Ongoing Powerplay Discussion

[MetalGodAOD*]

The obvious problem is this team only really knows how to generate offense with their speed/on the rush. Power play is entirely about cycling and board-work something that isn't this team's strength.

They'd have to completely change their approach or find something that works for them, but I don't see it improving much. Best thing they can do is really just simplify it and hammer pucks from the point and go for rebounds. They're not built for success otherwise.

 

[txomisc]

The obvious problem is this team only really knows how to generate offense with their speed/on the rush. Power play is entirely about cycling and board-work something that isn't this team's strength.

They'd have to completely change their approach or find something that works for them, but I don't see it improving much. Best thing they can do is really just simplify it and hammer pucks from the point and go for rebounds. They're not built for success otherwise.

I think you are spot on here. When I look at the roster the only player to me that stands out as a guy who would be great and a cycling game is Chiasson.

 

[Troy McClure]

with benn and nuke's puck possession skills---I would like to see them drive the net more

hell, I would like to see nuke get a chance on the pp

As bad as the PP is, I think Ruff should draw named out of a hat to award PP time.

 

[glovesave_35]

The obvious problem is this team only really knows how to generate offense with their speed/on the rush. Power play is entirely about cycling and board-work something that isn't this team's strength.

They'd have to completely change their approach or find something that works for them, but I don't see it improving much. Best thing they can do is really just simplify it and hammer pucks from the point and go for rebounds. They're not built for success otherwise.

We have forwards who can generate offense without flying into the zone at a million MPH. The problem is we don't have a player with any brains and the requisite skills needed to QB the PP from the blueline. We need a heady defensemen with puck skills more than anything.

If for no other reason, I think this is why Klingberg could be fast tracked next season. He's the only guy close to ready in the system who has the skills, however I do think he'll need some time to adjust to the difference in space in the offensive zone on the smaller rink.

 

[aloonda*]

more klingberg please

get him here then

 

[rudiger]

with benn and nuke's puck possession skills---I would like to see them drive the net more

hell, I would like to see nuke get a chance on the pp

I would like to see Oleksiak plant himself right in front of the goalie during the powerplay.

 

[Rune Forumwalker]

Why does Fraser still have a job?

Nepotism.

 

[glovesave_35]

I would like to see Oleksiak plant himself right in front of the goalie during the powerplay.

Was thinking the same thing.

 

[eartotheground]

i'm not confident that one player will fix this thing. klingberg can come in and be great... but if the other 4 on the ice are still standing around and playing catch as currently is being done.... i don't see a huge uptick.

there is a huge confidence issue, and a huge system issue. when the twain shall be solved, woe be unto the western conference.

 

[usefulfiction]

i'm not confident that one player will fix this thing. klingberg can come in and be great... but if the other 4 on the ice are still standing around and playing catch as currently is being done.... i don't see a huge uptick.

there is a huge confidence issue, and a huge system issue. when the twain shall be solved, woe be unto the western conference.

Part of the PPQB's job is to direct traffic and influence play while on ice.

 

[eartotheground]

Part of the PPQB's job is to direct traffic and influence play while on ice.

is it? i know that's a commonly spoken thought, but i don't recall ever seeing zubov point and direct when he had the puck.

idk, the way i figure, when you have the puck you can either move with it, shoot it, or pass it. there isn't a lot of time to shout out directions to teammates or point them where to go like a scrambling QB in football. if the other players aren't moving without the puck and working to get open/ create space/overloads, you can try to QB all you want to little effect.

(please note this if from a spectator's view. i've never played the game, and would welcome some first hand insight)

 

[usefulfiction]

is it? i know that's a commonly spoken thought, but i don't recall ever seeing zubov point and direct when he had the puck.

idk, the way i figure, when you have the puck you can either move with it, shoot it, or pass it. there isn't a lot of time to shout out directions to teammates or point them where to go like a scrambling QB in football. if the other players aren't moving without the puck and working to get open/ create space/overloads, you can try to QB all you want to little effect.

(please note this if from a spectator's view. i've never played the game, and would welcome some first hand insight)

There is always communication going on. In practice, on the bench, on the ice during a game.

 

[Cin]

I disagree with you guys. We definitely have a couple of players more than capable of running a PP. When I watch them play you can tell they're being handicapped by a certain idea from the bench. Players with the creativity of Benn and Seguin could do so, so much more if it were just a freakin' pickup game. I think Dillon could even do a pretty decent job as well.

Now to suit the idea of 'coming on the rush' and adapting it to a power play I think it's actually easily doable. Keep the forwards deep into the zone and run a lot of the play from behind the net/corners. Then have the D or higher forward streak in through the slot and one-time the whole time. Now is that a bit reckless? Oh hell yeah. But that's more of an adaptation to the team than just being stagnate.

Get Goligoski, Whitney, and Cole away from the power play. Have Seguin, Connauton, and Dillon in charge given different team, etc. Get the cycle game going (Nuke and Chiasson would run circles around teams if they were on the same unit) and then just feed the big guns the puck. Honestly power plays aren't ****ing difficult. It's a pretty easy thing to just with the KISS method. You can't overthink a man advantage or you end up exactly where the team is.

 

[Cin]

is it? i know that's a commonly spoken thought, but i don't recall ever seeing zubov point and direct when he had the puck.

idk, the way i figure, when you have the puck you can either move with it, shoot it, or pass it. there isn't a lot of time to shout out directions to teammates or point them where to go like a scrambling QB in football. if the other players aren't moving without the puck and working to get open/ create space/overloads, you can try to QB all you want to little effect.

(please note this if from a spectator's view. i've never played the game, and would welcome some first hand insight)

He was definitely directing players. The most common way would just be feeding the puck to where you want a player to end up. It's a lot like watching a midfielder in soccer dish a ball around the box (if you watch the sport at all). Zubov could make the whole unit do exactly what he wanted by getting into whatever position he felt he was best in. Maybe that's just shifting 10 feet to the left, but at that point the whole unit needs to be fluid and make a move as well. It's very much a fluid idea and your QB has to understand that and be able to control the play with movement alone.

**** that sounds complex when I explain it, I swear it's not.

Also, Oleksiak has an elephant gun. Let him shoot it if Connauton isn't.

 

[Rune Forumwalker]

Talking about coming off the rush on the powerplay reminds me of the one play the team did in the past with Jokinen (and later with Ott maybe Hagman too?).

 

[piqued]

Nichushkin would be our best bet for a play like that. He and Gonchar have connected on similar passes at even strength. Of course he'd have to get on the PP first. I actually think he'd make an interesting candidate as a net-front guy at this stage. Not sure you want him making too many decisions with the puck along the outside and potentially turning it over.

And yeah, a PPQB directs traffic non-verbally and without gestures or anything like that. It's in his body language, what that conceals to the PKers and reveals to his teammates. It's in where he chooses to progress the play next. It's in when he takes the opportunity to shoot and when he senses a better play is around the corner. Everyone else on the ice ought to be playing off what the QB does and most importantly has to have confidence in that person.

Which takes us back to Goligoski. It's obvious from the way he carries himself that he lacks faith in his own game. Why should anyone else have it in him?

Since this has already become a run-on edit-fest I might as well post the groups I'd like to see:

Benn/Seguin - Chiasson (net-front)
Dillon/Connauton

Eakin/Whitney - Nichushkin (net-front)
Goligoski/Oleksiak

 

[RastaRockett]

I think you are spot on here. When I look at the roster the only player to me that stands out as a guy who would be great and a cycling game is Chiasson.

Nuke definitely has the potential with his strength and puck shielding skills. I think he cycles fairly well.

During the infamous 7 minute power play, I swear we killed at least a minute of it with Cole trying to get the puck cleanly on his stick from a battle along the boards. He even fell down and whiffed, got back up and whiffed again. The power play just gets jammed after about one pass away from the puck battle in the corner, and it sucks to watch. All I want is to feed Seguin one-timers when he is waiting on the left side!

 

[oconnor9sean]

I'm not a huge fan of Chiasson in front of the net.

Razor brought it up in a recent article, and I agree with it: Oleksiak should stand in front of the net. Chara does it for Boston and it works for them.

 

[BigG44]

Many of Dallas' few PP goals had Chiasson in front of the net. Neither Alex or Jamie should play the full 2 minutes so it's just fine having them both play on different units.

A major issue is despite the juggling we saw last game ... some how Whitney is still getting PP time. It's pretty shocking.

 

[BigG44]

Per Bruce Levine .... Ruff said to expect Nuke to receive more PP time than he had in the past, and he will be in a shooter's role rather than playmaker.

 

[MBTendy]

Finally.

 

[TangoMcBride]

I think a consistent dose of Nuke on the top unit and Sceviour on the 2nd unit would go a long way toward fixing what ails our PP.

 

[BigG44]

For those who might say a coach doesn't matter on the PP ....

Razor just said Nashville is rolling essentially the same personnel as last year when they were average at 17. The only change is they hired Phil Housley, and now they've moved up 10 spots to 7th overall.

Might be time to get rid of Fraser.

 

[piqued]

Erat and S. Kost are gone, those were major PP components for Nashville.

 

[aloonda*]

this is the best the pp has looked in weeks