Solutions to the PP

[Bloomberg]

With the power play struggling, I was wondering if we should just treat the power play time as normal play time. No more power play lines, just play your regular lines, expect now there's 1 less player on the other side. I understand why teams would have specific lines just for the powerplay to load up on offense, but wouldn't there also be an argument that lines are they are, have built in chemistry and have the flow of game, so why not keep it as is?

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[zeke]

1. Remove the multiple 4th liners from the top Unit.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

1. Remove the multiple 4th liners from the top Unit.

That would be the most logical place to start.

 

[Marshy]

In: Nylander, Foligno, Brodie
Out: Anyone Old, Rielly.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

With the power play struggling, I was wondering if we should just treat the power play time as normal play time. No more power play lines, just play your regular lines, expect now there's 1 less player on the other side. I understand why teams would have specific lines just for the powerplay to load up on offense, but wouldn't there also be an argument that lines are they are, have built in chemistry and have the flow of game, so why not keep it as is?

Well i really thought the 4 minute minor would get us one. I thought that was enough time to iron out the wrinkles. Likely need a 5 minute major to get it going I’m thinking now

 

[Martin Skoula]

Try 2D 3F. Pick any two of our D that can get a point shot on net, Muzzin-Holl and Dermott-Brodie, hell give Bogosian a shot. They don't pinch under any circumstances, their job is to hold the line and shoot the puck. Tavares-Matthews-Hyman cycle the puck out to the D and go for tips and rebounds. If the D gets 2-3 shots on net per PP, there's no way that in over 100 shots not a single one of them bounces in off someone's ass.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Well i really thought the 4 minute minor would get us one. I thought that was enough time to iron out the wrinkles. Likely need a 5 minute major to get it going I’m thinking now

That was pathetic

 

[ShaneFalco]

In: Nylander, Foligno, Brodie
Out: Anyone Old, Rielly.

Riellys stock has really dropped
I think Joe and Wayne will be good for the playoffs but gotta sit them out here and there

Sabourin might be a nice playoff option to help wear down teams and keep them guessing

 

[The Beyonder]

Hyman (front net presence) - Nylander/Tavares (low half-wall/middle)
Marner (half-wall) Matthews (opposite half-wall for one-time position)
Rielly (top triangle)

Need to keep things simple. Every pass should be for one of these 3; 1. Matthews one time shot, 2. Nylander/Tavares high tip 3. shot from Marner/Rielly with Hyman in front for tip or Willy/JT again for high tip.

Stop the overpassing, stop trying to go for pretty plays, and play with more urgency and puck speed.

Matthews, while he has success on the left side of the PP, it takes far too long for him to set up. He has to skate into position, sometimes going outside the blue, and by the time it's set up the opposition has time to adjust. Matthews and Marner need to be in one time positions.

 

[Community]

IMO, the biggest difference from the start of the year is that they've gotten too stuck in their PP roles.

At the start of the year, either because they were rolling or because they didn't have their system/strategy locked in, they moved around a LOT more. They got to get back to that.

If he has possession, theres no reason Rielly cant take the puck in down low, Matthews cant move to the high slot, and Marner can't be on the point or in the crease.

When the pens were rolling in Crosby's prime, Malkin and him never seemed to be staying still and it works. We're stuck with Matthews set up in his shop and nobody to get him the puck while Marner doing the same blueline curl to try and pull a defender away from a passing lane and it isn't working right now.

Net front presence should be the only person that might remain there the whole shift, but even that isn't 100% true.


More movement (players and puck passing) are needed. We are already trying to crash the net and have a net front presence, but the first step is player movemenr so the extra guy can sneak into a good scoring position and the passing lanes can open.

 

[Community]

Hyman (front net presence) - Nylander/Tavares (low half-wall/middle)
Marner (half-wall) Matthews (opposite half-wall for one-time position)
Rielly (top triangle)

Need to keep things simple. Every pass should be for one of these 3; 1. Matthews one time shot, 2. Nylander/Tavares high tip 3. shot from Marner/Rielly with Hyman in front for tip or Willy/JT again for high tip.

Stop the overpassing, stop trying to go for pretty plays, and play with more urgency and puck speed.

Matthews, while he has success on the left side of the PP, it takes far too long for him to set up. He has to skate into position, sometimes going outside the blue, and by the time it's set up the opposition has time to adjust. Matthews and Marner need to be in one time positions.

My opinion (see above) is that this is actually an issue right now. We have Matrhews and Marner ready for one timers and passes going to those 2 guys... but if they stay in their positions (even moving around in their own areas) its much easier to cut off the passing lanes than if all the players are moving.


Edit: When your PP is chugging along its easier to have set plays and positions with success... Now is the time to keep moving and create passing lanes.

 

[AvroArrow]

Get Rielly off the top PP. He clearly can't QB, a lot of the blame is on him.

 

[34]

The Leafs PP has been comically bad. I think opposing teams have the blue print on how to shut down our PP.

I will say Thornton should not be on the PP at all! He might actually be the slowest player in the NHL.

 

[LastOne2100]

The Leafs PP has been comically bad. I think opposing teams have the blue print on how to shut down our PP.

I will say Thornton should not be on the PP at all! He might actually be the slowest player in the NHL.

Yeah, the blueprint is:
1) Cover Matthews and ignore the 4th liners who won't score
2) Don't leave an obvious seam pass from Marner to Matthews (The only reason our powerplay was good is because teams repeatedly allowed this at the beginning of the season)
3) Wait for Reilly to force a bad shot at a leg for the clear

 

[Polk High]

They need to flow the play through the icing line to the shooters.

Going through the point is giving teams too much time to adjust.

Otherwise, they need a better point shot that will get on net for some garbage goals.

 

[Carltons Cup]

Here's my solution - Take a matching penalty and play the 4 on 4.

We have a better chance of scoring 4 on4 instead of on the PP.

 

[Bloomberg]

Here's my solution - Take a matching penalty and play the 4 on 4.

We have a better chance of scoring 4 on4 instead of on the PP.

Lolz, just get one player to stay within our blueline and tell him that he can't cross the blueline in any circumstance.

 

[ryno23]

Yeah, the blueprint is:
1) Cover Matthews and ignore the 4th liners who won't score
2) Don't leave an obvious seam pass from Marner to Matthews (The only reason our powerplay was good is because teams repeatedly allowed this at the beginning of the season)
3) Wait for Reilly to force a bad shot at a leg for the clear

bang on and #2 is because #44 has a muffin of a shot and guys will get in front to block it so they fill the cross seam lane. If guy was Weber they wouldn't be too fast to get in front of it.

 

[The Iceman]

Riellys stock has really dropped
I think Joe and Wayne will be good for the playoffs but gotta sit them out here and there

Sabourin might be a nice playoff option to help wear down teams and keep them guessing

Very subtle but I have too much time on my hands today.
Look at the glance Anderson gives from his butt after the hit.
this is a who are you/what just happened/and I ain't going to do sh!t about it look up.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Are both the Swedish D out of the NHL club this whole season?

 

[Stephen]

Strange to hear the Overdrive crew talk about the behind the net position on the PP. That’s such a standard play and the Leafs never use it.

 

[Stephen]

Very subtle but I have too much time on my hands today.
Look at the glance Anderson gives from his butt after the hit.
this is a who are you/what just happened/and I ain't going to do sh!t about it look up.

But alas that is Jusso Valimaki. If it was Andersson I’d be pumping my fist.

 

[Mickey Marner]

It's honestly pathetic at this point. I say just roll lines and give our bottom six players a shot, they literally can't be any worse. Malhotra's job is on the line if he can't figure it out by the time the playoffs roll around, you'd think that would be sufficient motivation.

 

[Twine Tickler]

Strange to hear the Overdrive crew talk about the behind the net position on the PP. That’s such a standard play and the Leafs never use it.

its absolutely infuriating how they have not tried this yet. Hyman, Simmonds, or Thornton never leave the top of the crease. Cleary this is what Malhotra wants them to do. They need to move around and present themselves as a down low option every now and again. It draws the defenders down low and will in turn open up more space for the cross seem passes from Marner to Matthews or vice versa. Incredibly frustrating to have to watch this same flawed PP operate for over a month now, and the only change is swapping out 1 superstar for another superstar. Like dude, Kerfoot can f***ing play PP in the right scheme. The system is what is failing, not the players. Clearly thiis is the case when the same players who cannot generate 5v4 are top 3 in production 5v5. Get Malhotra off the PP duties. He never played PP in his whole NHL career for f*** sakes. Keep him coaching the PK, and put anyone else in charge of the PP. f*** you could put the Leafs goalie coach in charge and get better results

 

[Stonehands1990]

Get Rielly off the top PP. He clearly can't QB, a lot of the blame is on him.

Honestly this. He’s not a shooting threat and he spends so much time processing the play it always allows the killers to get set up. Need quick passes to keep guys out of position