Power Play / Penalty Kill

[BernieParent]

It's been awhile since I have started a thread, and we were discussing these two issues among many in various threads. The PP has largely kept this team from being way lower in league standings, but several have noted that it is stagnant.

I'd like to see these lines:

PP1

Read - Giroux - Simmonds
Gostisbehere - Voracek

The only real change is having Read, as one of the better shots on the team, roaming in and out of the slot, looking for a quick pass to receive, turn and fire on net. Alternatively, Read could dish off to Giroux breaking to the net on the left, Simmonds moving to the right, or Voracek breaking to the right side.

Gostisbehere has the opportunity to move forward into the high slot given that the defenders can't key in on him as much.

PP2

Konecny - Couturier - Schenn
Provorov - Streit

Schenn is Simmonds, Couturier is Giroux, Konecny is Read. The two point men are more traditional tee-it-up roles, but Provorov is smart enough to push the puck in when he has a chance and dish it off to one of the forwards.

PK1

Couturier - VandeVelde
MacDonald - Gudas

PK2

Bellemare - Read / Simmonds
Provorov - Schultz

Just trying to split the suck.

Click to read more...

 

[Rebels57]

It's been awhile since I have started a thread, and we were discussing these two issues among many in various threads. The PP has largely kept this team from being way lower in league standings, but several have noted that it is stagnant.

I'd like to see these lines:

PP1

Read - Giroux - Simmonds
Gostisbehere - Voracek

The only real change is having Read, as one of the better shots on the team, roaming in and out of the slot, looking for a quick pass to receive, turn and fire on net. Alternatively, Read could dish off to Giroux breaking to the net on the left, Simmonds moving to the right, or Voracek breaking to the right side.

Gostisbehere has the opportunity to move forward into the high slot given that the defenders can't key in on him as much.

PP2

Konecny - Couturier - Schenn
Provorov - Streit

Schenn is Simmonds, Couturier is Giroux, Konecny is Read. The two point men are more traditional tee-it-up roles, but Provorov is smart enough to push the puck in when he has a chance and dish it off to one of the forwards.

PK1

Couturier - VandeVelde
MacDonald - Gudas

PK2

Bellemare - Read / Simmonds
Provorov - Schultz

Just trying to split the suck.

I like the idea of changing it for sure. I especially like having Ghost at the top with more spacing between him and Giroux. The fact that they havent tweaked the set-up to give him more space is pretty unbelievable.

I dont want VandeVelde on the PK at all. Hes a non-factor. Thinks and plays too slow. I would use Coots-Read as PK1 and Simmonds-Bellemare as PK2.

 

[Hurricane28]

Would it be a crazy idea to put Provorov on PP1 and Ghost on PP2? Anything to make that 2nd unit look respectable. G QBs PP1 and Ghost PP2

 

[Magua]

Flyers are stubborn with the high slot man being left handed because Giroux is the primary passer on that left wall.

More importantly, you absolutely bulldoze Schenn's value off of PP1. He's the leading PP goal scorer and 2nd in points last time I checked......neither of which is sustainable, but it helps offset his terrible 5v5 numbers to keep him as a 55-60 point player, and therein leaves his value mostly intact. I don't think Schenn is irreplaceable there long-term, just like Hartnell before him, but right now he needs to be there.

But MOST importantly.....we're talking about Joe Mullen here. He is not changing ****. And the PK is how they like it too. It may stink, but it's set-up how they want it, so stinking is just fine.

 

[Hurricane28]

I do regret not asking why Coots is on his offhand on PP2.

 

[Insulin]

Even with the slump Schenn leads the league in powerplay goals. Don't think you can move him off the first unit, let alone use him in a completely different position.

 

[Magua]

Would it be a crazy idea to put Provorov on PP1 and Ghost on PP2? Anything to make that 2nd unit look respectable. G QBs PP1 and Ghost PP2

It wouldn't hurt to just try it. I doubt there would be much issue with chemistry. Provorov looked awesome with G and Jake in OT, and he and Jake have a ton of chemistry (I feel like 80% of Provorov's jump ups in the o zone are off of Jake passes).

The issue is even when Ghost is out they just stick Streit on there because he has experience there, forget that it makes the unit a lot worse in the year 2017. Given the chance to sub in Provorov, they choose not to.

 

[TCTC]

I wouldn't change the personell on the 1st unit. But the scheme needs an update.

 

[Rebels57]

I want to see Ghost in Voraceks spot on PP1. I know he wont win board battles like Jake but Jake ****s up so many shot attempts from there..having Ghost rip one timers from there could be dirty. I think they tried it a few times last season with success..I remember one goal against Tampa.

 

[flyersfan187]

I remember it took them a few games to switch around the PK scheme in the playoffs last season when they were getting hammered and then they went right back to what looks to be the same scheme this season. Then again not having that big bruiser back there to clear the grease other than Provorov/Gudas doesn't help things either.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Power Play / Penalty Kill

In short:

 

[Tripod]

I want to see Ghost in Voraceks spot on PP1. I know he wont win board battles like Jake but Jake ****s up so many shot attempts from there..having Ghost rip one timers from there could be dirty. I think they tried it a few times last season with success..I remember one goal against Tampa.

That's what I would like to see as well. But I put Provy on the unit too...replacing Streit, because he gets shot thru to the net.

Then the 2nd unit would have something totally different:

Voracek on the sidewall on right side...a bit down lower.
Streit closer to the boards on the right side.
Gudas on the left along the blueline for 1 timers from Streit....heavy shot.
Couts in the front of the net....Simmonds spot
Konecny normally, but with him hurt, Read or Weise in the Schenn spot for Jake to feed.

Jake becomes the main passer instead of a shooting option. He doesn't have much of a shot anyways. And if the puck goes to the other side of the ice and Konecny/Read becomes the main passer, Jake slides into the slot where his quick wrister would be more effective in close.

 

[bb12]

i would like to see raffl in front of the net, coots down low, TK on the half boards and provy and streit up top.

As for the PK i want VDV gone. Id like to see Read/PEB, Coots/Simmer and if you want to add a 3rd pairing G/VDV or Lyub/G (i always felt G played better when he PKed)

 

[Curufinwe]

Would it be a crazy idea to put Provorov on PP1 and Ghost on PP2? Anything to make that 2nd unit look respectable. G QBs PP1 and Ghost PP2

Not crazy at all. At least if Ghost is on PP2 it means he's playing.

I said over and over that the PK stunk when it was bottom 5, so I can't reasonably say it stinks now that it's 18th. But it's more mediocre than it needs to be because of the overuse of VdV in particular.

 

[Tripod]

I guess the one benefit of a failed Gordon experiment is that Simmonds has gotten a chance to show how good he can be on the PK.

 

[dingbathero]

Trying to use players with handiness the same as the first is set - middle of ice with the sticks.

PP1 Umbrella on left side boards - looking at net - going thru Giroux as per history

Schenn - Giroux - Simmonds
Ghost - Voracek

PP2 Umbrella on the right side boards - looking at net - going thru Cousins

Read - Cousins - Coots
Provorov/Striet - Konecny

I prolly have the sides incorrect but you get the point.

 

[McNasty]

Trying to use players with handiness the same as the first is set - middle of ice with the sticks.

PP1 Umbrella on left side boards - looking at net - going thru Giroux as per history

Schenn - Giroux - Simmonds
Ghost - Voracek

PP2 Umbrella on the right side boards - looking at net - going thru Cousins

Read - Cousins - Coots
Provorov/Striet - Konecny

I prolly have the sides incorrect but you get the point.

The only problem with running PP2 off the right wall is that you lose the one timer option from the D. If you have Konecny in Giroux's spot, you can have Provy at the top in Ghosts spot, Streit in Jakes spot, and then Couts and Weise/Raffl/Read down in front of the net.

 

[BernieParent]

Thanks, all. I like the varied recommendations. The crux of it is better, quicker puck movement. I proposed moving Schenn to PP2 because he and Simmonds are redundant and that makes it all the easier to defend the other 3 on the umbrella. Having a sure-handed player floating in and out of the high slot opens up pass / shoot options and forces the PKers out of a static box.

Having two philosophies for the PP units may be an advantage. If PP1 is dynamic puck movement, emphasizing the quick shot from in close and PP2 relies more on blasts from the point, it gives different looks against the PKers and they can't just maintain the same strategy.

Another rule I used was not to put PP1 players on PK1 and vice versa. I am happily surprised with Simmonds' effectiveness on the PK, for example, but I wouldn't want to overuse him on both special teams. It pained me physically to type VandeVelde's name but I emphasized the top skill for the PP and then mixed and matched afterwards. Lyubimov is another winger option for the PK.

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

The only problem with running PP2 off the right wall is that you lose the one timer option from the D. If you have Konecny in Giroux's spot, you can have Provy at the top in Ghosts spot, Streit in Jakes spot, and then Couts and Weise/Raffl/Read down in front of the net.

I am not 1sure about Provy on PP1. He is too cautious with the puck - afraid to make mistakes. Every time Provy is in his spot, and the puck goes by him - you can see frustration in his body language. So next time the puck come to him, he is too slow and deliberate.

 

[dingbathero]

Penalty Kill - and use of bodies/systems

By now, we ALL know about Hak and the twins.

Past all that there is our PK coach.... now, before (2 years ago) our PK was great. I know we don't have Coots/Read on the ice anymore and Giroux/whoever.

Having said that - we have the twins focusing on the duty at hand.

Ok.

My question is this; Is the PK run/move/shift differently from years past dependant upon the oppsing teams PP set up. It seems to me, that we have a 'rover' (or as my bball coach liked to use 'rat') to chase the puck (ball) on the top of the box. Or that those two top players would pendulum themselves or take turns being that rover to puck pursuit.
It almost seems at times it looks like a

1
1
2

setup

Has it always been done that way in the past?
Seems there is MORE movement than before causing coverage issues.

Perhaps it IS the players on the ice but to me I believe the way the box moves on the ice causes issues in and of itself.

thoughts?

 

[Rebels57]

By now, we ALL know about Hak and the twins.

Past all that there is our PK coach.... now, before (2 years ago) our PK was great. I know we don't have Coots/Read on the ice anymore and Giroux/whoever.

Having said that - we have the twins focusing on the duty at hand.

Ok.

My question is this; Is the PK run/move/shift differently from years past dependant upon the oppsing teams PP set up. It seems to me, that we have a 'rover' (or as my bball coach liked to use 'rat') to chase the puck (ball) on the top of the box. Or that those two top players would pendulum themselves or take turns being that rover to puck pursuit.
It almost seems at times it looks like a

1
1
2

setup

Has it always been done that way in the past?
Seems there is MORE movement than before causing coverage issues.

Perhaps it IS the players on the ice but to me I believe the way the box moves on the ice causes issues in and of itself.

thoughts?

It has not been done this way in the past. When we had a strong PK, we used a standard BOX penalty-kill. Two defensemen down low, two forwards chasing up top.

Lappy instilled this awful system. I'm guessing it's because they want to prevent a shot from around the hash marks; but giving the point men that much space allows the entire PP to move the puck around far easier. We apply very little pressure with this system. It's also why our short-handed scoring chances have fallen off a cliff.