WinterEmpire
Unregistered User
Let me preface this by saying that the PP is not the end all and be all of why the Canucks have been struggling for the most part this year. But the following numbers should help solidify the idea that the PP might be the biggest reason why.
Canucks in 10-11(1st overall PP):
72 PP Goals/296 opp,28%
258 total Goals/82 Games
0.878 Goals per Game from PP
3.15 Goals per Game
2.20 Goals Against
If the PP was scoring at a 12-13 pace, there would be 2.45 goals per game
Canucks in 12-13(Currently 30th overall PP):
16 PP Goals/125 opp,12.8%
88 total Goals/35 Games
0.181 Goals per Game from PP
2.51 Goals per Game
2.43 Goals Against
If the PP was scoring at a 10-11 pace, there would be 3.21 goals per game
Now the question is, where does the fault lie for this bad PP? Personal or Coaching? Between 10-11 and now the biggest player differences are the loss of Ehrhoff and the injury of Kesler.
Kesler being injured might be a valid reason for the struggles, in the games that he was back the PP clearly started to show more signs of life than it had in while. We'll have to see if it gets better again once he returns. However I refuse to believe that Ehrhoff provided anything more significant than the other PP QBs used by the Canucks. Without him last year the Canucks still finished 4th best, and Garrison is no worse than the man who he replaced(Salo), in terms of shot accuracy and power. Not to mention the Sabres sharp PP% decline since Ehrhoff arrival. He isn't just some magic solution.
When I look at the Canucks PP system what I see is a group of players who are told to play the puck around the perimeter and take low percentage shots from the the outside, often through multiple bodies after they've had time to establish position. Rarely do you see them try and confuse the opponents with quick passing and dynamic off-the-puck player movement to set-up high percentage opportunities in the slot like what I've observed in some of the better PP teams this year(St. Louis for example). I've heard various analysts frequently mention that special teams are some of the most coach influenced parts of hockey. If so, what does that make Newell Brown?
Canucks in 10-11(1st overall PP):
72 PP Goals/296 opp,28%
258 total Goals/82 Games
0.878 Goals per Game from PP
3.15 Goals per Game
2.20 Goals Against
If the PP was scoring at a 12-13 pace, there would be 2.45 goals per game
Canucks in 12-13(Currently 30th overall PP):
16 PP Goals/125 opp,12.8%
88 total Goals/35 Games
0.181 Goals per Game from PP
2.51 Goals per Game
2.43 Goals Against
If the PP was scoring at a 10-11 pace, there would be 3.21 goals per game
Now the question is, where does the fault lie for this bad PP? Personal or Coaching? Between 10-11 and now the biggest player differences are the loss of Ehrhoff and the injury of Kesler.
Kesler being injured might be a valid reason for the struggles, in the games that he was back the PP clearly started to show more signs of life than it had in while. We'll have to see if it gets better again once he returns. However I refuse to believe that Ehrhoff provided anything more significant than the other PP QBs used by the Canucks. Without him last year the Canucks still finished 4th best, and Garrison is no worse than the man who he replaced(Salo), in terms of shot accuracy and power. Not to mention the Sabres sharp PP% decline since Ehrhoff arrival. He isn't just some magic solution.
When I look at the Canucks PP system what I see is a group of players who are told to play the puck around the perimeter and take low percentage shots from the the outside, often through multiple bodies after they've had time to establish position. Rarely do you see them try and confuse the opponents with quick passing and dynamic off-the-puck player movement to set-up high percentage opportunities in the slot like what I've observed in some of the better PP teams this year(St. Louis for example). I've heard various analysts frequently mention that special teams are some of the most coach influenced parts of hockey. If so, what does that make Newell Brown?