Scoring by Game State - 1961-62 to 1966-67

[MyDogSparty]

__________________________

If memory serves, Sam Pollock, the Canadiens' illustrious manager of the Sixties and Seventies, said that game in and game out, Henri Richard was the most valuable player on the team. Considering that Richard rarely had a place on the power play and that he was often assigned defensive duties because he was a superb skater, harrier and puck carrier (along with Backstrom), these statistics lean heavily in favour of Pollock's judgment. I saw Henri play more often than any other NHL player (because I saw most of my NHL games in the Sixties through the Seventies and because he played from 1955 through 1975), and my judgment was the same as Pollock's. There were many players who outshone him in a single game or two, but over the long haul, I'd go with Henri for the Sixties.

I believe it was Frank Selke rather than Sam Pollock who made those comments about Henri Richard. Selke was the Canadiens GM before Pollack and he retired after the 1963-64 season, about halfway into Henri Richard's career. The quote I think we're referring to went something like this: "I have been blessed with some of the greatest players in NHL history," Selke said, "but game in, game out, Henri Richard may have been the most valuable player I've ever had."

 

[overpass]

Henri Richard and the Montreal Canadiens seem to be the most popular topic here, so I'll post some stats I've compiled from 1957-58 through 1959-60. The Hockey Summary Project has only recorded stats from Montreal, Toronto, and Detroit home games from these years, so the stats are for all Montreal home games and their games on the road in Toronto and Detroit - 49 out of 70 games.

Montreal Canadiens Partial Scoring - 1957-58

Player | GP | ESG | ESA | ESP | PPG | PPA | PPP | G | A | P | ESP/G | PPP/G
Dickie Moore | 48 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 30 | 40 | 70 | 0.92 | 0.50
Henri Richard | 44 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 23 | 41 | 64 | 1.09 | 0.32
Jean Beliveau | 40 | 14 | 10 | 24 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 0.60 | 0.53
Claude Provost | 48 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 22 | 36 | 0.65 | 0.08
Don Marshall | 47 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 15 | 33 | 0.53 | 0.17
Marcel Bonin | 47 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0.55 | 0.15
Phil Goyette | 48 | 4 | 25 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 33 | 0.60 | 0.06
Bernard Geoffrion | 26 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 0.77 | 0.46
Doug Harvey | 47 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 0.38 | 0.28
Bert Olmstead | 39 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 23 | 28 | 0.38 | 0.33
Maurice Richard | 23 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 27 | 0.91 | 0.26
Andre Pronovost | 48 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 23 | 0.44 | 0.02
Jean-Guy Talbot | 38 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 0.26 | 0.11
Dollard St Laurent | 45 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 0.27 | 0.00
Tom Johnson | 45 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 0.20 | 0.04

Montreal Canadiens Partial Scoring - 1958-59

Player | GP | ESG | ESA | ESP | PPG | PPA | PPP | G | A | P | ESP/G | PPP/G
Dickie Moore | 48 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 29 | 43 | 72 | 0.96 | 0.52
Jean Beliveau | 43 | 26 | 18 | 44 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 35 | 32 | 67 | 1.02 | 0.51
Bernard Geoffrion | 40 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 15 | 34 | 49 | 0.73 | 0.50
Henri Richard | 43 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 26 | 40 | 0.70 | 0.23
Marcel Bonin | 44 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 0.61 | 0.14
Ralph Backstrom | 45 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 0.76 | 0.07
Claude Provost | 47 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0.60 | 0.09
Ab McDonald | 48 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 0.54 | 0.02
Phil Goyette | 43 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 0.51 | 0.02
Maurice Richard | 29 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 0.48 | 0.38
Bob Turner | 47 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 0.40 | 0.04
Don Marshall | 48 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 0.42 | 0.08
Tom Johnson | 48 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 0.38 | 0.17
Andre Pronovost | 48 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 0.40 | 0.04
Doug Harvey | 42 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 0.19 | 0.17
Jean-Guy Talbot | 48 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 0.29 | 0.02

Montreal Canadiens Partial Scoring - 1959-60

Player | GP | ESG | ESA | ESP | PPG | PPA | PPP | G | A | P | ESP/G | PPP/G
Henri Richard | 49 | 20 | 26 | 46 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 35 | 58 | 0.94 | 0.22
Bernard Geoffrion | 42 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 23 | 31 | 54 | 0.76 | 0.50
Jean Beliveau | 42 | 17 | 16 | 33 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 26 | 26 | 52 | 0.79 | 0.45
Dickie Moore | 45 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 30 | 43 | 0.64 | 0.31
Marcel Bonin | 44 | 9 | 21 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 27 | 39 | 0.68 | 0.20
Phil Goyette | 46 | 19 | 14 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 14 | 34 | 0.72 | 0.02
Claude Provost | 49 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 0.63 | 0.00
Maurice Richard | 36 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 0.50 | 0.22
Don Marshall | 48 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 0.48 | 0.06
Andre Pronovost | 49 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 0.53 | 0.00
Doug Harvey | 47 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 0.26 | 0.23
Ralph Backstrom | 45 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 0.47 | 0.02
Tom Johnson | 45 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 21 | 0.36 | 0.11
Ab McDonald | 47 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 0.30 | 0.00
Bill Hicke | 32 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 0.28 | 0.09
Jean-Guy Talbot | 47 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 0.23 | 0.00
Albert Langlois | 42 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0.19 | 0.02
Bob Turner | 39 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0.21 | 0.00

Surprisingly, the biggest source of variation for Henri Richard in these seasons was his even-strength scoring, not his power play scoring. He was never a power play scorer on the level of Beliveau, Geoffrion, or Moore, even in his best seasons. On the other hand, he was the best even-strength scorer on the team in 1957-58 and 1959-60, but was well behind Moore and Beliveau in 1958-59.

It's possible that Henri may have had first unit power play time in 1957-58 or other years and simply not been as effective as Beliveau, Geoffrion, or Moore. The data can't say whether that was the case or if he received less PP time.

 

[Canadiens1958]

A Few Points

Henri Richard and the Montreal Canadiens seem to be the most popular topic here, so I'll post some stats I've compiled from 1957-58 through 1959-60. The Hockey Summary Project has only recorded stats from Montreal, Toronto, and Detroit home games from these years, so the stats are for all Montreal home games and their games on the road in Toronto and Detroit - 49 out of 70 games.

Montreal Canadiens Partial Scoring - 1957-58

Player | GP | ESG | ESA | ESP | PPG | PPA | PPP | G | A | P | ESP/G | PPP/G
Dickie Moore | 48 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 30 | 40 | 70 | 0.92 | 0.50
Henri Richard | 44 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 23 | 41 | 64 | 1.09 | 0.32
Jean Beliveau | 40 | 14 | 10 | 24 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 45 | 0.60 | 0.53
Claude Provost | 48 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 22 | 36 | 0.65 | 0.08
Don Marshall | 47 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 15 | 33 | 0.53 | 0.17
Marcel Bonin | 47 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0.55 | 0.15
Phil Goyette | 48 | 4 | 25 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 33 | 0.60 | 0.06
Bernard Geoffrion | 26 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 0.77 | 0.46
Doug Harvey | 47 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 0.38 | 0.28
Bert Olmstead | 39 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 23 | 28 | 0.38 | 0.33
Maurice Richard | 23 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 27 | 0.91 | 0.26
Andre Pronovost | 48 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 23 | 0.44 | 0.02
Jean-Guy Talbot | 38 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 0.26 | 0.11
Dollard St Laurent | 45 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 0.27 | 0.00
Tom Johnson | 45 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 0.20 | 0.04

Montreal Canadiens Partial Scoring - 1958-59

Player | GP | ESG | ESA | ESP | PPG | PPA | PPP | G | A | P | ESP/G | PPP/G
Dickie Moore | 48 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 29 | 43 | 72 | 0.96 | 0.52
Jean Beliveau | 43 | 26 | 18 | 44 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 35 | 32 | 67 | 1.02 | 0.51
Bernard Geoffrion | 40 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 15 | 34 | 49 | 0.73 | 0.50
Henri Richard | 43 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 26 | 40 | 0.70 | 0.23
Marcel Bonin | 44 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 22 | 33 | 0.61 | 0.14
Ralph Backstrom | 45 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 0.76 | 0.07
Claude Provost | 47 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 0.60 | 0.09
Ab McDonald | 48 | 8 | 18 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 0.54 | 0.02
Phil Goyette | 43 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 0.51 | 0.02
Maurice Richard | 29 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 0.48 | 0.38
Bob Turner | 47 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 0.40 | 0.04
Don Marshall | 48 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 0.42 | 0.08
Tom Johnson | 48 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 0.38 | 0.17
Andre Pronovost | 48 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 0.40 | 0.04
Doug Harvey | 42 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 0.19 | 0.17
Jean-Guy Talbot | 48 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 0.29 | 0.02

Montreal Canadiens Partial Scoring - 1959-60

Player | GP | ESG | ESA | ESP | PPG | PPA | PPP | G | A | P | ESP/G | PPP/G
Henri Richard | 49 | 20 | 26 | 46 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 35 | 58 | 0.94 | 0.22
Bernard Geoffrion | 42 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 23 | 31 | 54 | 0.76 | 0.50
Jean Beliveau | 42 | 17 | 16 | 33 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 26 | 26 | 52 | 0.79 | 0.45
Dickie Moore | 45 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 30 | 43 | 0.64 | 0.31
Marcel Bonin | 44 | 9 | 21 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 27 | 39 | 0.68 | 0.20
Phil Goyette | 46 | 19 | 14 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 14 | 34 | 0.72 | 0.02
Claude Provost | 49 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 0.63 | 0.00
Maurice Richard | 36 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 11 | 27 | 0.50 | 0.22
Don Marshall | 48 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 0.48 | 0.06
Andre Pronovost | 49 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 0.53 | 0.00
Doug Harvey | 47 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 0.26 | 0.23
Ralph Backstrom | 45 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 0.47 | 0.02
Tom Johnson | 45 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 21 | 0.36 | 0.11
Ab McDonald | 47 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 0.30 | 0.00
Bill Hicke | 32 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 0.28 | 0.09
Jean-Guy Talbot | 47 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 0.23 | 0.00
Albert Langlois | 42 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0.19 | 0.02
Bob Turner | 39 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0.21 | 0.00

Surprisingly, the biggest source of variation for Henri Richard in these seasons was his even-strength scoring, not his power play scoring. He was never a power play scorer on the level of Beliveau, Geoffrion, or Moore, even in his best seasons. On the other hand, he was the best even-strength scorer on the team in 1957-58 and 1959-60, but was well behind Moore and Beliveau in 1958-59.

It's possible that Henri may have had first unit power play time in 1957-58 or other years and simply not been as effective as Beliveau, Geoffrion, or Moore. The data can't say whether that was the case or if he received less PP time.

Overpass,

The following have to be considered.During the 1958-59 and 1959-60 seasons the Canadiens had four quality centers. Jean Beliveau, Henri Richard, Ralph Backstrom and Phil Goyette. Clean-up and insignificant power play time was often given to Ralph Backstrom and Phil Goyette. This developed the players while saving the wear and tear on Jean Beliveau and Henri Richard.

The 1957-58 season was injury plagued for the Canadiens with their two main right wingers missing significant time. Combined Maurice Richard and Bernie Geoffrion missed about 70 games. Geoffrion being injured impacted the point on the power play. Depending on the injury situation the power play featured various point combinations. The forward combinations were also in a state of flux.