Yanic Perreault

[Kshahdoo]

He was a solid NHLer overall but nothing especial. Save one thing: he led the league in FO% in 8 seasons in a row, from 1999-2000 to 2007-08 (2004-05 season was canceled). Isn't it kinda unique?

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[JianYang]

He was a solid NHLer overall but nothing especial. Save one thing: he led the league in FO% in 8 seasons in a row, from 1999-2000 to 2007-08 (2004-05 season was canceled). Isn't it kinda unique?

He was excellent on draws and had a good set of offensive instincts.

I recall in montreal that despite the excellent faceoff percentage, there was usually a hesitation to use him for a big defensive zone draw. I think that is what makes him kinda unique is that faceoff guys are typically automatically labeled as good defensive players, but in yannick's case, he didn't have that defensive label.

 

[Staniowski]

Since '97-'98, the best 5 in faceoff % (with at least 7000 faceoffs) are Perreault first, then Nieuwendyk, Brind'Amour, Bergeron, Oates. And Perreault is #1 by far - 61.1% to 59.3% for Nieuwendyk.

He was excellent on draws and had a good set of offensive instincts.

I recall in montreal that despite the excellent faceoff percentage, there was usually a hesitation to use him for a big defensive zone draw. I think that is what makes him kinda unique is that faceoff guys are typically automatically labeled as good defensive players, but in yannick's case, he didn't have that defensive label.

Yeah, winning faceoffs is an excellent skill to have for a defensive player, but it doesn't make you a good defensive player...you can even be a relatively weak defensive player.

 

[sr edler]

Yeah, winning faceoffs is an excellent skill to have for a defensive player, but it doesn't make you a good defensive player...you can even be a relatively weak defensive player.

Bo Horvat is a current player who is great at face-offs but nothing special defensively.

And Nieuwendyk wasn't that great defensively either, right?

I think both Nieuwendyk and Oates were great lacrosse players, and so was Tavares. It seems being a strong lacrosse player benefits your face-offs skills.

 

[rnhaas]

I loved Yanic for this very reason during his multiple stints on the Leafs. But, as my friend once said, he was "one of the laziest defensive players I've ever seen."

 

[hypereconomist]

It is very unique, and arguably, his FO ability was the only thing keeping him in the league given his mediocre abilities at everything else.

I didn't realize that his all-time FO% of 61% was so dominating though. Almost 2% higher than the next highest all-time FO% holders (Konopka and Nieuwendyk) and 4% higher than the top of the modern class, Bergeron and Toews. Albeit Bergeron and Toews both have hundreds of additional games played and 2-2.5x the number of faceoffs taken

 

[ESH]

It is very unique, and arguably, his FO ability was the only thing keeping him in the league given his mediocre abilities at everything else.

I didn't realize that his all-time FO% of 61% was so dominating though. Almost 2% higher than the next highest all-time FO% holders (Konopka and Nieuwendyk) and 4% higher than the top of the modern class, Bergeron and Toews. Albeit Bergeron and Toews both have hundreds of additional games played and 2-2.5x the number of faceoffs taken

That would be a silly thing to argue. Teams always have room for a 25 goal scorer

 

[MS]

I always felt like Perreault realized the faceoff stat gave him value and was dialled in 100% on even the most meaningless neutral zone faceoff to pump his numbers.

Interesting Perreault stat is that he finished top-5 in scoring for 5 different NHL teams. Has anyone ever managed to do it for 6?

 

[MadArcand]

Interesting Perreault stat is that he finished top-5 in scoring for 5 different NHL teams. Has anyone ever managed to do it for 6?

Jágr has done it for 7, and been top-3 for 6, and outright led 5.

 

[MS]

Jágr has done it for 7, and been top-3 for 6, and outright led 5.

Ha, I should have thought of him but my mind went straight to Sillinger/Ashton types.

 

[hypereconomist]

That would be a silly thing to argue. Teams always have room for a 25 goal scorer

Small, not fast, not physical, and not good at defense.

There's an argument to be made that without his superb FO ability, he doesn't get nearly as much PP or offensive zone time to put up the points that he did.

 

[MadLuke]

The Montreal dark age....

Rk	Player	Age	Pos	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	EV	PP	SH	GW	EV	PP	SH	S	S%	TOI	ATOI	OPS	DPS	PS
1	Yanic Perreault	30	C	82	27	29	56	-3	40	21	6	0	7	20	9	0	156	17.3	1377	16:47	5.2	1.4	6.6
2	Richard Zedník	26	RW	82	22	22	44	-3	59	18	4	0	3	16	6	0	249	8.8	1448	17:39	3.1	1.5	4.6
3	Oleg Petrov	30	LW	75	24	17	41	-4	12	20	3	1	6	14	3	0	152	15.8	1421	18:56	3.1	1.4	4.5

 

[Staniowski]

Bo Horvat is a current player who is great at face-offs but nothing special defensively.

And Nieuwendyk wasn't that great defensively either, right?

I think both Nieuwendyk and Oates were great lacrosse players, and so was Tavares. It seems being a strong lacrosse player benefits your face-offs skills.

Yeah, Nieuwendyk wasn't very strong purely defensively, but he had a lot of good attributes - strong on faceoffs, very smart, very nifty with the puck, good anticipation, etc. - that made his game adaptable to many situations.

I agree about lacrosse....seems like it would be good for quickness, hand-eye coordination, etc.

 

[mrhockey193195]

He was excellent on draws and had a good set of offensive instincts.

I recall in montreal that despite the excellent faceoff percentage, there was usually a hesitation to use him for a big defensive zone draw. I think that is what makes him kinda unique is that faceoff guys are typically automatically labeled as good defensive players, but in yannick's case, he didn't have that defensive label.

I'm very guilty of assuming the Perreault was solid defensively for this reason. Ditto for Mike Sillinger. Two guys who were great on draws, usually 3Cs (occasionally 2Cs on bad teams), 20-20-40 type players, so when not thinking too hard about it I'd just assume they were solid in their own end in the mold of a Handzus or Ricci.

 

[JianYang]

The Montreal dark age....

Rk	Player	Age	Pos	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	EV	PP	SH	GW	EV	PP	SH	S	S%	TOI	ATOI	OPS	DPS	PS
1	Yanic Perreault	30	C	82	27	29	56	-3	40	21	6	0	7	20	9	0	156	17.3	1377	16:47	5.2	1.4	6.6
2	Richard Zedník	26	RW	82	22	22	44	-3	59	18	4	0	3	16	6	0	249	8.8	1448	17:39	3.1	1.5	4.6
3	Oleg Petrov	30	LW	75	24	17	41	-4	12	20	3	1	6	14	3	0	152	15.8	1421	18:56	3.1	1.4	4.5

Thats the 01-02 season. I have alot of memories of that habs team, and to be honest, it was alot of fun to follow them.

That was theodore's MVP year, Gilmour signed on an emergency basis with koivu missing due to cancer. It pretty much extended Gilmour's career, and he ended up having a decent regular season, and followed it up with an even better playoff.

Watching koivu come back from cancer late in the year, then seeing them miraculously make the playoffs, and then upset a loaded bruins team in the playoffs was quite a spectacle.

I remember game 3 against Boston, the Bruins were up by 2 goals in the third period. The habs answered with three straight including a beautiful go ahead goal from who else but koivu.

It was a year that was just fun where you questioned what impossible actually meant.

 

[buffalowing88]

Thats the 01-02 season. I have alot of memories of that habs team, and to be honest, it was alot of fun to follow them.

That was theodore's MVP year, Gilmour signed on an emergency basis with koivu missing due to cancer. It pretty much extended Gilmour's career, and he ended up having a decent regular season, and followed it up with an even better playoff.

Watching koivu come back from cancer late in the year, then seeing them miraculously make the playoffs, and then upset a loaded bruins team in the playoffs was quite a spectacle.

I remember game 3 against Boston, the Bruins were up by 2 goals in the third period. The habs answered with three straight including a beautiful go ahead goal from who else but koivu.

It was a year that was just fun where you questioned what impossible actually meant.

Was this also the year where Perreault got off to a really fast start? I feel like I remember that he was around a PPG by the All-Star break but he apparently didn't get picked to play that year so I may be off...

 

[JianYang]

Was this also the year where Perreault got off to a really fast start? I feel like I remember that he was around a PPG by the All-Star break but he apparently didn't get picked to play that year so I may be off...

Honestly, I don't remember him doing that. He did have alot of opportunity that year with koivu out and Gilmour being late in his career.

I seem to remember him as a goal guy, but no so much for total points in general.

 

[seventieslord]

I remember Perreault scoring all 4 goals in a 4-2 win vs. ottawa late in 98-99. I had a hunch Steve Sullivan did something significant right at the same time, so I checked and I was right - he had 4 goals two games later, vs. Florida.

Makes me wonder two things:

- how often do two teammates have 4-goal games so close to each other?
- how often does a player score 4 goals in a game and it's the only 4 goals the team scores?

 

[seventieslord]

I remember Perreault scoring all 4 goals in a 4-2 win vs. ottawa late in 98-99. I had a hunch Steve Sullivan did something significant right at the same time, so I checked and I was right - he had 4 goals two games later, vs. Florida.

Makes me wonder two things:

- how often do two teammates have 4-goal games so close to each other?
- how often does a player score 4 goals in a game and it's the only 4 goals the team scores?

I found a case in 2000 where Madden and McKay both had 4 goals against the Pens in the same game.
I also found one where Ottawa matches Perreault/Sullivan's exploits: Heatley and Alfredsson did it in the 05-06 season.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Yup, I was gonna bring up the Madden/McKay game...that was, hmmm, not the most fun Saturday night I've ever had, certainly...

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Here's a meme from around 2005 (highlights added and one slur removed):

A bit harsh, but I found this hilarious. As others have said, Perreault is a great example of a player who wasn't good defensively, despite being excellent at face-offs.

 

[markymarc1215]

Like others said, best faceoff specialist of the DPE. Was a decnet 2nd-3rd line center who could bag 50 points a season on a good team. Was never a good defender though. Small and not physical, very much a perimeter player. But again, will win 60% of faceoffs and will give you 20-25 goals a year.

 

[GMR]

Like others said, best faceoff specialist of the DPE. Was a decnet 2nd-3rd line center who could bag 50 points a season on a good team. Was never a good defender though. Small and not physical, very much a perimeter player. But again, will win 60% of faceoffs and will give you 20-25 goals a year.

Every team should want such a player.

His faceoff dominance made critics unfairly assume that he underachieved elsewhere on the stat sheet.

 

[markymarc1215]

I agree. Best comparison I can think of, with respect to being better defensively than Perreault, is Danault. And no doubt he would get paid like Danault as well

 

[Hobnobs]

Since '97-'98, the best 5 in faceoff % (with at least 7000 faceoffs) are Perreault first, then Nieuwendyk, Brind'Amour, Bergeron, Oates. And Perreault is #1 by far - 61.1% to 59.3% for Nieuwendyk.


Yeah, winning faceoffs is an excellent skill to have for a defensive player, but it doesn't make you a good defensive player...you can even be a relatively weak defensive player.

considering the names you posted his point is obviously correct.