Ten interesting statistics that will make you do a double-take

We're almost at the halfway point of the NHL season, so this is a good time to look at some of the more interesting statistics that we've seen so far.

Some of these stats tell a bigger story on how the season has been going for poolies and some of the players on this list may see their value waver because of how they've performed. There are players quietly on pace for record years in certain categories. Others are doing things that we haven't seen in a decade. A couple of others shed light on why some players are having worse seasons than anticipated.

Here are the 10 most interesting stats so far.

10. 5

This is the number of shootout goals for Bobby Ryan, who leads the league in this category. Seventeen players had five shootout goals last season. I doubt we'll get to double digits this year. About 44.4 per cent of games went to the shootout last year. This year? Just 7.8 per cent of games by my calculations. There are leagues that count shootout goals and saves. But at this rate, it may be better to scrap those categories altogether.

9. 96

The number of blocked shots by Kris Russell. The Flames defenseman averages 3.3 blocked shots per game and is on pace for 260 blocked shots, which would lead the league. It would be the second straight year Russell had the most blocked shots and Russell would become the first player to ever lead the league in blocked shots in back-to-back seasons.

8. 5.5

The number of hits per game for Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas. Because he missed a few games, he's on pace for 410 — or 451 over the course of an 82-game season. That is both absurd and unheard of. Matt Martin set the record last year with 382 hits. The reigning champ is on pace for 407. Imagine two players getting to 400 hits in a season. You're running away with the hits category in your league if you own both of these guys.

7. 1.1 per cent

This is the shooting percentage of P.K. Subban, the lowest of anyone with a goal. Subban has been successful on just one of his 87 shots. For all the flack that Jakub Voracek, Ryan Getzlaf and Keith Yandle have been getting, Subban's underperforming ways have been under the radar so far. The strangest fact of all this is that Subban is on pace for career high of 210 shots.

6. 2:13

This is the power play time on ice per game for Rangers defenseman Keith Yandle. It's also his lowest average since he's become a full-time NHLer and almost two minutes less per game than what he's been averaging the last couple of years. Many poolies think he's not living up to his fantasy value but it all comes down to his performance with the man advantage. Yandle is on pace for just 19 power play points, which would be his lowest non-lockout season since 2011-12.

5. 491

That's the amount of faceoffs won by Ryan O'Reilly so far. Not only is that the most in the league, but his 59.2 per cent winning percentage is one of the best as well. Only Jonathan Toews has a better winning percentage out of all players that have won at least 150 faceoffs. Even more remarkably, O'Reilly is on pace to win 1,184 faceoffs this season. That would be the most since Rod Brind'Amour won 1,213 with Carolina in 2006-07.

4. Plus-20

That is what the league leader in plus-minus has so far this season. And what superstar has managed to hit that mark? Dylan Larkin. That's pretty impressive in itself, especially for a rookie. But how rare a feat is it? A rookie has never finished the season as the plus-minus leader.

3. 104

The number of league-leading penalty minutes for Vancouver Canucks forward Derek Dorsett. Dorsett is on pace for 243 PIM, one of only three players on pace for more than 200 PIM (Wayne Simmonds and Tom Wilson being the other two). This would be the first time an NHL player hit the 240-pim mark since Zenon Konopka had 307 in 2010-11. Dorsett is as good as they come for pools that count PIM. He's had at least 10 PIM in a game on four occasions, which probably singlehandedly won many poolies their head-to-head matchups.

2. 12

The number of power play goals for league leader Justin Faulk. Every one of Faulk's goals have come on the power play as he still hasn't scored at even strength. Faulk is on pace for 29 power play goals. Obviously he's going to slow down some. But imagine he only nets three more power play goals this year. Only nine defensemen have ever scored 15 man advantage goals in a season. The NHL record is 19 by Sheldon Souray with the Montreal Canadiens back in 2006-07. There's definitely a chance that Faulk could snap that record.

1. 1.84, 2.09 and 2.19

The goals for per game of the three bottom teams in this category: Anaheim, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Those three teams are absolutely killing fantasy owners this year. You don't realize how bad it has been until you put it into context. Patrick Kane got his 50th point last night. Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf have combined for 38 points. Claude Giroux ad Jakub Voracek have 49 points together. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby have a combined 50 points. So Kane is pretty much outproducing the top two superstars combined on each of those three teams. That pretty much sums up why so many poolies are frustrated this season.