Wild West: Play Drivers and Passengers on Each Western Team

Grant Campbell

2024-02-12

If we look at players' overall IPP and percentage of secondary assists, we can see who drives play on each team.

  • IPP – Individual Point Percentage, the percentage of goals for that player’s team while that player is on the ice that the player earned a point on.

Keep in mind that this is a simplistic determination and I'm stretching the validity of IPP and secondary assists to come to these conclusions. Other stats could tell us the answer, but I wondered how this would play out, so please bear with me.

Good play drivers need to perform in volume as well as quality, so even though a fourth-line player has great numbers, they aren't transferable into the top six.

Conversely, we can look at who I would consider a passenger. For passengers, I'm going to use a threshold of at least 20 points and focus on players who are in the top six for the most part.

Passenger as a term might be a tad negative, but it is fairly accurate for players who benefit from their linemates, more than the other way around.

Anaheim Ducks

Adam Henrique (76.1%), Frank Vatrano (74.5) and Troy Terry (71.2) are the three Ducks who have the best IPP.

45.0% (9/20) of Henrique's assists were secondary assists, while Vatrano was at 37.5% (6/16) and Terry was at 27.3% (6/22).

Henrique is a little high in secondary assists, whereas Terry is probably below where he should be.

Ryan Strome has the second lowest IPP among forwards with 20 points or more, at 60.5. He has a secondary assist percentage of 61.1 (11/18). Leo Carlsson has 20 points and a relatively low IPP at 55.6, but his secondary assist percentage is 25.0 (3/12).

Best Play Driver: Troy Terry

Biggest Passenger: Ryan Strome

Arizona Coyotes

Clayton Keller (81.4) and Matias Macceli (73.3) are the top two in IPP for Arizona.

Keller had secondary assists of 37.0% (10/27) and Maccelli was at 34.6% (9/26).

I would have thought this was Keller all day and every day – and it is, but Maccelli is not that far behind.

Nick Bjugstad had an IPP of 60.0, with secondary assists at 52.9% (9/17).

Best Play Driver: Clayton Keller

Biggest Passenger: Nick Bjugstad

Calgary Flames

Blake Coleman (78.2), Yegor Sharangovich (73.5) and Nazem Kadri (68.8) were the three highest Flames in IPP.

It is surprising and concerning that Jonathan Huberdeau (66.0) is not listed here and perhaps he will be by the end of the season.

Coleman had secondary assists at 59.1% (13/22), Sharangovich at 18.8% (3/16), and Kadri at 42.9% (12/28).

Coleman's assist total is perhaps a little inflated, while Sharangovich could have more.

Things might play out differently in Calgary, but having spent most of the season in Vancouver, Andrei Kuzmenko has an IPP of 41.8 and secondary assists at 46.2% (6/13).

Best Play Driver: Yegor Sharangovich

Biggest Passenger: Andrei Kuzmenko

Chicago Blackhawks 

Connor Bedard (80.5), Philipp Kurashev (71.1) and Jason Dickinson (68.4) have the highest IPP in Chicago.

Bedard had secondary assists at 27.8% (5/18), Kurashev at 36.8% (7/19), and Dickinson at 60% (6/10).

There are only two players driving offense in the top-six and that is Bedard and Kurashev. Dickinson has been doing his best since Bedard got injured.

Nick Foligno has an IPP of 48.8 with secondary assists at 44.4% (4/9).

Best Play Driver: Connor Bedard

Biggest Passenger: Nick Foligno

Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon (70.8), Ross Colton (66.7), Logan O'Connor (64.1) and Cale Makar (61.9) lead the Avalanche in IPP.

MacKinnon had secondary assists at 49.1% (26/53), Colton at 50% (8/16), O'Connor at 41.7% (5/12), and Makar at 55.3% (26/47).

I would have guessed MacKinnon would have had a higher IPP, with a lower number of secondary assists, but it is still clear that he drives the play with just the volume.

Jonathan Drouin had an IPP of 41.7 and secondary assists (9/20) at 45%.

Best Play Driver: Nathan MacKinnon

Biggest Passenger: Jonathan Drouin

Dallas Stars

Mason Marchment (78.8), Wyatt Johnston (75.0), Tyler Seguin (73.7) and Matt Duchene (72.7) lead the Stars in IPP.

The line of Jason Robertson (69.3), Roope Hintz (63.2) and Joe Pavelski (65.7) is more spread out than it was last season when Robertson had an IPP of 76.2.

Robertson's second assist percentage has also increased from 38.1 to 54.3. It's a little concerning.

Marchment had secondary assists at 40.0% (10/25), Johnston at 16.7% (3/18), Seguin at 52.2% (12/23) and Duchene at 30.0% (9/30).

If Wyatt Johnston can maintain these types of numbers with elevated playing time, he will be a star in this league sooner than later.

The Stars are deep with players who can drive play and it is a testament to this depth that the line of Robertson, Hintz and Pavelski aren't even in the top four.

Jamie Benn had an IPP of 60.0 with secondary assists at 42.9% (9/21).

Best Play Driver: Matt Duchene

Biggest Passenger: Jamie Benn

Edmonton Oilers

Warren Foegele (81.3), Connor McDavid (78.0), Evander Kane (78.0) and Leon Draisaitl (67.4) lead the Oilers in IPP.

Foegele had secondary assists at 31.3% (5/16), McDavid 38.0% (19/50) at, Kane at 42.9% (6/14) and Draisaitl at 37.1% (13/35).

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had an IPP of 53.0 compared to Zach Hyman at 52.7. Nugent-Hopkins secondary assists were at 46.9% (15/32) and Hyman at 52.9% (9/17).

Best Play Driver: Connor McDavid (was there any doubt?)

Biggest Passenger: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Los Angeles Kings

Kevin Fiala (74.1), Quinton Byfield (67.9), Adrian Kempe (67.7), and Pierre-Luc Dubois (67.7) lead the Kings.

Fiala had secondary assists at 46.7% (14/30), Byfield at 45.5% (10/22), Dubois at 30.0% (3/10) and Kempe at 40.7% (11/27).

Not one of the forwards with 20 points or more stands out as a passenger. It's easy to point toward Trevor Moore (66.7 IPP) with secondary assists at 53.3% (8/15) but he's shooting the puck and leads the team in goals (21). If I have to choose one player from the Kings, it has to be Moore unfortunately.

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Best Play Driver: Kevin Fiala

Biggest Passenger: Trevor Moore

Minnesota Wild

Marcus Foligno (71.4), Marco Rossi (68.3), Ryan Hartman (67.6) and Mats Zuccarello (67.2) lead the Wild in IPP.

It is a little surprising not to see Kirill Kaprizov (66.2) in the mix at the top. In three seasons prior, Kaprizov was between 76.5 and 80.0. His secondary assists are at 33.3% (9/27). I think it's just a matter of time before Kaprizov is back on top leading the Wild.

Foligno had secondary assists at 36.4% (4/11), Zuccarello at 45.2% (14/31), Rossi at 53.3% (8/15) and Hartman at 40.0% (4/10).

Joel Eriksson Ek has an IPP of 54.8 and secondary assists at 68.4% (13/19), which could tell us that his 39 points in 50 games are a little lucky to this point.

Best Play Driver: Kirill Kaprizov

Biggest Passenger: Joel Eriksson Ek

Nashville Predators

Philip Tomasino (80.0), Tommy Novak (71.4) and Filip Forsberg (68.8) lead the Predators in IPP.

Roman Josi sits at 58.0 for IPP, with secondary assists at 47.2% (17/36). That's almost Cale Makar territory for a defender.

Tomasino had secondary assists at 46.2% (6/13), but in his first two seasons he was at 23.5% (8/34). That indicates he's an integral part of most goals while on the ice.

Forsberg had secondary assists at 39.3 (11/28) and Novak was at 50.0% (8/16).

Ryan O'Reilly had an IPP of 60.3 and secondary assists at a whopping 69.2% (18/26).

Best Play Driver: Filip Forsberg (but Tomasino is coming one day)

Biggest Passenger: Ryan O'Reilly

San Jose Sharks

Tomas Hertl (79.1) and Mikael Granlund (76.3) led the Sharks in IPP which is hardly surprising.

Hertl had secondary assists at 31.6% (6/19) and Granlund was at 41.7% (10/24).

Fabian Zetterlund (47.7) had secondary assists at 0% (0/7).

Anthony Duclair (50.0) could also be in the discussion for being a passenger.

Best Play Driver: Tomas Hertl

Biggest Passenger: Fabian Zetterlund

Seattle Kraken

Oliver Bjorkstrand (78.4), Jared McCann (76.6), Eeli Tolvanen (73.2) and Jaden Schwartz (67.7) lead the Kraken in IPP.

Bjorkstrand had secondary assists at 55.6% (15/27), McCann at 40% (6/15), Tolvanen at 52.3% (9/17) and Schwartz at 36.4% (4/11).

Jordan Eberle had an IPP of 53.8 and secondary assists at 31.6% (6/19).

Best Play Driver: Oliver Bjorkstrand

Biggest Passenger: Jordan Eberle

St. Louis Blues

Robert Thomas (81.4), Kevin Hayes (72.4) and Jordan Kyrou (70.2) led the Blues in IPP.

Thomas had secondary assists at 38.5% (15/39), Hayes at 72.7% (8/11) and Kyrou at 39.1% (9/23).

Brandon Saad had an IPP of 55.3 with secondary assists at 62.5% (5/8).

Best Play Driver: Robert Thomas

Biggest Passenger: Brandon Saad

Vancouver Canucks

Teddy Blueger (80.8), Dakota Joshua (74.2), J.T. Miller (73.4), Ilya Mikheyev (72.7) and Elias Pettersson (71.9) lead the Canucks in IPP.

Blueger had secondary assists at 43.8% (7/16), Joshua at 36.4% (4/11), Miller at 28.3% (13/46), Mikheyev at 42.9% (6/14) and Pettersson at 48.8% (20.41).

Brock Boeser had an IPP of 58.7 and secondary assists at 29.2% (7/24). Sam Lafferty at an IPP of 62.5 and secondary assists of 60% (6/10) would also be in consideration as a passenger.

Best Play Driver: J.T. Miller

Biggest Passenger: Brock Boeser

Vegas Golden Knights

Nicolas Roy (80.0), Jack Eichel (73.3), Mark Stone (72.9) and William Karlsson (70.8) lead the Golden Knights in IPP.

In terms of secondary assists, Roy was at 44.4% (8/18), Eichel 44.0% (11/25), Stone 44.4% (16/36) and Karlsson 38.9% (7/18).

Ivan Barbashev (56.4) had a secondary assist rate of 16.7% (3/18) while Chandler Stephenson (61.7) was at 42.1% (8/19). The rate of primary assists for Barbashev is probably one of the highest in the league for 18 or more.

Best Play Driver: Jack Eichel

Biggest Passenger: Chandler Stephenson

Winnipeg Jets

Kyle Connor (76.9) and Nikolaj Ehlers (73.5) lead the Jets in IPP, with no one else above 70.

Connor had secondary assists at 81.8% (9/11) while Ehlers was at at 40.0% (8/20). Connor is a shooter first while Mark Scheifele (69.4) was at 32.1% (9/28).

Alex Iafallo (48.6) had secondary assists at 48.6% (5/11).

Best Play Driver: Mark Scheifele

Biggest Passenger: Alex Iafallo

~

Thank you very much for reading and if you have any comments, please leave them below or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15

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