Ron Hainsey
#65 / Defenseman / Pittsburgh Penguins
Height: 6-3 | Weight: 210 | Born: March 24, 1981
Birthplace: Bolton, CT, USA | Drafted: 13th, 2000 (Montreal)
Assets: Has excellent mobility, size and reach. Can play on either side of the ice. Displays some offensive ability. Is capable of logging a ton of minutes, if required.
Flaws: Is far too soft for his big frame. Can go through rough stretches in all elements of the game over the course of a season. Is also somewhat inconsistent in the NHL.
Career Potential: Veteran defenseman. (Assets, Flaws and Career Potential via The Hockey News player page)
Career 40-Game Rolling Five-on-Five CF% (via Muneeb):
2016-17 Usage Chart (via Corsica):
Why you should know who he is: You know Ron Hainsey – he’s been in the League since Jesus was in diapers, with stops in Montreal, Columbus, Atlanta, Winnipeg, Carolina and now Pittsburgh, logging more than 900 games along the way, including 46 against the Caps (potting one goal and adding five assists while posting a minus-15 rating in those games). Amazingly, Hainsey made his playoff debut this year, and had a goal and two assists in the Pens’ easy first-round victory over his former club, skating alongside Brian Dumoulin, for the most part.
Hainsey can still skate and isn’t a disaster with the puck which are essentially the only two qualifications needed to play on the Pens’ blueline these days, and it’s part of how he’s managed an interesting split during his time in Pittsburgh – including the regular season and playoffs, Hainsey has posted a score- and venue-adjusted Corsi-For percentage of 48.3, but a Scoring Chances-For percentage of 62.4 (per Corsica).
How the Caps can stop him: By five-on-five shot differential, Hainsey was the Pens’ worst skater in the first round, with Pittsburgh getting out-attempted by 32 with the veteran blueliner on the ice. But with the Pens leading so often, it’s hard to take too much away from stats like that. The Caps can have success against Hainsey if they get into their offensive-zone cycle game and make Hainsey, you know, defend, but need to be wary on the forecheck to not over-commit when playing a guy who can move the puck. Hainsey is still serviceable, but the Caps should be able to handle what he brings to the Pens’ blueline if they’re smart and disciplined.
Previously: Jake Guentzel
From Last Year: Matt Murray | Patric Hornqvist | Tom Kuhnhackl | Nick Bonino | Conor Sheary | Ian Cole | Bryan Rust | Olli Maatta