Boston Bruins: Analyzing and grading the 2019-20 season of Chris Wagner
By Matt Hawkins
How did Chris Wagner do for the Boston Bruins in the 2019-20 season?
After a decent 2018-19 season with the Boston Bruins, forward Chris Wagner did not have the same success in 2019-20.
Wagner’s 2018-19 saw him post career-bests in goals (12) and points (19) in 76 games. In 2019-20, Wagner regressed and scored just 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 67 games.
This regression saw Wagner’s goals-per-game average drop down from 0.16 to 0.09 and his points-per-game average decline from 0.25 to 0.15. Wagner’s offensive point shares (OPS) went from 0.2 to -0.7 — his offensive play was hurting the team in 2019-20.
Additionally, Wags’ possession metrics significantly fell. His Corsi-for percentage (CF%) went from a 49.7 to 45.2 and his Fenwick-for percentage (FF%) dropped from a 50.9 to 46.0.
Wagner wasn’t very good defensively either. His defensive point shares (DPS) was just a 0.7 in 2019-20, as opposed to his 1.4 in 2018-19. Furthermore, his plus/minus (+/-) was a -8.
The only thing Wags did better in was the faceoff circle. His faceoff percentage (FO%) went from a 45.0 to a 46.2.
As a result of his struggles, Wagner’s average ice time per game dropped by over a minute.
In the playoffs, Wagner was a bit better. He managed to register three points (two goals, one assist) in 12 games — good for a 0.25 points-per-game average — and win over 51% of his faceoffs.
Chris Wagner’s grade for his 2019-20 season with the Boston Bruins.
According to Wagner’s -0.7 OPS, he was the worst player on the Bruins when it came to offense. As a forward, this is pretty terrible. How can a forward be worse offensively than every defenseman on the team?
Furthermore, Wags wasn’t very good in his own zone either. Wagner was basically useless during the regular season with his inability to drive and control play and even provide help defensively.
However, Wagner had a somewhat decent postseason where he was able to increase his offensive production.
dark. Next. The Bruins are looking into playing some home games outdoors
I know Wagner is a bottom-six forward — mainly a fourth-liner — but being the worst player overall offensively on the team as a forward is inexcusable. I think the grade of a solid D is fair for Wags.