It doesn't seem like much, but Emil Heineman is third in the NHL rookie scoring column.
Ahead of him and his eight goals, we find only Matvei Michkov and Macklin Celebrini, with 11 goals each. We've seen worse company. What's remarkable is that the 23-year-old Swede plays just 11 minutes per game and often gets the leftover crumbs from massive attacks dominated by Patrik Laine.
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Celebrini and Michkov spend on average, respectively, 19:47 and 17:02 on the playing surface. And they are important cogs in their formation with the man advantage. We are clearly not in the same waters.
What keeps Heineman on par with these two Calder Trophy contenders is the percentage of his shots that hit the target. We are talking about 23.5%. Not far from one in four shots.
This is huge…and definitely unsustainable. But still!
“He’s a young player in the league. Not all goalkeepers know him, Martin St-Louis said Saturday evening. Plus, he throws in a way that very few players use. It’s a little hidden, it’s unchecked very quickly and it’s powerful.”
The two goals scored in 24 hours against the Red Wings are perfect examples of this quick and effective approach.
“I grew up shooting a lot. I always wanted to keep things simple. So if I have a chance to shoot, I do it,” Heineman said.
That said, the 23-year-old striker doesn't worry too much about efficiency statistics.
“I mostly try to focus on the aspects of my game that allow me to get those shooting opportunities,” he said.
The best of the Canadian
And we have to admit that the trio he forms with Jake Evans and Joel Armia, by the way they work, is conducive to this kind of opportunity.
“He is with two very responsible players defensively who understand what Emil brings to their line. He’s a guy capable of finishing games,” underlined the Canadian head coach.
In fact, Heineman is not only skilled at completing games. He is also used to provoke them. According to data provided by Sportlogiq, Heineman is the Canadiens' most effective player when it comes to stopping opposing plays in the neutral zone (1.15 per 20 minutes).
An efficiency which allows the trio to win the speed confrontation, with a 12 to 7 advantage on opportunities entering the zone. This unit enjoys generally positive results, with 54.4% of expected goals in their favor when playing together. They were on the ice for six Habs goals and three goals against.
Statistics that echo the words of the Canadian coach.
“Plus, he brings rhythm. And with the rhythm, you can bring physical play,” he declared.
Always hungry
It's been a long time since the Habs have relied on such a consistent fourth trio. No surprise that Michael Pezzetta has been warming up the benches on the catwalk for almost two months.
Acquired in the Tyler Toffoli transaction on February 14, 2022, Heineman is taking full advantage of the moment. Arriving from Sweden last year in the last part of the season, he is well aware that everything can change quickly in this sphere of activity.
“Consistency is something I have been working on since last year. To help me with this, I approach the days one at a time and make sure I’m always hungry.”
And so far, it’s been a good recipe.
Buts 0,46 3e (behind Laine and Caufield)
Expected goals 0.18 12e
One-timers 0.97 3e (behind Laine and Caufield)
Shots attempted 4.0 4e
Defensive plays in neutral zone 1.15 1is
Rank among 12 forwards with a minimum of 140 minutes played
Source: Sportlogiq
