Vegas Golden Knights Report Card: Ryan Carpenter
We continue with our 2018-19 Vegas Golden Knights Report Cards today by putting the magnifying glass firmly on Ryan Carpenter who put together a career year in Sin City.
Ryan Carpenter: Grade D+
Ryan Carpenter was a reliable role player for the Vegas Golden Knights throughout 2018-19, but he also provided secondary scoring on his way to recording career-highs in a couple of categories. We take a closer look at the forward’s year in the latest edition of our Report Cards…
His Season
Signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Jose Sharks in 2014 and then claimed off waivers by the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec, 13, 2017, Ryan Carpenter contributed to Vegas’ magical inaugural season in the NHL with nine goals and five assists for 14 points in 36 games, in addition to five assists for five points in 17 playoff appearances.
He entered 2018-19 having established his credentials as a solid and reliable bottom-six forward who could excel in the faceoff circle and be an effective penalty killer, which is exactly what you want from a third or fourth-line grinder.
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After recording 10 points in his first 15 games for the Golden Knights the year before, hopes were high for the 28-year-old although he got off to a slow start in 2018-19 when it came to his offensive production, not registering his first goal of the year until Dec, 9 against the Dallas Stars.
Carpenter was a streaky scorer throughout the year and he averaged 0.26 points per game, which was a drop on the 0.39 he recorded the year before. His shooting percentage was also way down at 4.9 compared to 13.8 percent in 2017-18.
He did still achieve career-highs in assists (13) and points (18), however, and he finished 2018-19 with five goals too in addition to a 58.1 CF% and a oZS% of 56.6. Carpenter also averaged 12:37 minutes of ice time per game and played mostly on a line with Tomas Nosek and Cody Eakin (15.96 percent of the year).
But, when assessing a player like Carpenter, it is important to consider the whole package rather than just going on the offensive production. The right shot brings an admirable work ethic to the table, he’s a good two-way forward, he can kill penalties, plays hard in the corners and does all the little, gritty aspects of the game well.
He had a winning percentage of 52.6 percent in the faceoff circle last year, in addition to 17 blocked shots, 30 takeaways and 126 hits, which was a career-high for the forward. Not only that but Carpenter also had a positive effect on everyone around him when driving play at 5-on-5, and he ranked high in a number of advanced metrics including Shots For percentage (55.71), Scoring Chances For percentage (58.54) and High-Danger CF% (59.21).
However, after enduring a cold streak in the latter stages of the regular season after slumping to no goals in the final 15 games of the year. That resulted in Carpenter being a healthy scratch for all seven of the Golden Knights’ postseason contests and he left Sin City as an unrestricted free agent earlier in the offseason, signing a three-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks with an average annual value of $1,000,000.
Why The Grade
It was a career-year for Ryan Carpenter who recorded career-highs in assists (13) and points (18) in 2018-19. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story as the forward struggled in the offensive zone for chunks of the year.
His shooting percentage (4.9) and his points per game average (0.26) both slumped compared to the year before and he was a streaky points scorer, not potting his first goal of the season until December and then going ice cold down the stretch of the regular season.
Carpenter’s offensive struggles more than likely played a role in him being a healthy scratch for the entirety of the postseason, and he finished the year with five goals which was his lowest mark since 2016-17.
However, logging an average of 12:37 minutes of ice time per night and playing mostly on the third and fourth-lines, Carpenter was never expected to be a consistent high-end scorer and he contributed to the team in other ways.
He excelled in the faceoff circle with a win percentage of 52.6, and he also dished out a career-high 126 hits, which was 74 more hits than he had the year before. He also coughed up 17 giveaways in addition to blocking 17 shots and having 30 takeaways.
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Carpenter also ranked high in a number of key possession metrics at Even Strength and his 58.1 CF% was a career-high, while his oZS% of 56.6 was his highest percentage in that category since 2015-16.
All in all, Carpenter was a solid performer for the Vegas Golden Knights in 2018-19 and, although his offensive production regressed somewhat despite recording career-highs in assists and points, he still contributed in other ways and did what would be expected of a bottom-six forward.
The Numbers
Games: 68
Goals: 5
Assists: 13
Points: 18
Plus / Minus: -6
ATOI: 12:37
PIM: 8
Blocked Shots: 17
Hits: 126
Takeaways: 30
FO%: 52.6
CF%: 58.1
oZS%: 56.6