Welcome back to Analytics Advantage! Draft season is in full swing, and it's time to dive into the details that can give you the edge in your category-scoring leagues. This week, we're taking a comprehensive look at six crucial categories—goals, assists, shots, hits, blocks, and plus-minus—to help distinguish the true game-changers from the rest of the pack.

By leveraging z-scores, we can go beyond surface-level stats to reveal the players who excel in specific categories and those who offer balanced contributions across multiple areas. This deeper analysis will not only spotlight the elite performers but also highlight the hidden gems who might be undervalued in traditional rankings.

Whether you're eyeing a well-rounded roster or seeking specialists to dominate certain categories, these insights will guide you toward smarter, more strategic picks. Let's dive into the numbers and discover which players stand out in this year's draft landscape!

Why Use Z-Scores Across Six Categories for Draft Strategy?

When preparing for category-scoring leagues, using z-scores across key metrics like goals, assists, shots, hits, blocks, and plus-minus provides a nuanced understanding of player value. Unlike raw statistics, z-scores measure a player's performance relative to the league average, offering a clearer view of who truly stands out. This approach is especially useful for category leagues, where balancing strengths across multiple areas can be more important than dominating in one.

By analyzing players through the lens of z-scores, we can identify not only the elite performers but also those who contribute consistently across categories. For example, a player with a high z-score in hits and shots may provide more value in a category league than a player who excels only in scoring. This deeper insight enables you to build a well-rounded roster that can compete effectively across the board.

Benefits of Using Z-Scores in Category Leagues:

Balanced Team Building: Z-scores help identify players who offer value in multiple categories, aiding in constructing a balanced roster.

Strategic Drafting: Understanding where players rank in each category allows for smarter drafting decisions, ensuring you maximize value in every round.

Uncovering Hidden Value: Z-scores highlight players who might be overlooked due to lower raw totals but who excel in less glamorous, yet crucial, categories.

Competitive Edge: By targeting players with strong z-scores across categories, you position your team to succeed in the diverse scoring environment of category leagues.

Using z-scores as a guide, you can make informed decisions during draft season, targeting those players who provide the all-around contributions needed to thrive in category-scoring leagues.

Data Sources

The data for this analysis was sourced from player statistics spanning the 2016-2024 NHL campaigns, obtained from NaturalStatTrick.

Data Processing

Player statistics from the 2016-2024 campaigns were combined into a single dataset, then filtered for defensemen who played at least nine games in each year to ensure a significant amount of playing time.

Highlighted Players Across Six Categories

For this analysis, I focused on identifying 24 unique players who ranked in the top 10 in their respective categories over the past three years. By analyzing performance across six key categories—goals, assists, shots, hits, blocks, and plus-minus—I aimed to provide a comprehensive look at the players who offer strong value in category-scoring leagues. This approach allows us to spotlight not just the household names but also the less obvious contributors who can give your fantasy team a strategic advantage.

The selected graphs feature players who have demonstrated consistent excellence in their specific categories. By examining this diverse group, we gain insight into the current fantasy landscape and can identify potential targets for your drafts and roster moves. These players exemplify the kind of all-around impact that can make a real difference in category-scoring formats.

With the number of graphs included this week, I encourage you to dive into the players that catch your eye and do a bit of your own research. Remember, on the internet, not everything is fact-checked, so it's always a good idea to cross-reference multiple sources to ensure consistency in the data. By being thorough in your research, you'll make more informed decisions and spot potential fantasy gems.

Thank you for reading and have a great rest of your day! Feel free to reach out on Twitter/X – @DH_staspup for any questions, corrections, or comments. You can also ask for any player's graph or a whole set of graphs for your roster—I can post it, DM, or email. (For whole rosters, please DM an email or email me: [email protected]).