All of this data suggests one thing: as Connor Bedard gets a bit stronger and his shots start finding the back of the net more consistently, he could start tearing the NHL apart based on the tools he already displays. ADAM FANTILLI, C, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS Key Stat: 22 speed bursts over 20 mph The Columbus Blue Jackets franchise player has impressed to start his NHL career, even if he only has one goal and one assist through five games. There are very few data points [https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/20232024-regular-8484166] in which Fantilli is below the 50th percentile. Offensive and defensive zone times, longest distance in a period and shots above 90 mph are the only areas where he isn’t at least in the better half of the NHL from a data perspective, which points to just how well-rounded Fantilli’s game is so far. Fantilli’s skating is already among the best in the NHL. His top speed of 22.13 mph is already in the 87th percentile, while his bursts between 18 and 20 mph and 20 and 22 mph are both in the 98th percentile. Fantilli’s speed comes from his powerful stride, and he just turned 19 two weeks ago. As a shooter compared to Bedard, his top shooting speed is higher (86.77 mph vs. 82.77 mph), but he doesn’t get as much on his shot as consistently as Bedard. Fantilli’s 11 total shots on goal put him in the 76th percentile, and his shot speed between 70 and 80 mph and 80 and 90 mph put him at 83rd and 69th percentile league-wide, both well behind Bedard but in line with last year’s rookie of the year, Matty Beniers. LOGAN COOLEY, C, ARIZONA COYOTES Key Stat: Two 22-plus mph bursts, 11 bursts between 20 and 22 mph Playmaking is one of the blindspots in the NHL EDGE data, which means Logan Cooley [https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/20232024-regular-8483431] doesn’t check out very favorably in many areas. Cooley’s shooting data has him sitting at or around the 50th percentile marker. Cooley’s shooting data should improve as he gets used to the NHL and gets a bit stronger physically. What does look fantastic for Cooley is his skating. When it comes to his 13 bursts of speed above 20 mph, Cooley is in the 91st percentile, more than doubling the league average. His top speed of 22.04 mph places him in the 85th percentile. The smooth skating and high-paced Cooley should see improvements in most of his data as he matures, but his skating is already at an elite level based on the data the NHL released to the public. MATTHEW KNIES, LW, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS Key Stat: 41.4-percent offensive zone time at even strength While Matthew Knies [https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/20232024-regular-8482720]' skating speed or shot power don't wow anyone, he's spent more time in the offensive zone and less time in the defensive zone than any other rookie forward on this list at even strength. He also sits in the 81st percentile of forwards when it comes to generating shots from high danger. His 41.4-percent offensive zone time at even strength is the only one of the rookie forwards above 40.5 percent, the league average. Matthew Knies isn’t being asked to do as much as many of the other rookie forwards on this list, but he also hasn’t received the same opportunities, playing middle-six minutes. Knies sits in the top third of the league in speed bursts above 20 mph and boasts very solid production to this point for playing a depth role. He also covers a fair bit of ice per 60 minutes, sitting in the 67th percentile despite putting up below-average distance-travelled totals on a game-by-game basis because of his limited role. It will be interesting if he can earn a greater deal of ice time with the Leafs' elite talents in the top six because if he does, he could become a much bigger threat. MATTHEW POITRAS, C, BOSTON BRUINS Key Stat: 40-percent shooting percentage from high-danger areas Although Poitras has started his NHL career with plenty of fanfare from the Bruins and their fan base, when you dig into the data [https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/20232024-regular-8483505], Poitras has been fairly average so far. Almost all of the raw tools data, such as skating and shot tracking, have had Poitras below the 50th percentile. Poitras has never been fleet of foot, and the data backs up many analysts' biggest concerns about Poitras being ready for the NHL. His incredible shooting percentage (90th percentile from all locations and 87th from high danger) and plenty of opportunity with the Bruins’ top six have carried him a bit to this point. He is tied for the rookie lead among rookies in goal-scoring, although it’s early in the season, and both goals came late in his most recent game. If his shooting percentage regresses – which wouldn’t be shocking considering all of the data on his shot speed and movement are below the 50th percentile – Poitras’ NHL impact could become a concern. PAVEL MINTYUKOV, D, ANAHEIM DUCKS Key Stat: 45.6-percent offensive zone time at even strength, 36-percent defensive zone time at even strength Pavel Mintyukov [https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/20232024-regular-8483490] is an offensive-minded defenseman, and his skating has always been an asset. So his underwhelming skating data through five games aren’t incredibly concerning, considering his speed data has him sitting just above the 50th percentile. His average shot speed is 59.69 mph, which puts him in the 68th percentile among league defenders, which is respectable, but he doesn't have a shot above 77 mph as of yet. That will surely change based on his track record of having a very good shot from the blueline. Despite being on a Ducks team that's struggling overall to keep play out of the defensive zone and playing in the offensive zone, especially at even strength, Mintyukov is pushing play positively at an impressive rate. His offensive zone time is in the 93rd percentile, while his defensive zone time rates are in the 90th percentile among all NHL defensemen. Mintyukov is helping drive play on an incredibly underwhelming team as a whole. Offensive zone starts and deployment surely plays a role, so kudos go out to Ducks coach Greg Cronin as well as Mintyukov. BROCK FABER, D, MINNESOTA WILD Key Stat: 22.17 mph top speed Skating has always been Brock Faber [https://edge.nhl.com/en/skater/20232024-regular-8482122]’s calling card. His efficiency as a mobile defender has been as good or better than expected at the NHL level. His top speed of 22.17 mph is in the 89th percentile among defensemen. One of the most interesting quirks in his data is his bursts of speed above 20 mph rate among the 84th percentile while his bursts between 18 and 20 mph rate below the 50th percentile. It's probably because Faber is very quick to his top speed, and he rarely settles in below that. When Faber needs to get moving, he really gets moving. Unfortunately for Faber, the rest of his data falls below the 50th percentile. His zone time is quite underwhelming as he is below average in all three zones, with a whopping 46.7 percent of his time spent in the defensive zone. As a playmaker from the blueline, his shooting data is underwhelming, and with the gap in passing data, it doesn’t display his strongest traits. As NHL EDGE grows and expands – hopefully with passing and transition data – Faber’s data will look better. THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTg5MzM3NTA5NzY2MjUy/my-thn-ad-banner-1500x150.jpg] THN.com/free
