Special Teams

Bench

3 is a good start
Aug 14, 2011
21,202
14,898
crease
Short interview with Lidström. Offers some simple advice to help pp and other misc stuff.

"The key to a great powerplay is having 3 to 4 hall of fame players on the ice at any given time. That was my experience, anyway," said Lidstrom while dusting off Norris trophy #4. "These things are such a pain to clean. I gave #6 to Ericsson because I got tired of the upkeep and I figured, why not, the kid would never see one otherwise."

When questioned why he didn't give it to Quincey, Lidstrom replied, "Who?"
 

TheOtherOne

Registered User
Jan 2, 2010
8,265
5,257
In 131:05 of PP time over the course of the season, we have 10 goals for and 3 goals against. We're a +7 while playing with an extra man.

...is it statistically significant yet?
 

JPE123

Registered User
Jan 23, 2013
3,153
10
I think the shots we are taking are really low % shots. Those slappers that hit the goalie in the chest aren't going to get us points. It worked before because we had Homer always screening the goalie. We just aren't that effective with no one doing that screen job. Seriously how many times has Kronner, Lashoff, Quincey and White just wasted a shot right into the goalies chest
 

Laser Rayzor

Cautiously Optimistic
Dec 8, 2012
4,256
32
The Underground
Brunner still being on the point is ****ing mind boggling.

What's the rationale behind that? Let's see, Brunner isn't producing anything well on the point on the 1st PP and now we lead the league in SH goals against. I know! Let's put him on the point of the 2nd PP. Genius! :sarcasm:
I've been saying it since day 1, he'd be most useful near the left circle to use his one timer from there. I know he creeps in there from the point a lot but it'd be better and less dangerous if they placed him there and took him off the point entirely.


Also Cleary on the 1st unit is ****ing ridiculous, even as a net front guy I'd rather see Abby or Andersson try that role before Dan Cleary who ends up either not screening the goalie at all or blocks the shot himself :facepalm:
I know injuries aren't helping but there are better ways to utilize what we have. (IMO obviously)

You'd think with 1/3 of the season in the books and still having a garbage PP in the basement of the NHL they'd make some more changes, but no. I guess Renney is as blind and/or stubborn as Babcock.
 

Vladdy84

L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y
Dec 1, 2011
10,675
12
Farmington
Brunner still being on the point is ****ing mind boggling.

What's the rationale behind that? Let's see, Brunner isn't producing anything well on the point on the 1st PP and now we lead the league in SH goals against. I know! Let's put him on the point of the 2nd PP. Genius! :sarcasm:
I've been saying it since day 1, he'd be most useful near the left circle to use his one timer from there. I know he creeps in there from the point a lot but it'd be better and less dangerous if they placed him there and took him off the point entirely.


Also Cleary on the 1st unit is ****ing ridiculous, even as a net front guy I'd rather see Abby or Andersson try that role before Dan Cleary who ends up either not screening the goalie at all or blocks the shot himself :facepalm:
I know injuries aren't helping but there are better ways to utilize what we have. (IMO obviously)

You'd think with 1/3 of the season in the books and still having a garbage PP in the basement of the NHL they'd make some more changes, but no. I guess Renney is as blind and/or stubborn as Babcock.

All of this. :handclap:
 

Brick Top

LANA!!!!!
Mar 2, 2012
1,847
0
Grand Rapids
Brunner still being on the point is ****ing mind boggling.

Also Cleary on the 1st unit is ****ing ridiculous, even as a net front guy I'd rather see Abby or Andersson try that role before Dan Cleary who ends up either not screening the goalie at all or blocks the shot himself :facepalm:
I know injuries aren't helping but there are better ways to utilize what we have. (IMO obviously)

Totally with you on moving Brunner off the point on the PP- he has no slapper to speak of, and his wrister is going to waste there. And it's a shortie waiting to happen, so yeah, let's make that happen.

Cleary is awful in front of the net, no doubt. He's a trooper and gives it a go b/c he's asked, but he sucks at it. I think that they may be doing the whole round peg/square hole thing with the PP by trying to make someone/anyone become Holmstrom 2.0. I was watching the Pens' lethal PP against Philly the other day, and they didn't just try to park someone in front of the goalie for the full 2 minutes. They kept skating guys thru the crease, everybody was moving, and there was a lot of east/west passing. Even when they didn't score, they'd maintain possession forever and generate great chances.

I know that their top unit with Crosby, Malkin, Neal and Letang is miles better than anything the Wings could put together right now even if everyone was healthy. But Detroit does have a lot of skilled guys, and I think the constant motion and east/west puck movement might create better chances than the current set up is.
 

Henkka

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
31,078
12,079
Tampere, Finland
Brunner is playing on the point, because all the other ideas from the point (Colaiacovo, Smith, Sameulsson, White) have been injured. They tried to get him off there, and he was off one game, and then Sammy injured again.

It's not his best position, but he will be taken off from there, if these injuries will ever end.

What comes to Cleary, same thing. Franzen and Bertuzzi, the main screeners in front of him are injured. If both would be healthy, Cleary won't see PP time, he should be only on PK.

Imo, this is what they are going to try with a healthy roster:

Datsyuk - Mule(Screener) - Zetterberg
Samuelsson - Kronwall

Brunner - Bertuzzi(screener) - Filppula
White - Colaiacovo/Smith
 

14ari13

Registered User
Oct 19, 2006
14,035
1,167
Norway

14ari13

Registered User
Oct 19, 2006
14,035
1,167
Norway
Last 3 games 3 points vs 3 good teams.
We scored 3 goals and allowed 4.
Our PP went 0 for 7 in those 3 games, while our PK went 2 for 8.
Our special units are losing us games and it has been like that for many games now.
 

CloneHakanPlease*

Guest
Brunner still being on the point is ****ing mind boggling.

What's the rationale behind that? Let's see, Brunner isn't producing anything well on the point on the 1st PP and now we lead the league in SH goals against. I know! Let's put him on the point of the 2nd PP. Genius! :sarcasm:
I've been saying it since day 1, he'd be most useful near the left circle to use his one timer from there. I know he creeps in there from the point a lot but it'd be better and less dangerous if they placed him there and took him off the point entirely.


Also Cleary on the 1st unit is ****ing ridiculous, even as a net front guy I'd rather see Abby or Andersson try that role before Dan Cleary who ends up either not screening the goalie at all or blocks the shot himself :facepalm:
I know injuries aren't helping but there are better ways to utilize what we have. (IMO obviously)

You'd think with 1/3 of the season in the books and still having a garbage PP in the basement of the NHL they'd make some more changes, but no. I guess Renney is as blind and/or stubborn as Babcock.

We put him on the left side boards for the Vancouver game, and voila, magically our PP becomes effective.
 

Mantha Poodoo

Playoff Beard
Jun 5, 2008
4,109
0
Last 3 games 3 points vs 3 good teams.
We scored 3 goals and allowed 4.
Our PP went 0 for 7 in those 3 games, while our PK went 2 for 8.
Our special units are losing us games and it has been like that for many games now.

They're pretty "special", I'll give em that.
 

14ari13

Registered User
Oct 19, 2006
14,035
1,167
Norway
We won the special units battle on the road in those 3 games and went 3 for 8 our PP, while 1 for 10 our PK. This looks great. It won us 4 out of 6 points. A little bit lucky too.
 
Aug 6, 2012
10,752
5
Our PP is 22nd now, while our PK is 17. Looks much better than some days/weeks ago.

Our PP still isn't consistent. Sometimes it looks unstoppable, other times we're too stationary and pass the puck around the perimeter over and over - such as the 5-on-3 against the Nucks. They need to work the puck down low more often - they can still take point shots, but working it down low will force the D to collapse and allow Kronner to get a better look at a slapper. We shouldn't be taking shots from the blue line on the PP, its no better than an ES slapper.

Our PK has been much better. Smith and Lashoff were great against Vancouver. You could tell they worked on those quick little plays to get the puck out of the zone - Lashoff and Smith had a few good sequences which allowed them to clear the puck. Ericsson was awesome on the 5-on-3 against the Nucks, he blocked off a ton of passes and manhandled one of the Sedins near the end of it.
 

Bench

3 is a good start
Aug 14, 2011
21,202
14,898
crease
We shouldn't be taking shots from the blue line on the PP, its no better than an ES slapper.

In addition to more shots getting through, you have the number advantage picking up a rebound.

Ever wonder why some goalies seem to be great on the PK but others not so much? Primary factor in that is the subtleties of rebound control. It's a pretty thin line between kicking the puck to a safe area and teeing up an open net when you have a 90 MPH slapper coming at you through a screen.
 

Brick Top

LANA!!!!!
Mar 2, 2012
1,847
0
Grand Rapids
I'd like to see more player movement on the PP- often, it seems like the only 2 guys skating are the defensemen trading places on the blue line. Not sure if the forwards are just waiting for Pavel to thread the needle on a ridiculous across-the-box pass, but it just seems so stationary compared to other teams' PP's. Get guys moving that makes the D move, create some more passing lanes, better utilize the creative talent we have...
 

14ari13

Registered User
Oct 19, 2006
14,035
1,167
Norway
Now our PP is 19th, our PK is 22nd.
We have scored PP goals in the last 8 games, 9 PP goals. It helps.
 

Henkka

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
31,078
12,079
Tampere, Finland
Now our PP is 19th, our PK is 22nd.
We have scored PP goals in the last 8 games, 9 PP goals. It helps.

That perfect road trip really made an huge impact to our point projections, when the special teams started working also on the road.

These stadings includes points percentages at home and road and it's an estimation for the final positions if you keep that points percentage for 24 home games and for 24 road games. This system should take count the differencies at home-loaded and road-loaded schedules. Our road points percentage is 4th best at west. :amazed:

*1. Chicago.... 0.822 ~79p (0.821H, 0.823A)
*2. Anaheim.... 0.749 ~72p (0.765H, 0.733A)
*3. Minnesota. 0.633 ~61p (0.767H, 0.500A)
.4. Vancouver. 0.625 ~60p (0.594H, 0.656A)
.5. Detroit..... 0.590 ~57p (0.618H, 0.562A)

.6. Los Angeles 0.584 ~56p (0.735H, 0.433A)
.7. St.Louis..... 0.583 ~56p (0.607H, 0.559A)
.8. San Jose... 0.579 ~56p (0.769H, 0.389A)
-------------------------------------
.9. Nashville... 0.533 ~51p (0.733H, 0.333A)
10. Dallas...... 0.516 ~50p (0.500H, 0.531A)
--------------------------------------
11. Edmonton.. 0.471 ~45p (0.500H, 0.441A)
12. Columbus.. 0.464 ~45p (0.658H, 0.269A)
13. Phoenix.... 0.452 ~43p (0.583H, 0.321A)
14. Calgary.... 0.455 ~44p (0.625H, 0.286A)
15. Colorado... 0.414 ~40p (0.594H, 0.233A)

Those last five teams are pretty much out of the playoff race.
 

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