Breaking Down The 2023-24 Canucks Shooting And Goal-Scoring With NHL EDGE 55 Games In
A look at the Canucks shooting and goal-scoring trends using NHL EDGE 55 games into the 2023-24 season.
Photo by Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports - Breaking Down The 2023-24 Canucks Shooting And Goal-Scoring With NHL EDGE 55 Games InThe Vancouver Canucks have hit the 55-game mark as the top team in the NHL. Currently sitting second at 3.69 goals per game, they are on pace to surpass the 300-goal mark for the fourth time in franchise history. Here is a look at their shooting and goal-scoring trends through 55 games using the NHL's newest tool, NHL EDGE.
Just like they have all season, Vancouver continues to capitalize on their opportunities. While they sit second in goals, they are below league average in overall shots. This discrepancy can be linked to the Canucks having a league-high 13.2% shooting percentage as well as their ability to generate high-danger chances rather than settle mid-range or long-range shots.
Starting with the shot selection, Vancouver is above league average, with 463 high-danger shots. While it is encouraging that they are in the 76th percentile, they are also below the league average in mid-range (417) and low-range (301) this season, which is not ideal. The good news is they have been able to rely on high-danger shot generation up until this point but may need to start creating mid-range and low-range as teams will give up as many high-danger chances come playoff time.
As for goals, no one in the NHL has scored more classified as high-danger than the Canucks. They lead all teams with 119, which is 35 more than the league average. Despite being below average in a shot generation, Vancouver has also done surprisingly well in long-range goals, sitting in the 82nd percentile with 13. As for mid-range, like the shots category, they sit three below the league average with 43 so far on the season. Overall, they have done an excellent job of generating goals from all over the ice but will need to work on scoring from mid-range shots if they want to become a more dangerous team.
Lastly, shooting percentage has played a vital role in the Canucks season so far. At the 55-game mark, Vancouver leads the league with a 25.7% high-danger shooting percentage. While their mid-range is below average at 10.3%, their long-range is also among the league's best at 4.3%. This is further proof of just how efficient this team is, as they continue to build leads early and then go into a defensive shell late in games.
The biggest takeaway from the Canucks NHL EDGE numbers is that everything has stayed pretty consistent over the season. Yes, they did have a slight decrease in goals per game compared to the 45-game mark, but they are still the league's best at converting on high-danger shots. While there has been talk of significant regression this season, this offensive method has been working and is one of the many reasons Vancouver is projected to win their third Presidents' Trophy in franchise history.
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