Why not use 5 forwards on the PP like other teams?
Something like Suzuki on the point to QB everything with a twister threat, Caulfield/Hoffman on their off-wings for the one-timer, Toffoli in the bumper/slot for quick shots and Dvorak as the next front presence to screen+knock in rebounds?
———-( - )———-
Dvorak
Toffoli
Caulfield Hoffman
Suzuki
Suzuki could also skate:
A defend really well in case of any short-handed rushes.
I know the Habs discourage offence, but what do you think of this formation? (when Hoffman returns)
I think fixing the power play is important, and I can see the case for putting a lot of power play scorers on it, but everyone has to have a role. Hoffman, Toffoli, and Caufield all look to get forgotten in open space, and if you put them all out together, or even two of them, there is no one to get the space to open, and no one to distract the D, so they end up in bad situations.
It's not useful to have 5 snipers, you need some guys who can move the puck, and some guys who can jostle in front of the net to create space. Gallagher has never been a great power play point producer but it could be worthwhile to have him out there annoying the goalie and getting hammered by the D to open space for the other guys. While the big D-man is cross-checking Gallagher there is one less guy for Hoffman or Toffoli or Caufield to worry about while setting up their shot. Gallagher does distraction and puck retrieval, even if he gets no power play points all season he could help the power play a lot, just as long as he doesn't shoot from distance, that could be a problem.
Suzuki is good to have out there, but you have to have another few people who actually want to carry the puck, maybe Drouin, even Wideman, though if you go with five Fs on the PP Wideman would have to go, no role at all.
The problem is that most of the D either aren't good offensively or just aren't good, and there are too many snipers up front and not enough playmakers and puck retrievers. As with many other issues I consider this a vision thing. There was a lack of snipers, now we have too many small one dimensional snipers, and, just wait, they'll put up weak numbers, get dumped, and there will be a lack again. Vision is looking long term to make sure the team has depth and balance. The habs had no centers, then they had enough centers that Danault and KK were annoyed about respect and ice time, and now they lack centers. There is no vision. They need a vision for team balance, and that includes the power play.
I suppose this thread also points out the lack of a true number one D, at least until Petry gets his game together, but then he's 33, he may just be done. There are a lot of aging guys on long contracts, that's a vision thing again.
Specifically for the topic I don't think it matters if you play 2 D, 1 D, or no D on the PP as long as you have a good mix of players. The habs are lacking some players they need, and they aren't mixing as they should.
