Can the Habs Power Play be fixed?

[DAChampion]

I haven't watched every game but it seems to me that the limiting factor is that Laine's shot is the only possibility of a goal. There needs to be a second threat.

But what second threat can there be?

 

[BullLund]

Everyone on that PP can shoot. They're just not hitting the net. Better to hit the net and get a possible rebound than miss.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Ivan Demidov

 

[the]

Just keep passing it to Laine. It will go in one day.

 

[DAChampion]

Just keep passing it to Laine. It will go in one day.

Anything else?

 

[habamillions]

I miss the years where habs had subban and markov at the point and kovalev on the wing so many different options.

 

[Mrb1p]

I haven't watched every game but it seems to me that the limiting factor is that Laine's shot is the only possibility of a goal. There needs to be a second threat.

But what second threat can there be?

Yes, Suzuki can also score but he needs to open lane for himself.

The main problem is Slaf. He plays the bumper but never cuts in for a rebound, he moves towards the corner. Hes not good enough of a passer to play the bumper, not even close. He was better on the halfboard, and even then he was good. Both Tkachuk and Wilson are good example of how he should play, but his play in tight isnt good enough and he doesnt have the IQ to position himself like the Tkachuk do.

The 2nd problem is Caufield. This roaming around outside the box and never cutting in is completely useless. He needs to learn to play like Point or just be relegated to the 2nd PP.

Third problem, and not nearly as dire as the other two, is Hutson and his willingness to shoot. He needs to start putting pucks on net.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

It'll probably change a lot when demidov takes Slaf's spot. Him Hutson and Laine will probably be positionally set for the most part with Caufield and Suzuki is constant motion

 

[Mrb1p]

It'll probably change a lot when demidov takes Slaf's spot. Him Hutson and Laine will probably be positionally set for the most part with Caufield and Suzuki is constant motion

Caufield is redundant if he cant learn to play the slot. All we have is perimeter player and hes the worst of the five.

 

[dinodebino]

Having the 19th pp in the league is par the course. Demidov will add a couple of goals next season, just like Hutson added some juice. I don’t see any issues. It’s called growing up.

 

[Ezpz]

Having the 19th pp in the league is par the course. Demidov will add a couple of goals next season, just like Hutson added some juice. I don’t see any issues. It’s called growing up.

Yeah, this team doesn't have anywhere close to a top 19 forward group so they're actually playing way above expectation on the PP.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

Caufield is redundant if he cant learn to play the slot. All we have is perimeter player and hes the worst of the five.

Yeah I agree. I'm happy his ES scoring is better this year. Put PP wise, he might actually be better if he's on PP2.

 

[bud12]

What was habs pp% after 25games?

 

[SuzukiSZN]

Yeah I agree. I'm happy his ES scoring is better this year. Put PP wise, he might actually be better if he's on PP2.

Caufield always been a stronger scorer 5 on 5.

Caufield on the left half wall, he was moving from the circle to close to the net depending on the plays and it was working well at the start of the season, Laine is more stationary so that change a bit of how they play the PP.

 

[SuzukiSZN]

It'll probably change a lot when demidov takes Slaf's spot. Him Hutson and Laine will probably be positionally set for the most part with Caufield and Suzuki is constant motion

And who’s in front of the net and who’s getting back the puck if Slaf’s not there? That’s not neither of the other guys

 

[Ozmodiar]

The main problem is Slaf. He plays the bumper but never cuts in for a rebound,

Caufield plays the bumper position.
(Slaf plays bumper on 5v3 because they set CC up on the back post)

Slaf plays low. He stays on the right for passing option then cuts to/across the net when it goes to Laine.

Would be nice if CC could learn the bumper like Point. He’s one of the best there.

 

[the valiant effort]

Lol…16 posts in and we’ve got folks posting from the upside down

 

[Ozmodiar]

1. They need quicker puck movement. There’s some looks they have but don’t use. Like: a) pass from Suze from right to Slaf low could be one-touched to Caufield in bumper; and B) pass from Suze to Laine on the left could be one-touched back door to Slaf. Slaf’s a left shot … everyone’s expecting Laine to shoot. Or has Laine ever tried a hard shot/pass to CC for redirection?

2. They need Suzuki to shoot more from the right and need Laine to pass (sometimes) from the left. Each side can’t be one dimensional.

3. Stop the Lane / Suze switch. Leave Suzuki on the right. I suppose Suzuki hit the crossbar from there and set up Laine vs the Isles, but I prefer him on the right.

4. Laine’s shot should be plan B. If plan A isn’t open, Laine must be. Get the PK scrambling, then feed him.

Bottom line: it’s slow and predictable. Over dependent on Laine. More shots needed from the other 3 forwards.

 

[HuGo Burner Acc]

And who’s in front of the net and who’s getting back the puck if Slaf’s not there? That’s not neither of the other guys

Everyone does. When I say for the most part I mean he'll basically he at the half way but can cycle. Whereas Suzuki won't have a "spot". Maybe the bumper but it's more fluid that demidov Hutson and laine

 

[Bacchus1]

Every team is just taking space away from Laine now. And if Laine doesn’t have a shot, he doesn’t have too many creative passed to take advantage of a pker over committing to him.

The pp should be better than it is. We need more systems, because the cat is out of the bag on our current system.

 

[Doom Bot]

Yeah, this team doesn't have anywhere close to a top 19 forward group so they're actually playing way above expectation on the PP.

Not so sure you should judge a powerplay unit based on the entirety of a forward group. Montreal's top line is statistically one of the top lines in the entire league, plus you're adding a top 5 shooter and a top 5 QB in Laine/Hutson. MTLs powerplay has no excuse to not be top half of the league.

The fault lies with the system and the decision making. They somewhat solved the age old Habs zone entry issue which is nice, but now the problem is they can't develop a second threat besides the Suzuki -> Hutson -> Laine shot. What they need to solve is a way to make Suzuki -> Slaf -> Caufield more viable, as well as drill Slafkovsky taking the puck to the net himself.

The way you score on the PP is making the PKers choose between multiple bad options. Right now they only have to cover Laine.

 

[OldCraig71]

Jeez, if we only had a guy who could slap the puck 100 mph from the point. We are easy to defend because there is no shot option from the point. Shadow Laine and Caufield and we are just wasting 2 minutes out there.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Well, Slaf needs to do something other than just hook passes to Caufield from the side of the net.

He HAS to walk out and shoot. He HAS to do it. If he's not going to do it, then you take him off the first unit.

It's too reliant on Laine which is making Caufield completely useless because he isn't in any position to use his own one timer.

Slaf never peels off of the side of the net to make himself open for a left shot one timer.

They don't have anyone who is actually good in the bumper on PP1 either.

Newhook should be back on PP1 to play the bumper spot. Bite the bullet and put Caufield on PP2 for now.

 

[Rapala]

The less we have to rely on Suzuki carrying the mail the better and more energetic our PP will be once we've gained the zone. I don't know about amyome else but I know where I'd want my best playmaker to have his greatest reserves of energy. Even with Lane Hutson on board our best PP is still dependent on Suzuki's involvement and he is at his most dangerous when he's moving his feet. Something he can't do nearly as well once he's had to chase back for a reset.

 

[WeThreeKings]

The less we have to rely on Suzuki carrying the mail the better and more energetic our PP will be once we've gained the zone. I don't know about amyome else but I know where I'd want my best playmaker to have his greatest reserves of energy. Even with Lane Hutson on board our best PP is still dependent on Suzuki's involvement and he is at his most dangerous when he's moving his feet. Something he can't do nearly as well once he's had to chase back for a reset.

Hutson should be entering the zone more than Suzuki. Every time he does it, he sets it up way better than Suzuki can.