Running Backs

Don’t running backs matter?

The first of Tomas Plekanec’s 15 seasons in the NHL came in 2005-06, which coincided with the league’s introduction of a shootout. The shootout was not kind to Plekanec. Among all NHL players with at least 20 attempts, Plekanec’s career shootout percentage of 13% is the lowest league history. A deeper look into Plekanec’s shootout usage reveals an interesting pattern: Seasons # Years Plekanec Shootout Attempts 2005-06 to 2014-15 10 23 2015-16 to 2018-19 5 0 Each of Plekanec’s shootout attempts occured in his first 10 seasons, and his success rate was so bad in that timeframe that he never again got an opportunity.