Fixing the Powerplay

[Pompeius Magnus]

Stop that overload non sense and go back to putting guys in front of the goalie and having Subban shoot the puck . Problem solved !

 

[Grant McCagg]

They're replaying the Habs-Bruins Game 7 in 1979 right now. Gallivan commenting on Bowman using Savard, Lapointe and Gainey to give them some size in front of the net on the power play.Fast forward 35 years and even though the average dman is two inches taller Therrien uses 5-7 forwards to bother the goalie.

 

[ECWHSWI]

They're replaying the Habs-Bruins Game 7 in 1979 right now. Gallivan commenting on Bowman using Savard, Lapointe and Gainey to give them some size in front of the net on the power play.Fast forward 35 years and even though the average dman is two inches taller Therrien uses 5-7 forwards to bother the goalie.

well, he insist on using the DD/Galagher/Patches line for the PP... and Patches refuses to park himself in front of the net so...

 

[Rapala]

well, he insist on using the DD/Galagher/Patches line for the PP... and Patches refuses to park himself in front of the net so...

I was watching Boston use Chara down low against Detroit. He kept 4-5 plays alive with his reach and strong board play. Their second wave features Soderberg and Bergeron the amount of space these guys create for their points is uncanny.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Why don't we use Subban on the power play like Ovechkin ? We could try to have him camp at the top of the left circle and rifle it to the back of the net once he gets that cross ice pass.

Same thing for MaxPac, except he'd be on the other side.

 

[Slashers98]

I put some of the best ideas gathered here and elsewhere to sum it up:
How To Improve The Habs' Struggling Power Play

 

[Jigger77]

Don't you get tired of defending it?

At what point do you wake up and say to yourself... "you know what, maybe LG is actually right on this. Maybe I should open up my eyes to the facts and stop defending a coach who isn't doing a good job." Instead you play the role of apologist.

Well good for you. Do it all you wish but don't come here and tell people to stop talking about what's wrong with our team when it's a freaking message board. If you don't want to read this, go to the 'sunshine and rainbows' section and talk about the glittery sky over there.

I'll go with what Scotty Bowman says over LG thanks. Btw, you seem angry. Cheer up dude, it's just hockey.

 

[FF de Mars]

I'd play Chucky with Pacioretty and Gallagher.

edit. thinking about it a Pacioretty-DD-Chucky unit could be potent too. Gallagher isn't exactly that creative.

 

[Rapala]

I'll go with what Scotty Bowman says over LG thanks. Btw, you seem angry. Cheer up dude, it's just hockey.

Too many people lap up every word x players and coaches utter thinking it's Gospel.
RDS is a pefect example of this they've been in the brain washing business forever.
Some of the most ridiculous posts comes off the back of something someone's seen or heard in the media. The English media are no better.
Guess what Scotty Bowman drops by 2-3 times a year and says the exact same thing everytime.
He's basically paying lip service to his media friends and the organization.
What do you expect him to say MT sucks?
He looks at the standings and knows how the playoffs went and goes out on a huge limb!

I had this exact same discussion last year how many full Habs games does Scotty watch?
I know LG watches them all I also know LG sees the game well because he sees what I see
So you can pin your faith on Scotty but I'm sticking with LG and what he's remarked on for the past 2
1/2 - 3 yrs.

 

[Hockey Joe]

Why don't we use Subban on the power play like Ovechkin ? We could try to have him camp at the top of the left circle and rifle it to the back of the net once he gets that cross ice pass.

Same thing for MaxPac, except he'd be on the other side.

From what I heard on the radio, that's the plan. Markov on top, PK and Max on either side. DD in the middle and Gally in front of the net.

I don't buy the "predictable" theory. Everyboby knows Ovie will shoot from the circle, yet he scores plenty. Our 9-million Norris Dman should be able to score a few but they need to move themselves and the puck quickly to create openings. They just stand stills like it's some kind of rehearsal.

 

[Rapala]

From what I heard on the radio, that's the plan. Markov on top, PK and Max on either side. DD in the middle and Gally in front of the net.

I don't buy the "predictable" theory. Everyboby knows Ovie will shoot from the circle, yet he scores plenty. Our 9-million Norris Dman should be able to score a few but they need to move themselves and the puck quickly to create openings. They just stand stills like it's some kind of rehearsal.

This puts Max on the half wall the Caps have a guy named Backstrom in that spot.
The QB on the Caps PP is Backstrom. Max can't handle the puck nearly half as well.
This hasn't worked in the past...

 

[Jigger77]

Too many people lap up every word x players and coaches utter thinking it's Gospel.
RDS is a pefect example of this they've been in the brain washing business forever.
Some of the most ridiculous posts comes off the back of something someone's seen or heard in the media. The English media are no better.
Guess what Scotty Bowman drops by 2-3 times a year and says the exact same thing everytime.
He's basically paying lip service to his media friends and the organization.
What do you expect him to say MT sucks?
He looks at the standings and knows how the playoffs went and goes out on a huge limb!

I had this exact same discussion last year how many full Habs games does Scotty watch?
I know LG watches them all I also know LG sees the game well because he sees what I see
So you can pin your faith on Scotty but I'm sticking with LG and what he's remarked on for the past 2
1/2 - 3 yrs.

Ok you and LG know better than Scotty Bowman. You win.

About the PP, I'd start giving Galchenyuk a larger role on it as far as distributing the puck. I'd like to see Plecky there more but you have to manage his icetime so he can be fresh for the PK. I think that they probably just didn't have enough time to really work on it yet. There's a couple new guys in the mix and notably Gilbert on the point who can help I think. It's tough for him to jump in like that with a bunch of new guys and expect instant chemistry. They just need to work on it and that means spending time in drills moving the puck in the offensive zone. There's little details like some guys like the puck a little further behind for one timers and others a little more forward. A lot of little things like that need to be ironed out. If it still sucks this bad after 20 games then yes you have to take a good look at coaching.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I'll go with what Scotty Bowman says over LG thanks.

He gets asked on the air... what's he supposed to say? Who the hell knows how much attention Bowman is giving to Habs? He may have a passing interest, he may just look at the standings. Hell, look at Dreger last year when the Habs were in a rut saying that Price had to play better... he had absolutely zero idea what he was talking about.

Btw, you seem angry. Cheer up dude, it's just hockey.

And again, it's a message board. If you don't like critical thought, then go away. Don't tell people to chill out when they give you coherent and rational arguments to support their posts.

You sit there with

ECF
100 points
and Scotty Bowman likes him.

Well, good for you. Anyone who actually watched the team last year knows they weren't all that great. And the numbers back this up. So again, I don't care what Scotty Bowman thinks (and I doubt he's paying much attention to us at all.) I don't care that we were a 100 point team and I don't care that we went to the ECF. You can thank Carey Price for that. If Price isn't God last year we don't make the playoffs and Scotty Bowman is commenting on who we took with our lottery pick instead. Goaltending (which is what saved us) has zero to do with the head coach apart from him choosing who plays... so unless you think he was a genius for playing Price over Budaj, then I don't know why you want to credit this guy for anything. Our team played like crap and we have a good roster. That's not an example of good coaching.

And I don't know how in the world a team with two QBs as good as ours can be 19th in the league with the man advantage. That's not a player problem. That's not a roster issue. It's a coach who doesn't know what the **** he's doing. Cube last year was consistently out there. DD, despite all evidence of him not being effective continues to get trotted out there... our coach is a stubborn jackass about this kind of stuff. And please don't give us this crap about him making adjustments because he STILL continues to put DD out there. Even when he makes adjustments is always for a game or two and then it's back to his old ways. All this time - even in 2013 when the PP was clicking - you'd think he'd have figured out it makes sense to screen the ****ing goalie. How is this STILL not happening? How is DD on the first line unit despite not producing? How is Cube out there at all last year and how'd he manage to become the last cut this year? Our stubborn coach. Praise the lord that MB probably stepped in on that one otherwise we're probably looking at Cube on the 2nd unit AGAIN this year.

Our team is good enough to overcome this dumbass, but he's not helping us.

 

[Rapala]

Ok you and LG know better than Scotty Bowman. You win.

About the PP, I'd start giving Galchenyuk a larger role on it as far as distributing the puck. I'd like to see Plecky there more but you have to manage his icetime so he can be fresh for the PK. I think that they probably just didn't enough have the time to really work on it yet. There's a couple new guys in the mix and notably Gilbert on the point who can help I think. It's tough for him to jump in like that with a bunch of new guys and expect instant chemistry. They just need to work on it and that means spending time in drills moving the puck in the offensive zone. There's little details like some guys like the puck a little further behind for one timers and others a little more forward. A lot of little things like that need to be ironed out. If it still sucks this bad after 20 games then yes you have to take a good look at coaching.

See this is why I like you...
Scotty's sample size is much much smaller is all.
It's hard to start liking a coach you've disliked for years.

Your take on the PP is spot on.
Many of the successful PP's are now QB'd from the Half Wall.
Kovy used to be deadly from there.
Plecky, AG and Markov are the only guys who could QB from there.
We wouldn't have the foresight to try a Markov there would we?

 

[Jigger77]

He gets asked on the air what do you think of the club... what's he supposed to say? Who the hell knows how much attention Bowman is giving to Habs? He may have a passing interest, he may just look at the standings. Hell, look at Dreger last year when the Habs were in a rut saying that Price had to play better... he had absolutely zero idea what he was talking about.

And again, it's a message board. If you don't like critical thought, then go away. Don't tell people to chill out when they give you coherent and rational arguments to support their posts.

You sit there with

ECF
100 points
and Scotty Bowman likes him.

Well, good for you. Anyone who actually watched the team last year knows they weren't all that great. And the numbers back this up. So again, I don't care what Scotty Bowman thinks. I don't care that we were a 100 point team and I don't care that we went to the ECF. You can thank Carey Price for that. If Price isn't God last year we don't make the playoffs and Scotty Bowman is commenting on who we took with our lottery pick instead.

Hey, easy there guy I said you win!

 

[Jigger77]

See this is why I like you...
Scotty's sample size is much much smaller is all.
It's hard to start liking a coach you've disliked for years.

Your take on the PP is spot on.
Many of the successful PP's are now QB'd from the Half Wall.
Kovy used to be deadly from there.
Plecky, AG and Markov are the only guys who could QB from there.
We wouldn't have the foresight to try a Markov there would we?

I don't like the guy as in I'd like to go for a beer with him don't get me wrong. But I do think he's done a good job so far and that results outweigh statistics in this business. Statistics are an indicator of ways to improve for sure though.

As far as that QB from the half wall you need a guy who can work real fast and tight under pressure. He has to be a wizard with the puck. Not sure Makov has that quickness still, but could be worth a shot because he does have the vision to find the seams. I do like him on the point for those cross-ice passes down low for 1-timers too. Him and Kovy, Cammalleri and Plekanec had it down pat for a while. It added a double threat with the point shot. Trouble is you can't have both Subban and him on that same side.

I do like your idea about the QBing it from the half-wall and I'd personally start grooming Galchenyuk into that role.

 

[Rapala]

Hey, I don't like the guy as in I'd like to go for a beer with him don't get me wrong. But I do think he's done a good job so far and that results outweigh statistics. Statistics are an indicator of ways to improve for sure though.

As far as that QB from the half wall you need a guy who can work real fast and tight under pressure. He has to be a wizard with the puck. Not sure Makov has that quickness still, but could be worth a shot because he does have the vision. I do like him on the point for those cross-ice passes down low for 1-timers from Markov too. Him and Kovy, Cammalleri and Plekanec had it down pat for a while. Trouble is you can't have both Subban and him on that same side.

I like you idea about the QBing it from the half-wall though and I'd personally start grooming Galchenyuk into that role.

Markov would be fine as he can burn you real quick.
The Idea would be to keep PK more in the middle of the ice and Patches manning that one time.
I've never seen this config and it would be a cool one to slip into.

 

[Jigger77]

Markov would be fine and he can burn you real quick.
The Idea would be to keep PK more in the middle of the ice and Patches manning that one time.
I've never seen this config and it would be a cool one to slip into.

Wouldn't hurt to try anyway. Who do you have on the point with Subban though?

 

[Rapala]

Wouldn't hurt to try anyway. Who do you have on the point with Subban though?

It's the umbrella up top.
Marky poaching up and down PK holding centrally and Patches one time and support.

 

[bouquet]

they changed the formation, and if it is not working, they will change the players...one thing at a time.

 

[Power Man]

The Habs' powerplay has yet to score this season in 14 opportunities, but the problem is a lot deeper than that.

Although the Canadiens look to be dumping the puck in constantly on the powerplay, they're still carrying it in a majority of the time, with 20 of their 33 entries being carry ins. However five of the Habs' 20 carry-ins were followed by dumping the puck in for no reason, under little to no pressure, which means the majority of their powerplay entries were dup-ins by an 18-15 margin, which is ridiculous.

http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/a...ens-powerplay-breakdown-analysis-habs-pp-woes

 

[Rapala]

Yeah those zone entries pleased me the most.
Actually gain the zone but don't stop up or curl and then dump...
WTF is that?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I don't like the guy as in I'd like to go for a beer with him don't get me wrong. But I do think he's done a good job so far and that results outweigh statistics in this business.

Why credit him with those results when the stats show he doesn't have anything to do with it? Why not credit the goalie for the results?

Explain the disconnect here.

 

[Jigger77]

Why credit him with those results when the stats show he doesn't have anything to do with it? Why not credit the goalie for the results?

Explain the disconnect here.

What's the point? No matter what I say your mind is clearly made up. I've brought countless arguments forward that show he's done a good job overall with this team but you dismiss them all. And you're perfectly entitled to that. But no point going around in circles either.

 

[Bob b smith]

A dump-in is a defensive move. You're less likely to get scored on... A carry-in is an offensive move. You're most likely to score.... (Source 1: peer-reviewed University study that quantified this) (Source 2: 80s Oilers, look how often Gretzky dumps in the puck on the PP... hint: close to never).

Recently NHL teams have started to do drop passes to fool the D squad on a carry-in entry. Haven't seen the Habs even toy with this...