IN the numbers: Shot Blocking in the CCHL. The best and the worst...

 Blocking shots is an under-appreciated skill for many of us. The ability to reduce the number of shots on net our goaltenders need to stop is a handy one to have. The best teams in the can reduce the shots their goalies have to face by roughly ten percent, so the benefit is tangible. 

Since we're past the halfway point of the CCHL season, let's take a look at how each of the CCHL teams fares when it comes to blocking shots. 

RANK/TEAM   TOTAL BLOCKED SHOTS          BLOCKS PER GAME

  1. DAY - 189                                                                        3.64

  2. LAS - 171                                                                         3.29

  3. SAN - 157                                                                        3.02

  4. PAR - 150                                                                         2.88

  5. MIN - 145                                                                         2.79*

  6. CGY  - 141                                                                        2.71*

  7. VIC - 136                                                                          2.62

  8. HAL - 127                                                                         2.44*

  9. ISL - 123                                                                           2.37

10. WIS - 123                                                                          2.37*

11. SPR - 122                                                                           2.35*

12. OTT - 121                                                                          2.32*

13. SEA - 120                                                                          2.31

14. FOR - 112                                                                          2.15*

15. HAM - 88                                                                          1.69*

16. POR - 87                                                                           1.67

17. SIB - 75                                                                             1.44*

18. REK - 70                                                                           1.35*

19. SUD - 63                                                                           1.21

20. NIA - 60                                                                            1.15*

21. DRT - 59                                                                           1.14

22. GEO - 56                                                                          1.08*

* - CURRENTLY IN A PLAYOFF SPOT

Looking at the 16 teams currently in a playoff position, we see a broad range from the best to the worst shot blocking team. Generally speaking, in the playoffs, as better teams are playing one another, in some series, the teams are very evenly matched, so if you're looking for a slight edge for that time, adding a shot blocker may make sense.

Of course, you'll need to weigh the benefit against the cost of who it is that comes out of the lineup and how that affects your overall team. Also, some teams produce a lot of shots, others less so. Matchups may be a guide on how you might best deploy a shot-blocking defenseman or two in your lineup. Also, there are a handful of defensive forwards that also have shot blocking ratings and if the rest of their ratings are satisfactory, might be a good option for a 3rd line or PK duty, especially if your team doesn't have any PK rated forwards.