24.1 percent: the total percentage of 5-on-5 shot attempts taken by the Flyers this season while both Luke Schenn and Nicklas Grossmann are on the ice.
Yesterday afternoon, the Flyers just happened to acquire New York Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald.
We talked about it for a little bit on BSH radio yesterday evening. We had some thoughts (mostly bad ones.) One of the biggest questions that our panel posed: Where the heck would he fit?
It seemed, as of yesterday evening, that the coaching staff was content on placing Andrew MacDonald with ex-Islanders teammate Mark Streit on the second pairing. Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn are solidified as the team’s top-pairing defensemen, so there’s really no reason to break them up. Who does that leave, then? Nick Grossmann and Luke Schenn. Ohhhhhh boy.
Below, a chart of every defenseman who has shared minutes with Nicklas Grossmann at even-strength this season, and the resulting shot attempt percentage of the two when together:
| Player | TOI Together | CF% |
| Mark Streit | 552:05 | 47.2 |
| Braydon Coburn | 289:38 | 47.4 |
| Luke Schenn | 65:39 | 24.1 |
| Andrej Meszaros | 33:37 | 41.1 |
| Erik Gustafsson | 21:07 | 43.8 |
24.1 percent — 101 shot attempts against, 32 shot attempts for. Jesus. They’ve only been together for a little less than 66 minutes, but still…
Grossmann and Schenn’s 5-on-5 Corsi For percentage is only ~6% higher than their 4-on-5 Corsi For percentage (when they’re on the penalty kill together.) How does that even happen? You can’t possibly want this pairing out on the ice again. Never, ever again.
Thankfully, some great news (well.. that depends on how you look at it) this morning:
MacDonald will be partnered with Luke Schenn tonight 5 on 5.
— Sarah Baicker (@sbaickerCSN) March 5, 2014
Bullet dodged. MacDonald and Schenn are your third pairing, it seems. They’ve got to do better than 24.1 percent, right?
