Speculation: Power Un Play -- What's your Fix?

[SKRusty]

There has been lots of talk about Calgary's less than stellar PP over the last 3 years. So what are the real issues behind? What is needed to fix it?

Currently here is the PP:

Tkachuk	Monahan	Lindholm
Johnny		Gio

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

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[Mobiandi]

Johnny on his off-wing

 

[Anglesmith]

Dave Cameron ran the PP the last two years. Ward runs it this year. Given the results are better so far, I'm not sure what the relevance is of using the past two years to say there's a problem right now.

If the PP operates at 20% this year, I'd be satisfied given our current personnel. If we had literally any one-timer threats on our team, I think a higher expectation would be reasonable, but we have a two-way defenceman as the only guy willing to crank a slapshot, and a bunch of guys with quick releases from the slot. If we can't open a seam for Johnny->Lindholm or open up the opposition for the tic-tac-toe to Monahan, there isn't really much we can do to worry the goalie.

I do like that the team seems more fluid in adjusting to the PK and trying different strategies even within the same game this year.

 

[SKRusty]

There are 2 issues with the Calgary PP

1. First the entry into the zone is too predictable on Calgary in that it allows the defense to key on one player... Johnny. A second option for the entry where Johnny dishes the puck to Lindholm on the opposite side should be looked at.
2. Calgary has not been dangerous from the point since the Wideman days of being on the PP. By moving Monahan or somebody else with a really good accurate snap or wrist shot on the left point would force the opposition to spread out more opening up passing lanes and rebound opporitunities.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

PP1
LW - Lindholm wiring one timers or finding Monahan
Net-Front - Bennett screening / retrieving misses + being second carryin option
Bumper - Czarnik takes passes from Gaudreau on his right or Monahan takes passes from Lindholm on his left
RW - Gaudreau finding Czarnik or Lindholm or setting up the point shot
Point - Hanifin or Brodie for carrying in. Have off wing one timers available on either flank so they're not just playing hot potato

PP2
Netfront - Tkachuk
RW - Neal or Giordano one timers
LW - Czarnik one timers or Backlund setting up
Left point - Hanifin or Monahan feeding pucks to Tkachuk
Right point - Andersson or Brodie

 

[hangman005]

I'd be a poor coach, the best thing they could do is tell them to score more goals, and that's the best advice I could give

 

[JPeeper]

All I know is the second unit is an absolute train wreck out there. They can't enter the zone, they can't set it up, they can't move the puck 2 seconds without losing it. With Czarnik out who replaced him on the 2nd unit, I can't remember because I know it wasn't Bennett when it should have been.

 

[DubeWheresMyCar]

I like the 1-3-1 (as does anyone nowadays), and the Dice setup is cool too, to get the goalie moving, but that's more of a specialty 5-on-3 deal. So, I would try something like:

Bennett
Lindholm-Monny-Johnny
Stone

Bennett has great hands in tight, so he is a good net front guy. Can pound loose pucks home on the doorstep.

Lindholm is RH, and has a great release, so that makes the left side a dangerous threat for a quick shot.
Monny flies all over the ice so him shading the middle is a good spot for him. He also has a top-5 release in the league, so he can rip it whenever he gets it or dish it just as quick.
Johnny on his off-wing doesn't really offer much for a powerful one-timer coming from the right side, but it does allow him to snap quick passes through seams, and also walk in and shoot short-side like he likes to do sometimes.

Stone has a bomb from the point, so that solves the issue of teams leaving the point uncovered, at the very least, it forces one of the killers to shade a little higher in the zone to negate Stone's shot. So either way, there's a bomb coming from the point, or the PK has him covered, but it opens up the lanes for the fellas up front to snap the puck around and get the goalie moving. I like that he is right handed as well, it let's Johnny feed the one-timer from the right side. Alternatively, you could put Gio up top because his one-timers are nothing to scoff at, but I think teams will key on Stone, and open up the bottom part of the zone as mentioned earlier.

Please feel free to roast the crap out of this, it's Monday morning, ja'feel?

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Only problem with a 1-3-1 setup is when two guys lose a puck battle down low, a ring around the boards is basically an automatic clear.

I love Stone's shot, and wish it didn't take him four or five seconds to unload it because he'd be a help otherwise.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Our zone entry is awful. If we tried something more than just the dropback to Johnny that would be great.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Our PP needs more Kylington.

 

[Unlimited Chequing]

I'd be a poor coach, the best thing they could do is tell them to score more goals, and that's the best advice I could give

At the very least I'd be like, get deep in the zone, get more pucks to the net, focus on our game, and play a full 2 minutes.

 

[JPeeper]

Not sure if serious when you think putting Stone on the first PP unit is a good idea. He is by far the worst offensive d-man the Flames have and it isn't even a debate. What's the point of him having a "cannon" of a shot if he a) never gets it off, b) it hits a shin pad when he eventually gets it off, or c) doesn't hit the net because his shot is actually quite terrible. You also want your d-man to run the PP most of the time, or at least do with Gaudreau in tandem. Again, he a) can't pass, b) isn't mobile enough to make space, c) can't keep the puck in the zone half the time. God forbid the other team steals the puck then it is a guaranteed clear cut break away going the other way.

There is literally no team in the NHL who would be afraid that Stone is on the PP, most teams would welcome it, so they could get chances to score for themselves because he is a) slow, b) can't actually get a good shot off, c) isn't at all creative in the o-zone. Teams would sure key in on Stone, they'd cover him ever so slightly just in case for some reason a forward passed him a puck, then bam! breakaway.

 

[Volica]

I honestly think:
PP1
Lindholm: LW side/LD position
Monahan: RW side.
Tkachuk: Netfront
Gaudreau: LW/behind the net
Giordano: Point Trigger

PP2:
Ryan: Centreman
Bennett: Net Front
Czarnik: LW side
Backlund: RW side
Hanifin: Point QB

Should work. You have all the elements of a good PP. this team needs to funnel shots through off-wings in the worst of ways.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Not really a huge fan of the 1-3-1. Just doesn't fit our personnel that great even if it promotes quick movement. Lots of teams PK so aggressively these days it just seems like it's all we can do just to keep it away from them. The zone entries have been mostly bad too, way too easy to just key in on Gaudreau if you can see him coming from two zones away. Would rather stack one side of the ice with 3 guys and then enter/rim around the puck on the other. A powerplay has to be able to outman the other team and retrieve the puck. Also hate that half the unit is just standing on the blueline waiting for an entry, at least get them skating with some semblance of speed so once you do enter you can get on the puck and win possession sooner.

19	NET	13
	23
5		18/28

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Is what I would like to see for PP1, Lindholm has been great so far so it's hard to see him being taken off but you just signed Neal for big money and term, not sure why his best asset(his shot) is being underutilized. Been saying this for years but Gaudreau is most dangerous in tight, he has quick hands and quick feet that can open up passing lanes by threatening the net. He's also one of those rare players that attack with plan and purpose, and having him in that position gives him more options than above the circles trying to get a pass through two defenders. In this setup the play runs through Tkachuk and Gaudreau mostly from around the goal line with the points being options if the PK brings their forward down.

10	NET
18/28	93	11
	55

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Is what I would go with for PP2, which a 1-3-1 would be fine for. Alternatively you can take Tkachuk off the 1st unit and put Neal or Lindholm in his spot. Would also like to see Ras get a shot on the point, think he's got a better wrister than Hanifin does.

 

[hangman005]

At the very least I'd be like, get deep in the zone, get more pucks to the net, focus on our game, and play a full 2 minutes.

Like I don't really understand what swimming coaches do.... maybe comment on technique maybe, but I'll I can think, is how hard is it to tell someone to swim faster?