Power Play Opportunities

[CincoHolio]

A post in a thread on the mainboard got me thinking about how little we were awarded PP opportunities last year. Half thinking that with all the complaining Leafs fans (myself included) did last season, that some of it was probably unfounded and we must’ve sat somewhere in the middle of the pack in terms of power plays awarded. So I looked it up.

DEAD. LAST.

Only a measly 211 PP opportunities awarded to the Maple Leafs last regular season. By comparison, the top ranked team in PP opportunities, the Colorado Avalanche received 286 PP opportunities. A spread of 76 PP opportunities from 1st to last. The team in the middle of the pack, the St. Louis Blues were awarded 237. 27 more PP opportunities than the Leafs throughout the reg season.

So, with all that said, do you think that the 2019-20 version of the Maple Leafs will significantly increase the rate at which PP opportunities are drawn? Will there be only marginal improvement or perhaps will they remain in the basement? What factors do you think could potentially increase their chances or not at all?

Personally, I think with a revamped D capable of carrying the puck out of their own end, from BOTH SIDES of the ice, can only play dividends. Another factor, should it continue throughout the season is far less reliance on the stretch pass. More controlled breakouts should translate to better possession numbers with the puck on the players sticks more often, increasing chances to draw more penalties.

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[IPS]

Some folks suggest we had low PP opportunities because we're soft.

If said folks had half a brain, they'd look up the list and see Anaheim, Dallas, Detroit, LA and Columbus preceding us on the list of PP opportunities. Those teams are anything but soft.

Truth is: someone has to be last.

 

[MattySnipes]

We're also one of the league's least-penalized team's.

Does that have any factor on how refs officiate the game?

I've noticed our PP opportunities have been pretty much close to last every year for a few years now.

Do you think Babcock pissed them off in a game and that's how they're retaliating?

 

[Suntouchable13]

Somebody has to be last. The spread is really not that big between first and last, imo

 

[Kazparov]

Think it had to do more with personnel and game style than an anti-leaf conspiracy.

We're not big and physical and our breakout system last year of long stretch passes was more "pass or fail" than "fight for possession"

 

[ACC1224]

Not a heavy cycle team which would contribute to this.

 

[Its not your fault]

Not a heavy cycle team which would contribute to this.

I feel like if they don't get a shot off on the rush all they do is cycle. That's when the defense collapses. What we lacked was and we needed guys who can wire slap shots and wingers who collect shin pad rebounds off guys who will think twice collapsing on defense shots. Then the wingers are forced to rush the defense that will pass around the rushing winger. Defensemen follows with a pinch as the winger has to change centrifical motion to back towards his end.

 

[Leafsman]

We're also one of the league's least-penalized team's.

Does that have any factor on how refs officiate the game?

I've noticed our PP opportunities have been pretty much close to last every year for a few years now.

Do you think Babcock pissed them off in a game and that's how they're retaliating?

I always thought Kadri would be irritating in a game you were trying to officiate. He was always diving and whining.

I think with him not pissing off the refs, we COULD POSSIBLY get a few more calls.

 

[Burnie97]

We're also one of the league's least-penalized team's.

Does that have any factor on how refs officiate the game?

I've noticed our PP opportunities have been pretty much close to last every year for a few years now.

Do you think Babcock pissed them off in a game and that's how they're retaliating?

Bingo.

I think Refs even up calls way too much. A penalty is a penalty... not oh I gave the other team a couple so now I have to penalize the other team on some bullshit call.

 

[BM14]

I think it's because the refs hate the stupid song we play when PPs are awarded.

 

[Dekes For Days]

There is no discernible reason for PP opportunities being what they are. It has nothing to do with style or make-up of team.

So there's really no way of guessing where we will place this year, but I doubt we will be last again. And if we are near the top, this place is going to be hilarious.

People still have a complete lack of understanding of how PP opportunity affects raw production.

 

[SniperOnTheWing]

Kadri was great at drawing penalties.

Kadri used to be a Leaf. Kadri is now an Avalanche.

Avs will now get EVEN MORE powerplay opportunities while the Leafs will get EVEN LESS

 

[qqaz]

I wouldn't expect a team like ours to get a ton of penalties called for or against us. It's just a result of being a skilled team, rather than a heavy grit team.

Fighters fight each other. Enforcers slash and cross-check to send messages. Slow players trip, hook, and hold because they're falling behind the play. We just don't have the players who need to do that all the time.

 

[ACC1224]

I wouldn't expect a team like ours to get a ton of penalties called for or against us. It's just a result of being a skilled team, rather than a heavy grit team.

Fighters fight each other. Enforcers slash and cross-check to send messages. Slow players trip, hook, and hold because they're falling behind the play. We just don't have the players who need to do that all the time.

They do play more of a "passionless" type game.
Can't remember the last game that was a war.

 

[qqaz]

They do play more of a "passionless" type game.
Can't remember the last game that was a war.

That's one way to explain it. I'm happy that games are more of a race/duel than a war/fight

Anywhoo, I forgot to finish off by saying that taking less penalties means we get less penalties against us. Just the way the league tends to officiate. And other teams will adjust to our style a bit.

No need to dress their enforcer against a team like ours, where he'll have no need to 'protect' anyone. Fighters will find no dance partner. And slow guys will be warned not hook/hold to let us go on the man advantage.

It's a bit cyclical.

 

[deletethis]

Fans can play their part. Fan reaction to obvious missed calls can eventually crack through the cognitive defenses especially when the blatant misses have no defense i.e. Tavares getting sucker punched right in front of the referee.

It's against macho hockey culture but you have to utilize embellishment as the other teams do. There's no "we're better than that" when the team that shamelessly (DeBrusk I'm looking at you, your dad is probably still scrubbing off the shame) uses embellishment advances in the playoffs (Boston) and you do not.