Measuring stoppages in play

by James Mirtle on Jan 12, 2009 4:39 PM CST in Statistics Comment 3 comments

I couldn't tell you why I had this on the brain, but after reading this Toronto Star piece on how moving faceoffs after a penalty call has resulted in more power-play goals, I wanted to take a look at just how many faceoffs there were per game.

Measuring the number of faceoffs in a game is really a look at the number of stoppages, something the league has sought to limit by getting rid of the two-line pass rule and reinstating the tag-up offside rule.

Post-lockout, it's been working:

Faceoffs per game

Nhl_stoppages_medium

Now, obviously every hockey game on earth will have at least three faceoffs (one to start each period) and then there's also another after every goal is scored (and the NHL has averaged about 5.5 goals a game in recent seasons).

The other faceoffs come from all sorts of other calls, namely penalties, goaltenders holding the puck, offsides, icing and for pucks out of play.

Here's a look at the number of stoppages per game for all 30 teams so far this season, from most to least, and the average time, in seconds, between faceoffs:

Team	GP	Faceoffs/G	FO Rate
PHI	42	61.1	58.9 s
ATL	43	60.1	59.9
MTL	41	59.7	60.3
NYI	42	59.6	60.4
FLA	42	59.4	60.6
DET	41	59.0	61.1
CGY	41	58.9	61.1
TOR	42	58.7	61.3
NSH	42	58.5	61.5
WSH	43	58.3	61.7
PIT	43	58.2	61.8
CBJ	42	58.2	61.9
BOS	42	58.1	62.0
CAR	43	58.0	62.0
STL	41	58.0	62.1
EDM	41	57.6	62.5
VAN	44	57.3	62.9
ANA	44	57.2	62.9
TBL	41	57.1	63.0
CHI	40	56.9	63.3
SJS	41	56.8	63.4
BUF	42	56.6	63.6
NJD	42	56.6	63.6
OTT	40	56.3	63.9
PHX	43	56.1	64.2
MIN	41	55.9	64.4
LAK	41	55.9	64.5
COL	42	55.8	64.6
DAL	40	55.0	65.5
NYR	44	54.9	65.5
Total	1256	57.7	62.4

In general, games with fewer stoppages are considered to be more "free flowing," but it's tough looking at the teams here and coming to that conclusion. The numbers are obviously influenced by teams' opponents and the type of game they play as well.

The Rangers lead the way in fewest stoppages mainly because they don't take many penalties, don't score all that much and are solid defensively.

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So hard to think about these differences, James.

Maybe next time, if it’s available, you could show the breakdown of whistles because of goals / offsides / icings / penalties / whatever. It might make this notion of “free flowing” a little more measurable, because I’m not sure it goes against my notion of “free-flowing” that they have face offs after goals are scored (but I suppose of all the whistle-causes, that is probably the least prevalent). I think?

http://www.battleofcali.com/

by Earl Sleek on Jan 12, 2009 6:36 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

The difference between the highest scoring teams and lowest would be pretty minimal, really. Two faceoffs, at most, likely.

Not that I’m trying to prove games are more “free flowing” with the teams at the bottom.

by James Mirtle on Jan 12, 2009 6:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Real easy to see why the Flyers are tops in stoppages, due to all their goals for against, penalties, etc. Plus the Flyers players tend to get pretty into their arena music.

Swing by The Flyer Frequent if you have nothing better to do.

by Ben Rothenberg on Jan 12, 2009 7:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs