STATS LLC is in its seventh season of tracking faceoff winners every time a puck drops in an NHL game. In the first six seasons since STATS started collecting faceoff data in 2000-01, only one player has led the league in faceoff win percentage. He’s played for five teams in the last four NHL campaigns, and has demonstrated his expertise at each stop.

That player is Yanic Perreault, who has suited up for Montreal, Nashville, Phoenix and Toronto since the start of the 2003-04 season before joining the Chicago Blackhawks for 2007-08. The frequent changes of address haven’t kept Perreault from leading the league annually in faceoff win percentage among players who have taken at least 250 faceoffs in a season.

Perreault’s League-Leading Faceoff Win Percentages
(min 250 faceoffs)

Year. . . . . Team. . . WinPct
2000-01. . . Tor. . . . . 62.7
2001-02. . . Mon. . . . .61.3
2002-03. . . Mon. . . . .62.9
2003-04. . . Mon. . . . .65.2
2005-06. . . Nash. . . . 62.2
2006-07. . . Pho/Tor. .62.8

So, who would you expect to be leading the league in 2007-08? Yes, it’s Perreault, by a significant margin.

Leaders in Faceoff Win Percentage, 2007-08
(min 100 faceoffs)

Player. . . . . . . . . . . . . . WinPct
Yanic Perreault, Chi. . . . . 66.7
Kris, Draper, Det. . . . . . . .61.5
Michael Cammalleri, LA. . . 61.1
Manny Malhotra, Cls. . . . . 61.0
Joe Thornton, SJ. . . . . . . 60.9
Mike Zigomanis, Pho. . . . . 59.8