Nate Schmidt is okay, I guess.
By The Numbers
| 60 | games played |
| 15:29 | time on ice per game |
| 3 | goals |
| 14 | assists |
| 55.1 | 5-on-5 shot-attempt percentage, adjusted |
| 67.4 | 5-on-5 goal percentage, adjusted |
Visualization by HockeyViz
About this visualization: This series of charts made by Micah Blake McCurdy of hockeyviz.com shows various metrics for the player over the course of the 2016-17 season. A short description of each chart:
- Most common teammates during 5-on-5
- Ice time per game, split up by game state
- 5-on-5 adjusted shot attempts by the team (black) and opponents (red)
- 5-on-5 adjusted shooting percentage by the team (black) and opponents (red)
- Individual scoring events by the player
- 5-on-5 adjusted offensive (black) and defensive (red) zone starts
Peter’s Take
On ice for 42 Caps goals and just 21 opponent goals during 5-on-5, Nate Schmidt had a banner year. His was the highest goal ratio among all NHL defensemen. So when I said that Nate Schmidt was one of the best and most successful defensemen in the entire league this season, that wasn’t the conclusion of some esoteric ‘advanced’ statistic invented in a lab by some dork– that’s the goddamn scoreboard talking.
(Though shot attempts and scoring chances and expected goals all lined up with Schmidt’s goal ratio, so the dorks nailed this one too – and they did so long before the doofuses came around.)
And I’m not even sure the doofuses truly have come around after all. It took a significant injury to Karl Alzner, one severe enough to make him miss his first game in seven years – a playoff game no less, to allow Nate Schmidt to finally crack the postseason lineup. All season, head coach Barry Trotz didn’t pass up many opportunities to not use Nate.
I mean, twenty-two scratches, woof. Trotz has many virtues, but evaluating and appreciating young talent is not one of them. Rather than trust Schmidt with the top-four role he gracefully occupied in the postseason, Trotz returned the obviously still-hindered Alzner to the lineup, forcing an awkward roster of eleven-forwards/seven-defensemen. It did not work, and the Caps lost to the Pens in seven games.
But I can understand why some people aren’t in love with Schmidt’s game. His style isn’t all bright colors and flashing lights. He’s a smooth skater, but he’s not a loud presence. Of any teammate, I’d liken him most to Dmitry Orlov. They have similar individual output (9 individual attempts per hour) and represent about an equal share of the offense (about 15 percent of shots and 7 percent of goals), and they both keep opponents right around 50 attempts per hour. Orlov is more physical and played against tougher opponents this season, but the profile of their games are similar. That’s good company to be in, and it’ll make the Caps’ top four fearsome in 2017-18.
We’re tempted to pay attention to the ends of the ice because that’s where the exciting stuff happens, but Schmidt excels in the middle. He’s the team’s best defenseman at the breakout. He secures safe passage through neutral by being mobile and unprecious with the puck. Though he himself doesn’t often venture close to the enemy net, Schmidt’s outlet and entry passes are often the opening salvos of the Caps attack – even if he doesn’t get credit for it.
And that’s fine. Credit is what normal people need to scaffold self-esteem. Nate isn’t like that. For all his on-ice skill, his off-ice personality is his true distinction. Hardcore kids in DC used to call it P.M.A. – positive mental attitude – and Schmidt’s got a shit ton of it.
Didn’t get drafted? Work and get signed anyway.
Benched for two weeks? Work at practice and smile through it.
Paired with an aging vet? Work and turn him into a hero.
Get called 7D by your coach? Work and show the world you’re top four.
Sports are silly, and hockey is extra silly, but if you can’t see the triumph here and let it infect your soul just a little bit, then I think you’re pretty silly, you silly goose. We could all stand to be a bit more like Nate Schmidt.
Schmidt on RMNB
- This freaking guy, you guys.
- From the drop, Schmidt announced he was going to get more involved in the offense this season. And he did.
- For example, this counts as an assist. Seriously.
- When Schmidt finally scored, it had been nearly a year since his last. He timed it well though: the goal secured a win over the Blue Jackets to end their historic streak.
- In the season’s very first snapshot, Pat picked up what Schmidt was throwing down: transforming what could have been a garbage pairing with Brooks Orpik into the single most successful defensive duo in the league.
- And yet, by December, Nate was getting scratched. This, we decided, was a horrible coaching decision. The gap between the Caps with Chorney and the Caps with Schmidt could not have been bigger or more obvious.
- And once Kevin Shattenkirk came to town, well, yeah, Schmidt got benched. But when Shat got suspended, Schmidt stepped up and scored. Then he got benched again.
- All that benching led us to this conclusion: Nate should play every night, forever.
Okay, now all fun stuff.
- Check out Nate’s Chewbacca impersonation. How can you not love this guy?
- Lest you think he’s perfect, he’s not. Schmidt is reportedly a loud snorer.
- Nate vs Casino Night
#Caps defenseman Nate Schmidt gives a tour of #CapsCasinoNight where fans raised $285,000 for Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation. pic.twitter.com/76N0oeZP06
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 9, 2016
- He knows every word to “Shake It Off.” Personally, I’m more of a Katy Perry guy, but this is fine too, I guess.
- In early April, Nate got a mohawk. It was terrible. It was Braden Holtby’s fault.
- But the ‘hawk brought with it scoring prowess. Schmidt scored goals in consecutive games. Then he got benched again.
- Schmidt got a bobblehead. I gave up – this is Peter by the way – I gave up like half of my blood to get one. It’s glorious. It sits right next to my The Horn Guy button.
- Schmidt broke Beagle’s nose. Not cool.
- With Karl Alzner’s injury in Game Two of Round One, Schmidt returned to the lineup and it finally stuck. Schmidt set up Backstrom for the Caps’ first and only 4-on-4 goal of the season. Schmidt was electric against the Leafs, even after Komarov almost wrecked his knee. In Game Four, Schmidt scored his first career playoff goal. What a stud.
- Finally, what’s the Schmidtuation? (Schmidt signed a few of these for fans and was super nice about it every time.)
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Your Turn
Oh crap, I forgot all about the expansion draft. Um. Uh oh.
Uh, yikes?
Oh, and will Schmidt be a top-four D-man next year? How will his numbers hold up when he plays against better opponents? Will he be played 20-plus minutes a night? And will he get some time on the PK? Guys, I have so many questions.
Read more: Japers’ Rink, Stars and Sticks
Headline photo: Amanda Bowen
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