Line Combos: Power play

[Leafs1993]

Are you happy with our current power play setup?

I don’t like that setup where Marner does the slap pass to the side of the net to Tavares who then tries to pass it between his legs to the slot. It looks nice when it works, but it is easy for teams to pick up.

I was a big fan of stacking the PP before the season started. Now thinking we should have a more balanced PP.

Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander-Kapanen-Gardiner

Marleau-Tavares-Marner-Kadri-Reilly

Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[mcleex]

Too predictable. Needs a proper point shot

 

[Leafs1993]

Too predictable. Needs a proper point shot

I agree. That’s why I was thinking it could use a change.

 

[Mats13]

Take Kadri off, put Nylander on.

And play the 1st unit for the full 2 mins.

 

[mulefarm]

Switch Mo and Jake

 

[Leafs1993]

Take Kadri off, put Nylander on.

And play the 1st unit for the full 2 mins.

Not a bad idea imo, but I don’t think it’s Kadri’s fault the top PP isn’t clicking. Will that really make the difference?

 

[Mats13]

Not a bad idea imo, but I don’t think it’s Kadri’s fault the top PP isn’t clicking. Will that really make the difference?

I think it allows them to move around more and be less predictable.

Also Nylander is better at almost everything.

 

[Critical13]

We've dropped something like 5% since Matthews returned. Now sitting 7th.

 

[weems]

I have this crazy idea.

How about we play our #1 PP unit 1:20-1:30 each time out.

I watched a few games recently of other teams and saw them try this and it seemed to work.

I mean if you're going to stack your #1 powerplay unit, the dumbest thing to do would be to follow it up would be to take them off the ice after the first 45-60 seconds if they haven't scored.

We had a massive opportunity in this game up 1-0 and with a powerplay. You score on this PP and 2-0 is a very big hole to climb even for a great team like TB. Babcock only played the first unit 45 seconds and the second unit came on and proceeded to put TB right back into the game.

We just cant give up edges like that and expect to consistently beat elite teams.

 

[Leafs1993]

I think it allows them to move around more and be less predictable.

Also Nylander is better at almost everything.

Nylander might free up some space for some other players. Kadri has been pretty ineffective on the first PP unit.

 

[1specter]

Take Kadri off, put Nylander on.

And play the 1st unit for the full 2 mins.

Nylander is going to be useless in Kadri's spot. Matthews does the same shot every single time and Marner never shoots and does the same pass to Tavares. Nylander is going to be wasted standing around for a puck that will never come to him.

 

[Leafs1993]

I have this crazy idea.

How about we play our #1 PP unit 1:20-1:30 each time out.

I watched a few games recently of other teams and saw them try this and it seemed to work.

I mean if you're going to stack your #1 powerplay unit, the dumbest thing to do would be to follow it up would be to take them off the ice after the first 45-60 seconds if they haven't scored.

We had a massive opportunity in this game up 1-0 and with a powerplay. You score on this PP and 2-0 is a very big hole to climb even for a great team like TB. Babcock only played the first unit 45 seconds and the second unit came on and proceeded to put TB right back into the game.

We just cant give up edges like that and expect to consistently beat elite teams.

Babcock has always given balanced time to the PP units which is why I was thinking if we are going to do that, we may as well balance the lines.

I wish we could see that first PP for 1:30 - 2:00

 

[1specter]

Nylander might free up some space for some other players. Kadri has been pretty ineffective on the first PP unit.

Nylander isn't going to do anything in that slot spot. He's at his best QBing the PP either from the point or where Marner is.

 

[Koolboss]

Take Kadri off, put Nylander on.

And play the 1st unit for the full 2 mins.

Coaching position open bro - go for it
SMH

 

[Leafs1993]

Nylander isn't going to do anything in that slot spot. He's at his best QBing the PP either from the point or where Marner is.

Well I’d have to disagree with that. I think in that spot, Kadri is not benefiting from the PP at all. He would be better in Tavares spot or 2nd PP net front.
Nylander has more of a quick accurate release which is more ideal in that spot.

 

[Mats13]

Coaching position open bro - go for it
SMH

Calm down.

It's my opinion. I never said anything about coaching.

 

[diehardleafsfan9878]

Too predictable. Needs a proper point shot

Mo can shoot the puck just fine, but that is not their game plan so he avoids it. Every play goes through Marner but he's useless when the other team takes the pass away which is what they've been doing for awhile now. He lacks a shot good enough to beat goalies, it's why he had 7 shots tonight. The defense simply don't respect his shot so they let him take it.

 

[Nalens Oga]

I'm not a fan of the 1-3-1 on this team. The problem is that the middle guy in the 3 and the -1 are both playing right up close to the net and clogging up the slot.

I'd MUCH rather it be one player in the slot and the other guy play from behind the net and drift towards the net as need be. It helps spread out the puck much better imo. This applies to the first PP unit btw, the second can f*** off.

 

[1specter]

Well I’d have to disagree with that. I think in that spot, Kadri is not benefiting from the PP at all. He would be better in Tavares spot or 2nd PP net front.
Nylander has more of a quick accurate release which is more ideal in that spot.

Kadri has been extremely successful there the last two seasons, he led the league in PPG/60, and even this year he's had chances but hit the post etc, he's snakebit right now. The way that this PP is now set up however is no longer getting him the same number of touches because Matthews is now a legitimate shooting option as opposed to Bozak who he replaced, and Tavares, while being better in every single other way, is simply not as good as JVR in that spot, JVR was arguably the best player in the league in terms of being in that spot around the crease on the PP.

It would be the same for Nylander unless Babcock changes the formation, because whoever is playing there is simply going to be the last option to touch the puck.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

put Kapanen on the top unit, Kadri on the second. And play the top unit for 3/4 of the powerplay

 

[Critical13]

PP1

Marner half boards
Rielly back
Matthews hashmarks
Tavares down low/swingman
Johnsson down low

PP2

Kadri half boards
Gardiner back
Nylander hashmarks
Kapanen down low/swingman
Marleau down low

 

[stonewalled]

Matthews and Marner should switch sides. OV and Laine both right shots play left side. Matthews with left shot should play right side. Much more net to shoot at. They need to shoot more as well instead of always trying for the tic tac toe goal.

 

[Critical13]

Matthews and Marner should switch sides. OV and Laine both right shots play left side. Matthews with left shot should play right side. Much more net to shoot at. They need to shoot more as well instead of always trying for the tic tac toe goal.

Matthews does need to shoot more:

Matthews shots per game: 3.33
Laine: 3.73
Ovechkin: 3.87
Pastrnak: 3.90
MacKinnon: 4.25

 

[IPS]

Matthews needs some new shooting spots, Marner needs some new passing plays, and Rielly needs to just plain stop shooting. Tavares works fine in front of the net, and Kadri is useless - replace him with Kapanen, balance the left and right shots a bit.

We cannot - I repeat - CANNOT be 7th in the league on the PP with the level of talent we have. Inexcusable.

 

[biotk]

I have this crazy idea.

How about we play our #1 PP unit 1:20-1:30 each time out.

I watched a few games recently of other teams and saw them try this and it seemed to work.

In the Sabres' recent come from behind win against the Kings (they were down 3-1 entering the 3rd) they had 11 minutes 11 seconds of PP time. Eichel played 10 minutes 23 seconds. For several PPs he played the whole 2 minutes despite being on the ice for 30 seconds or more at the time the penalty was drawn.

For the last 6 and a half minutes of that game Eichel was on for 55 seconds, off for 27 seconds, on for 47 seconds, off for 11 seconds, and then on for the final 2 minutes 23 seconds of the third and then stayed on for the full 1 minute 49 seconds of OT at which time Buffalo scored. So over the final 6:32 Eichel was off the ice for 38 seconds. Now I don't think that Toronto should do that, but between their top 6F they could easily split those final 6 or 7 minutes in that type of game - but nothing close to that happens under Babcock.