Evaluating how Sharks players are performing in eight key micro-stats

Editor's note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

What analytics matter?

“There’s a way to go with it and sorting through things,” San Jose Sharks head coach Ryan Warsofsky said earlier this week, “because there’s a lot of data.”

Warsofsky on How Sharks Use Analytics, Importance of Eye Test (+)

See more

Perhaps one way to sort through the data?

According to Stathletes, Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Adam Fox, and Mitch Marner lead the NHL in Passes Leading to Shots. Stands to reason, if the San Jose Sharks have a player who’s performing well in that category, that’s a positive thing, to emulate the clear-cut best players in the world.

So here is how some Sharks, from Macklin Celebrini to Mario Ferraro, are performing in key micro-stats. Where is Celebrini truly elite? Where must he improve? What’s Will Smith doing well? Where does the much-maligned Ferraro surprise?

All 5-on-5 stats are Per 60 as of Jan. 9 and from Stathletes.

Successful Pass Rate

Keeping in mind that this stat doesn’t measure the varying difficulty of passes, it won’t surprise you to know that puck-mover Jake Walman leads the Sharks with an 80.5 Successful Pass %. But it might surprise you to know that Mario Ferraro is second at 80.4.

Among defensemen, Timothy Liljegren (75.9) and Jan Rutta (74.6) bring up the rear.

Among forwards, Alex Wennberg (79.8), Mikael Granlund (77.3), and Nico Sturm (76.6) lead the way in accuracy, whereas Ty Dellandrea (68.6), Macklin Celebrini (68.2), and Klim Kostin (67.4) come up last.

For Wennberg and Granlund, it’s impressive that they’re so accurate, considering the difficulty of some of the passes that the skill centers attempt.

For Celebrini, you want the 18-year-old to try things, but his puck management is a work in progress.

For what it’s worth, high-volume passers like McDavid and Draisaitl clear 75 percent accuracy.

Passes Leading to Shots

Celebrini (11.63), Will Smith (11.62), Kostin (11.55), Granlund (11.16), and Wennberg (11.12) lead San Jose Sharks forwards in this category.

Celebrini and Kostin aren’t accurate, but they make impactful passes.

Smith, for all his struggles this season, makes plays.

Again, credit to Granlund and Wennberg for both accuracy and impact.

Scoring Chances

Who’s getting the chances for the Sharks?

Tyler Toffoli (4.85), Luke Kunin (4.61), and Fabian Zetterlund (3.92) lead the Sharks in Scoring Chances.

Kostin (0.96), Toffoli (0.9), and Smith (0.86) get to the front of the net, pacing the team in High-Danger Scoring Chances.

The slight Smith, 19, isn’t a likely candidate to be up here, but he goes to the net.

Possession Time

One of the Sharks’ glaring weaknesses over the last couple of years is puck possession in the offensive zone. They just never have the puck.

But William Eklund manages to be in the 90^th percentile among NHL forwards in this category, 37^th among 378 qualified forwards.

Eklund (1:45), Granlund (1:34), and Kostin (1:26) lead the Sharks in OZ Possession Time.

This speaks to Eklund’s smarts and shiftiness down low with the puck.

Controlled Entries

Celebrini is already one of the best in the NHL in this category.

Celebrini (4.05) is sixth in the league in Successful Controlled Entries, trailing world-class forwards like David Pastrnak, Jack Eichel, and Kirill Kaprizov.

We’ve seen it all year: Want to break into the offensive zone with the puck? Give it to Mack.

Celebrini, Kostin (2.71), and Granlund (2.35) top Sharks forwards.

Turnovers Created

Celebrini has also been impressive defensively.

Celebrini (8.63), Wennberg (8.59), and Kostin (7.7) lead the forwards in Turnovers Created.

This is also a testament to the underrated Wennberg’s two-way game.

On defense, Walman (6.51), Henry Thrun (6.11), and Ferraro (6.04) pace the Sharks.

Puck Recoveries

Kostin is 18^th among NHL forwards in Puck Recoveries. Kostin (46.43), Celebrini (43.78), and Wennberg (43.37) top Sharks forwards.

All these micro-stats are evidence of why the 6-foot-4 Kostin is such a tantalizing player, despite his inconsistencies.

On defense, Ferraro (46.72), Liljegren (46.46), and Walman (46.03) lead the way.

Puck Battles

This is where the grinders shine.

Ty Dellandrea is fifth among NHL forwards in Puck Battles Won.

Dellandrea (7.65), Carl Grundstrom (6.77), and Nico Sturm  (5.89) lead Sharks forwards. Celebrini (5.88) and Barclay Goodrow (5.09) round out the top five, a tribute to Celebrini’s ability, rare for a high-skill forward, to grind with the grinders.

Eklund (3.14), Toffoli (2.93), and Smith (2.73) lag in this category, a clear area of improvement for young Eklund and Smith to strive for this summer.

The much-maligned Ferraro is eighth among league defensemen in Puck Battles Won.

Ferraro (7.35), Rutta (5.5), and Liljegren (5.2) are the most proficient Sharks blueliners.

Credit to puck-mover Liljegren, not thought of as a gritty guy, for showing well here.

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