Offensive-minded Trevor Daley adapting to Quenneville’s defensive-minded system

Like most NHL players, Trevor Daley isn’t really a stats guy. He knows what his goals and assists totals are, of course, but he doesn’t spend too much time learning about or thinking about the new wave of advanced metrics that measure how a player drives possession for his team.

“It’s kind of new, those numbers, the last few years,” Daley said. “It hasn’t really taken over yet too much. I’m sure it probably will. But no, I’m not a big numbers guy. I look at how many points our team has, and that’s all that matters.”

By that measure, last season was a disappointing one for Daley, as the Dallas Stars — a chic pick to make some noise in the Central Division after a splashy offseason — finished with 92 points, certainly respectable, but seven shy of making the playoffs. But as an individual, Daley had one of the more statistically perplexing seasons imaginable, one that illustrates the disconnect between traditional stats and advanced stats.

The smooth-skating Daley scored 16 goals last season, the fifth-most in the league among defensemen, and more than the likes of P.K. Subban, Shea Weber and Duncan Keith. He added 22 assists, making it by far the most productive season of his standout, 11-year career, even though he played only 68 games.

Yet Daley’s relative Corsi — a statistic that measures a team’s shot attempts (a proxy for possession) when a player is on the ice versus when he’s not on the ice — was dead last among everyday NHL defensemen. For every 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play, the Stars averaged 8.7 more shot attempts without Daley than they did with him, according to war-on-ice.com. That’s more than three shots worse than any other regular blue-liner in the league.

“Obviously, my defensive numbers should be better than my offensive numbers,” Daley said. “I’m not a big follower of numbers like that, though. As long as we’re winning, a lot of those numbers take care of themselves.”

Well, Daley came to the right place if he wants to win. The Blackhawks, whom acquired Daley in the Patrick Sharp trade, are perennial Stanley Cup contenders. One big reason why is their puck-possession game, which always has them at or near the top of the league in shot-attempts-based stats. That’s a direct result of Joel Quenneville’s defensive-minded system, which is every bit as concerned with limiting opponents’ chances as it is creating chances of its own.

Dallas played a different style, a more open, freewheeling system that allowed Daley to be more aggressive offensively while making sacrifices defensively. Hence the huge gap in his traditional stats versus his advanced stats. And in the month he’s been in Chicago, the 32-year-old has been working hard to adapt his style to Quenneville’s, especially considering he’s essentially replacing stay-at-home defenseman Johnny Oduya, who’s now in Dallas.

“It’s different,” Daley said. “That’s part of the reason these guys have had so much success. For me, it’s a no-brainer — just do what I’m told. And it’s not like it’s said to you once and then it goes without saying anymore. It’s repetition. They preach it around here. It’s the same stuff every single day, every single practice. Joel’s saying the same things all the time, so it makes it easier.”

Quenneville likes the offensive weapon that Daley is, but cautioned that defense comes first. Daley has been paired with the more defensive-minded Trevor van Riemsdyk — the Hawks, led by Bryan Bickell have taken to calling van Riemsdyk “Travis” to avoid confusion — and the two have had good nights and bad nights so far this season. Daley doesn’t have a point yet as he focuses more on his defensive game, but he’s manning the point on the second power-play unit.

“Trevor gives us a nice dimension from the back end, off the point,” Quenneville said. “He’s got some quickness joining the rush and jumping through, and even off the point, as well. Defensively, it’s something where, every day, I think we’re seeing improvements in his game, his stick, and his positioning, as well.”

Daley, his wife, and his two kids (6 and 3) already are all settled in the city, and the transition has been seamless off the ice. He fits right in with the Hawks in the dressing room, and said, “The first day I got here, I had 22 new friends. It was pretty cool.” All that’s left is to fit in on the ice, too.

It’s a different style, with different demands. But Daley’s confident he can still be the offensive force he was, while playing the game Quenneville demands.

“It’s all just little things,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s the same game that we started playing when we were kids, you know? It’s the same hockey — we play with a stick and a puck and the same goals. I want to defend first and then the offensive side will come second. I’m looking forward to becoming the D-man that they want me to become.”

Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com

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