Speculation: Detroit PP

[Vatican Roulette]

Pulkkinen a PP weapon
Kronwall isn't a PP dman anymore
Green is a compliment PP dman/top 4 dman

The PP is horrible.

Even with the talent in this team, the PP should be doing better than this carp show.

Any suggestions?

Click to read more...

 

[chances14]

pulkkinen is not a pp weapon in the nhl. dude can't hit the net to save his life

 

[SimplySolace]

Ferschweiler or whatever the **** is the problem

 

[Eggberto]

Our problem is how much trouble we have getting set up after the puck is cleared. Poor zone entries, and poor puck movement and team support play a huge role in that.

Once they are in the zone and set up they don't create enough confusion. This is because they are too stationary and predictable.

Typically they have two wingers between the face off dot and the top of the circle. They play catch with the defenseman that's sitting in the middle of the blue line. A player covered in the high slot, and finally someone in front of the goalie.

For the most part they remain in these positions except for the wingers occasionally moving deeper into the zone.

Given the fact that our players make terrible decisions with the puck under pressure teams can play us aggressively, or they watch us pass back and forth for 30 seconds without taking a shot. When a shot is finally taken it's been telegraphed for seconds given the opponents PK ample time to set up and block the shot. Given our teams inability to get shots thru defenders, and how they appear to be incapable of not shooting wide it makes the lack of motion on the PP that much more apparent.

Also our D-man at the blue line plays WAY too conservatively. I understand we're prone to making mistakes, but you just aren't going to score when you're taking shots from the blue line.

 

[aar000n]

We can not depend on the defense to handle the puck. At this point go with 4 forwards. They basic pass out and shot fails. Because the d gets their shot blocked, because they mishandle the puck, because they pass bad.

 

[Bench]

Mantha is our savior now. Praise be, praise be.

 

[13to40]

Arizona every year has a solid power play which I often find myself comparing to the power play the red wings had back when Holstrom still played: they shot pucks from the point and had a big body in front.

I feel that this year the wings are often trying to force cross crease passes that aren't there instead of sticking to the basics which once worked wonders for us, and still work wonders for other teams today. So I don't think it matters whether the PP is being run with 3F + 2D or 4F + 1D, the fundamentals need to be changed.

 

[Bench]

Arizona every year has a solid power play which I often find myself comparing to the power play the red wings had back when Holstrom still played: they shot pucks from the point and had a big body in front.

Helps they had Yandle and now OEL running things back there, too. Guys are elite scoring defenders that get pucks through and command space.

What's going on with Yandle in the off-season? Man I'd kill for him in free agency. Green isn't as bad defensively as we thought, so I don't even worry about that aspect.

 

[Mijatovic]

pulkkinen is not a pp weapon in the nhl. dude can't hit the net to save his life

Higher shot percentage that hits the net on the PP than Zetterberg....

 

[RedWingzz]

I'll pass on Pulkkinen. Mantha is better. AA is better. Even Jurco is better, and he's scratched himself.

Why not toss AA on the PP and see what happens? Honestly, Blashill has nothing to lose to toss AA on the PP. It has been the most disappointing component of our game, so switch it up.

 

[RedWingzz]

Mantha is our savior now. Praise be, praise be.

Praise be oh holy savior Anthony Mantha

 

[BinCookin]

Mantha is our savior now. Praise be, praise be.

PRAISE BE!

 

[Ezekial]

Helps they had Yandle and now OEL running things back there, too. Guys are elite scoring defenders that get pucks through and command space.

What's going on with Yandle in the off-season? Man I'd kill for him in free agency. Green isn't as bad defensively as we thought, so I don't even worry about that aspect.

I would love for us to make a run at Yandle, he's exactly what we could use on this team. Sure he isn't a #1 but we need a guy like him because our puck movement from defenders is terrible.

If Kronwall is on the PP next year, kill me.

 

[BinCookin]

If Kronwall is on the PP next year, kill me.

I think Green is the PP D man now. Can anyone confirm, looked like he spent more time there today than K did.

 

[Laser Rayzor]

I think Green is the PP D man now. Can anyone confirm, looked like he spent more time there today than K did.

Nope, Kronner had 3:53 PPTOI to Green's 2:57

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

They have a very "old NHL" PP philosophy. You can't expect to score with just any point shot these days. It has to have some serious mustard on it, and you have to really make sure it won't get blocked.

I think Mantha is a step in the right direction, though. This team needs to be harder to handle down low, and he provides that in a unique way. In general, the Wings need to play a scrappier PP style that puts emphasis on winning battles and driving the net. The days of circling the perimeter and finding the picture-perfect passing play/point shot are over.

I think I'd like to see Mantha and Abby together on one unit. Put Mantha in a screening role and Abby can handle the corners. Put Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Green closer to the blue line.

 

[lidstromiscool]

I’d like to see Green on both PP’s, Datsyuk and Z less even strength TOI and more PP time together, Mantha in a spot not in front of the net, Richards replaced by anyone (Pulks if he draws in?), No more drop pass to enter the zone unless its to Datsyuk, Sheahan in the net front role on a unit, Nyquist the focal point of a unit.

Just some random ideas I’d like to see

 

[KasperTheGrittyGhost]

I’d like to see Green on both PP’s, Datsyuk and Z less even strength TOI and more PP time together, Mantha in a spot not in front of the net, Richards replaced by anyone (Pulks if he draws in?), No more drop pass to enter the zone unless its to Datsyuk, Sheahan in the net front role on a unit, Nyquist the focal point of a unit.

Just some random ideas I’d like to see

Sheahan-Z-Nyquist
Green-Smith

Mantha-Datsyuk-Tatar
Green-Kronwall/Dekeyser

 

[Frk It]

I think we need to at least try going back to 2 point guys.

If you are going to have 1 point guy, I think you need someone who moves laterally very well, to avoid getting shots blocked in the center of the ice. Neither Richards or Kronwall can do it very well at this stage of the game, IMO. Green can do it better, but I don't like how we support the 1 point guy all that much either.

Maybe try

PP1
Kronwall-Green

PP2
Richards-Smith

 

[FlashyG]

I don't like the 1-3-1 power play system at all.

all teams have to do is take away the player in the high slot and pressure the point man when the puck goes there and they completely nullify it.

If you manage to get any consistent pressure in the offensive zone the puck is almost always on the outside against the boards or being tossed back and forth innefectively between the forward at the side boards and the defenceman. It's made even worse when the guys shooting the puck can't get the puck through, or get it through but wide of the net.

Because there is only one guy near the front of the net, he's almost always beaten to any rebounds and when a puck misses the net it's usually a 50-50 battle between the defenceman and the winger.

I don't know how hard it is to change the system of your powerplay but I'd say 70 games is long enough to show that the current formation is not working. Hopefully we have a new coach in charge of it next year or at least a new system that is far more effective.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I don't like the 1-3-1 power play system at all.

all teams have to do is take away the player in the high slot and pressure the point man when the puck goes there and they completely nullify it.

If you manage to get any consistent pressure in the offensive zone the puck is almost always on the outside against the boards or being tossed back and forth innefectively between the forward at the side boards and the defenceman. It's made even worse when the guys shooting the puck can't get the puck through, or get it through but wide of the net.

Because there is only one guy near the front of the net, he's almost always beaten to any rebounds and when a puck misses the net it's usually a 50-50 battle between the defenceman and the winger.

I don't know how hard it is to change the system of your powerplay but I'd say 70 games is long enough to show that the current formation is not working. Hopefully we have a new coach in charge of it next year or at least a new system that is far more effective.

I disagree with most of this, but really disagree with the suggestion that we are now somehow running a 1-3-1 power play. We played it for a good stretch last year but have hardly touched it this season (although in recent months it has been really difficult to even figure out what we are trying to do on the PP).

In general I think it is a nice alternative to aimlessly wailing away with point shots into traffic.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

IMO Pulkkinen is a PP option, and a good one. Hes a weapon.

Put him on the left slot and move your PP to favor him. The other teams will have to cover him.

Move the PP to factor in that and take other opportunities.

Even if you don't use him, he's someone that opposition has to cover.

 

[Flowah]

I’d like to see Green on both PP’s, Datsyuk and Z less even strength TOI and more PP time together, Mantha in a spot not in front of the net, Richards replaced by anyone (Pulks if he draws in?), No more drop pass to enter the zone unless its to Datsyuk, Sheahan in the net front role on a unit, Nyquist the focal point of a unit.

Just some random ideas I’d like to see

That part is key.

 

[Sentinel]

DDK sucks on the point.

The worst offender was when we had D, Z, and Richards on the same unit. They ran out of walkers quickly.

 

[TopShelfYzerman]

Our problem is how much trouble we have getting set up after the puck is cleared. Poor zone entries, and poor puck movement and team support play a huge role in that.

Once they are in the zone and set up they don't create enough confusion. This is because they are too stationary and predictable.

Typically they have two wingers between the face off dot and the top of the circle. They play catch with the defenseman that's sitting in the middle of the blue line. A player covered in the high slot, and finally someone in front of the goalie.

For the most part they remain in these positions except for the wingers occasionally moving deeper into the zone.

Given the fact that our players make terrible decisions with the puck under pressure teams can play us aggressively, or they watch us pass back and forth for 30 seconds without taking a shot. When a shot is finally taken it's been telegraphed for seconds given the opponents PK ample time to set up and block the shot. Given our teams inability to get shots thru defenders, and how they appear to be incapable of not shooting wide it makes the lack of motion on the PP that much more apparent.

Also our D-man at the blue line plays WAY too conservatively. I understand we're prone to making mistakes, but you just aren't going to score when you're taking shots from the blue line.

Bingo. They dont move their feet after passing, along with the fact they cant complete tape to tape passes.