Analytics with Alison: The Schwartz Effect

Jaden Schwartz had himself a night versus
the Washington Capitals on Sunday
. Once again on a line with Yanni Gourde and Calle Jarnkrok, Schwartz had three assists and one goal all while playing the majority of his minutes against the Capitals' top line of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson.

"I knew he was going to be playing some heavy minutes against that line," Dave Hakstol said post-game. "But you know 'Schwartzy' is really good down below the circles in the offensive zone, and you saw him, he was in his office. He produced. He had a really good night offensively... (That line) was able to play in the offensive zone quite a bit tonight and Schwartz was a big part of that."
The coach isn't wrong. In the game, according to NaturalStatTrick.com, only Gourde produced more overall individual offensive quality than Schwartz, and per Sportlogiq, Schwartz led all Kraken skaters in possession time on the offensive zone (:44) and in shots from the most dangerous areas (2 in inner slot).
What goes into this kind of production for the alternate captain?
Let's dig in.
While point totals are the headline-grabbing stat for Schwartz right now, the kind of performance we saw versus Washington isn't new for the player often described as "tenacious." His ability to control play on the forecheck is notable. Schwartz currently has the most chances off the forecheck (7) of any Kraken player.
"(Schwartz) is a tremendous skater," Gourde said. "He gets around the ice and positions himself (well). He always has the right angle on the forecheck... always knowing where you want the puck to go, and getting a good stick on the puck all of the time. That creates a lot of turnovers and leads to offense.
"He gives everything he's got to win that that 50-50 battle, and most of the time it leads to a scoring chance so it's great to have him on (my) line and it makes my job easier because I know if I put the puck deep, we've got a good chance at getting it back."
Hakstol credits Schwartz's ability to win the puck battles Gourde described as just another example of the player's skill and comfort level playing in tight spaces. Arguably, that skill translates to the kind of scoring chances the alternate captain creates, as well.
Schwartz has the most inner slot shots of any Kraken skater (17). That's an area of the ice often defended by opponents and crowded with bodies from both teams, but Schwartz has been able to make an impact in that area in front of the net and between the face-off circles throughout his career as we see in the viz below.

And what's important to understand about this kind of impact is that it means offense can come from a shot off Schwartz's stick, or a shot from another teammate, perhaps even one set up by Schwartz himself much like Jared McCann's goal versus Washington. Watch the tight space play by Schwartz to set up McCann's finish.

How Schwartz has been able to contribute through 18 games hasn't come as a surprise to those who know how he plays, including his head coach.
"We knew (Schwartz) had those elements (in his game)," Hakstol said. "For me, a lot of (his skill) comes back to competitiveness and just an overall intelligence and hockey sense and he has those things. He's a hockey player. So, when you add that competitive piece in there, I love the fact that offensively likes to score and he loves to create offense. But you know, the competitiveness filters through to a 200-foot game for him."