The Not-So-Powerful Power Play

Saundies

Fly On The Wall
Jun 8, 2012
2,806
3,695
NB, Canada
It's no secret that the Habs PP has been less than effective so far this season, sitting at 30th overall in the entire NHL. I know we here on HF sometimes fancy ourselves as armchair coaches, so I thought this would be a good thread to post what we think is wrong with the current system and our respective ideas on how we'd fix it.

Is it a matter of personnel? Their process of setting up? What would you do to try and solve our current PP woes?
 

Captain Mountain

Formerly Captain Wolverine
Jun 6, 2010
20,342
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They should probably try Kotkaniemi on the top unit.

And the coaches need to drill for faster movement and decision-making.

But the team also needs a real shooter.
 
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Kobe Armstrong

Registered User
Jul 26, 2011
14,979
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I would have Petry and Drouin at the point until Weber comes back, then Domi/Kotka/Shaw/Gally/Tatar should be the forwards we use. I've seen Agostino enough already
 

Deebs

Let's swim to the moon
Feb 5, 2014
16,730
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I hate the drop back pass and let one guy try to enter the zone. Go in as a group with some speed, dump it in and retrieve the puck.
 
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417

BBQ Chicken Alert!
Feb 20, 2003
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Ottawa
No point threat, Petry gets 1 out of 10 shots on target. It kills momentum, it kills possession, etc.

That and the coaches don't know how to deploy players to force their opponent to have to move their defensive box & force their goalie to move East/West.
 
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peate

Smiley
Sponsor
Feb 16, 2007
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The Island
First, we lose every face-off on the PP, which kills off 15-20 seconds, then the defensemen can't find an open forward to pass to cause they're all standing still at the blue line, so they dump it in and we get out-muscled for the puck, they ice it and repeat, then Kotka steps on the ice and all of a sudden we're set up in the attacking zone for the last 20 seconds.
 

Captain Mountain

Formerly Captain Wolverine
Jun 6, 2010
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Craig Buttons was on about that and I agree with him.

He's FAR from the first person to point it out. Montreal's East-West game is still a work in progress, but if you don't make the D and goaltender move, then you aren't going to generate chances. The team needs to work on the cycle in general, but for the PP especially.
 

covfefe

Zoltan Poszar's Burner
Feb 5, 2014
5,234
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What's wrong with the PP?

We can't consistently enter the o-zone to set up.

Did you notice how many guys we have standing still at the opposing blueline, on every PP, in both of our last two games!? On the off times that we have a successful zone entry on the PP, we generally play keep-away until time starts winding down and someone fires a low-percentage shot from the halfwall or high slot/faceoff dot area.

There are also some personnel and deployment questions that remain unresolved with regard to the PP.

Go watch any of the teams with good PP's - TBL, Boston, the Jets, Colorado, etc. They are far more successful at gaining the zone and establishing control of the puck. From there, you can play whatever style suits your on-ice personnel. But without effectively gaining the zone, you're lost, as we have seen with the Habs of late.

To me there is no question that we have the personnel to, at least, have a league-avg PP unit. But the approach that we are currently taking wouldn't have worked in Bantam AAA, and I don't know why the coaching staff keeps turning to it.

If Button is calling for change, you know things are f***ed up.
 
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Spearmint Rhino

Registered User
Sep 17, 2013
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They're so slow and predictable trying to gain the attacking zone the other team just plays Red Rover at the blueline and creates the turnover, need to hit them with speed not the telegraphed drop pass that ends up dying a slow death. A few areal passes over the top might also help and then outman them to recover the puck, at least gives the other team something to think about

Then hockey 101, win some face-offs, hit the god damn net when you shoot and don't giveaway the puck
 

76

Registered User
Jul 1, 2014
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Canada
First in the league for goals scored at even strength, there is no reasons to be almost last for PP goals. That's pretty weird.
That drop pass play to get in the o-zone with speed doesn't work at all, it makes them lose precious time and it takes an eternity only to establish themselves, that's when they actually achieved to reach the zone.
They should simplify their zone entries and attack the net faster.
 

Tuggy

HFBoards Sponsor
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Nov 26, 2003
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Getting Weber back should for a few reasons.

1) Right now, there is no threat from the point. Petry, Drouin, Domi, etc. aren't getting the job done. They don't hit the net with regularity and the power just isn't there. The PK can stay down low and take away the passing, which goes into #2...

2) With Weber back, then the PK has to respect the point shot and that *should* open up things a little down by the dots and behind the net. Passing lanes will become more open, which will hopefully open up some one timer chances.

I'm not expecting Weber coming back to vault the PP to #1, but I'm very confident it will not remain #30.
 
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Gaylord Q Tinkledink

Registered User
Apr 29, 2018
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Weber, Kotkaniemi and maybe a right handed shooting forward who can wire the puck. Possibly a better screen, too. By better I mean bigger than Gallagher.
 

417

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Feb 20, 2003
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He's FAR from the first person to point it out. Montreal's East-West game is still a work in progress, but if you don't make the D and goaltender move, then you aren't going to generate chances. The team needs to work on the cycle in general, but for the PP especially.
The main reason they can't move the puck East-West is because the PP typically sets up from the left half wall/left point (Drouin)...while Petry, whose a right handed shot, mans the top of the umbrella...the right half wall/right point (Domi).

Drouin can't go across the crease to Domi because opposing teams are clogging the middle of the box for 2 reasons.

1. Jeff Petry doesn't provide a threat for opponents to consider because he's a right shot and can't one time a feed from Drouin for obvious reasons.
2. Jeff Petry can't hit the net 9 times out of 10 even when the one time feed comes from the other side (Domi).

So the only way the Habs can attempt to move opponent's PK box (as well as their goalies) is to go around the umbrella...and you obviously lose the element of surprise when you do that.

What's more frustrating is they don't really have down low options either...

If the Habs are going to continue to be bullish about their current set up, then all 3 players up top must be of the same handedness...the other issue that presents is the Habs don't have a threatening left handed shot either, whether it's Reilly, Schlemko, Ouellet or Mete.

I also don't think Shea Weber is going to solve any issues, not unless they completely revamp how they deploy on the PP.
 

Just Linda

Registered User
Feb 24, 2018
6,632
6,506
IMO its got 3 parts

1) We play a fast game but slow down on the PP. I feel if we just played the same lines on the PP as we did the rest of the game, it would be more successful. Not a perfect solution but just keep the momentum going and keep doing whats working until they figure it out.
2) We just dont have the people right now. In 2 years, Suzuki, Kotk, Yloven, Weber, and Reilly will be an amazing PP1 but for now, we just got to ride out who we got and keep overwhelming teams.
3) We kinda do struggle against systems. If teams can force Montreal to play a structured game, we dont do well. Montreal has been great at forcing other teams to chase us and to get into shooting matches with us but im finding that when they calm down and play their systems, we struggle a lot more. On the PK, they play the box well. We can't get our guys in front of the net like we do 5-on-5 and already we arent good at finishing cross crease passes so a lot of shots are going to defenders sticks. Its kinda showing me where we will struggle late in the season.
 
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Mrb1p

PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
Dec 10, 2011
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Citizen of the world
The wingers waiting at the blue line thing never worked, and it never will. They need to change that, come with speed from the NZ wih either the C or the D initially moving it up, you then have the chance to dump, carry or pass, all of which are positions of strength with that type of philosophy.

In the zone, Tatar is just noy good, Petry is decent until Webers back, Drouin is good on the point, Gally is good in the slot, Domi is average as a shooter on the halfwall, he doesnt possess a good enough one timer to be there, he should be on the left side or in the right corner with Kotka taking shots from the halfwall in... its just way too simple for that coaching staff.
 

Curtoph

Registered User
Jan 22, 2018
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I think we're missing Max Pacioretty's divine play making abilities on the side wall...
 

Captain Mountain

Formerly Captain Wolverine
Jun 6, 2010
20,342
13,881
The main reason they can't move the puck East-West is because the PP typically sets up from the left half wall/left point (Drouin)...while Petry, whose a right handed shot, mans the top of the umbrella...the right half wall/right point (Domi).

Drouin can't go across the crease to Domi because opposing teams are clogging the middle of the box for 2 reasons.

1. Jeff Petry doesn't provide a threat for opponents to consider because he's a right shot and can't one time a feed from Drouin for obvious reasons.
2. Jeff Petry can't hit the net 9 times out of 10 even when the one time feed comes from the other side (Domi).

So the only way the Habs can attempt to move opponent's PK box (as well as their goalies) is to go around the umbrella...and you obviously lose the element of surprise when you do that.

What's more frustrating is they don't really have down low options either...

If the Habs are going to continue to be bullish about their current set up, then all 3 players up top must be of the same handedness...the other issue that presents is the Habs don't have a threatening left handed shot either, whether it's Reilly, Schlemko, Ouellet or Mete.

I also don't think Shea Weber is going to solve any issues, not unless they completely revamp how they deploy on the PP.

I don't buy it. The PP1 was even less effective when they tried Reilly on the PP1 set-up (against the Oilers and Vegas). The handedness issue of the D-man is overrated. That, and any PP unit that tilts mostly left-handed tends to have big issues because they aren't using the ice effectively.

The challenge Montreal needs to get around is that their PP QB isn't at the top of the umbrella. And they don't have that quick, heavy Galchenyuk shot in the arsenal anymore.
 

57special

Posting the right way since 2012.
Sep 5, 2012
47,622
19,461
MN
Is Reilly not playing on the PP? Even when he barely played on MN, we gave him PP2 TOI, and he was pretty good. Can pass the puck well, decent on zone entries, good vision, aggressive movement, which stops the PP from being stagnant. Not a great shot, but not bad.
 

HOPE

Goal Caufield!
Jun 30, 2011
7,336
5,229
Montreal
It’s mind blowing that kotkaniemi hasn’t been on the first unit so far you can ever put him on any of the wings... the PP fits exacly his style of play, calm, smart, finds crazy passing lane and underrated shot. This powerplay hasn’t worked in almost 20 games and you still don’t try your obvious best option, some time im wondering how their brain works.

I get that they are trying to shelter his minute a bit because it’s a long season and you don’t want to put too much pressure on the kid but he’s good defensively. It’s literally a win-win situation for his development.
 

417

BBQ Chicken Alert!
Feb 20, 2003
51,255
27,464
Ottawa
I don't buy it. The PP1 was even less effective when they tried Reilly on the PP1 set-up (against the Oilers and Vegas).
I addressed this...the Habs don't have a strong left handed point shot, certainly not Reilly who struggles with power & accuracy as much as any other Dman on this team.

You don't have to buy it - but it's an issue.

The handedness issue of the D-man is overrated. That, and any PP unit that tilts mostly left-handed tends to have big issues because they aren't using the ice effectively.
I actually think its way underrated...it matters a ton, way more then you think, that's what allows effective and precise East-West movement that every PP needs to be successful.

Also you can have and should have all same handedness if you're going to play the umbrella set up with 3 men up top, ideally, the 2 bottom guys are right handed.

It can also be the opposite...I can't remember which game I was watching last week where the commentators were talking about just that.

The challenge Montreal needs to get around is that their PP QB isn't at the top of the umbrella. And they don't have that quick, heavy Galchenyuk shot in the arsenal anymore.
Their PP QB (Drouin) plays the left point, or what Markov used to play so effectively for years...it's fine if you want to have it that way.

But again, it means you need left handed shots opposite (Markov > Souray or Streit/Kovalev = all left handed shots, with power/accuracy). I'm surprised a Habs fan, who has presumably watched the Habs during those days didn't notice the recipe that made it so successful.

Galchenyuk's shot was never really all that much of a weapon for the Habs...the Habs while Galchenyuk played for the Habs were never a good PP team. We haven't had a good PP for awhile now.
 

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