The Universal Impact of Ryan Ellis

On a Nashville Predators roster that's featured the likes of All-Star defensemen P.K. Subban, Roman Josi and Shea Weber over the past two seasons, it's easy to see how Ryan Ellis might get a bit overlooked at times.
But it's become increasingly clear this season just how valuable Ellis is to the team - and not just in an offensive role.
With the 2009 first-round pick back in the lineup - and posting a +3 rating - on Tuesday, the Predators roared past the St. Louis Blues, 6-3. That win improved the Preds record with Ellis on the ice this season to 10-7-3, as opposed to the 3-4-1 mark they posted in the eight games Ellis was sidelined due to an upper-body injury.

"He really just gives us a balance out there," Predators Head Coach Peter Laviolette said after Tuesday's win over St. Louis. "Matt Irwin has done a really good job filling in for Ryan. But to have Ryan back in there… he provides so much balance in so many situations for us. When you remove [Ellis], all the seats move on the bus, and you have to figure that out. So to get him back tonight was a real positive."
Ellis's absence wasn't the sole reason for the Preds sub-.500 mark during that eight-game stretch, as forward James Neal missed four games while Ellis was out and forward Colton Sissons seven.
Still, Ellis's ability to excel in even-strength, penalty-killing and power-play situations has made a notable difference for the Predators this year. That's a testament to the evolution of a player who came into the NHL as primarily an offensive specialist.
"I think once you get to this level, you have to turn your game into a two-way game," Ellis said. "For me in younger years, I never thought as much about the defensive side of the game. I mean, if you had the puck, how are they going to score, right?
"But there's good players and good teams in this League. You're not always going go to have the puck, so you have to be good on both sides of it. It took me a couple years to really figure out how important that was, but once I did make that commitment to not only yourself but your teammates, you find yourself in a better position both on the ice and off."

Here's a closer look at Ellis's importance to the Preds, as illustrated by team numbers with and without him in the lineup:
Penalty Kill: With Ellis in the lineup for the first 19 games, the Predators were killing penalties at an 83.9 percent success rate, which was tied for 10th in the League. With Ellis out of the lineup for the next eight games, the Preds penalty-killing success rate dipped to 76 percent, which ranked 22nd in the League.
Ellis's success as a penalty-killer is perhaps the biggest change in his game over the years.
In 2013-14, his first full year in the League, Ellis averaged just 14 seconds per game on the penalty kill. But in 20 games this season, he's averaging 2:36 on the penalty kill, tied for first on the team with fellow defenseman Mattias Ekholm.
At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Ellis may not have the wingspan to get his stick in passing lanes or the size to pummel opponents on the boards. But his ability to read the game and position himself correctly - his average of two blocks per contest leads the Preds - makes him an asset when Nashville is a man down.
"He is extremely smart, has great hockey sense and is great defensively," Josi said. "He always seems to be in the right spot, and it's real easy to play with him because you know he'll do the right thing."

Power Play: With Ellis in the lineup for the first 19 games, the Predators power play was clicking at a 22.9 percent success rate, good for fifth in the League. With Ellis out of the lineup for the next eight games, the Preds power-play success rate fell to 14.3 percent, 22nd-best in the League.
That's not to say Ellis has been piling up power-play points. He has three in 20 contests this season. But his blistering slapshot, his ability to see the ice - evidenced by his crafty slap-passes - and his poise with the puck all help the Preds maintain pressure and often lead to man-advantage goals for his teammates.
Ellis is averaging 2:19 per game on the power play, eighth on the team.
"He makes lot of good passes, finds the open man and has a good shot," Josi said. "He's definitely one of the best power-play players."

Overall Play: We've already touched on the team's win-loss record with Ellis in and out of the lineup. But here are some more interesting numbers:
With Ellis in the lineup for the first 19 games, the Predators averaged 2.89 goals per game and allowed an average of 2.52 goals per game. With Ellis out of the lineup for the next eight games, the Preds averaged 2.88 goals per game (about the same), but allowed an average of 3.5 goals per contest - a full goal more.
Again, these numbers aren't solely a reflection of whether Ellis is in or out of the lineup.
But as reflected by Ellis's +9 rating - tied with Irwin for the team high - and his Corsi rating of 50.5, more good things than bad are happening when Ellis is on the ice. His 18:37 average ice time per game is well over a minute more than last year and fourth on the Predators.
"I think just his poise and how calm he is with the puck are obviously huge for us," Preds forward Filip Forsberg said of Ellis. "He just makes plays, and he plays solid defensively.
"He's a small guy, but he plays physical and he's really solid in our own end. On the offense, we all know what he can bring up there. So it's just his 200-foot game overall… that's the type of player he is."