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Ongoing Powerplay Discussion

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Based on the quotes in this article ... sounds like Spezza is being considered as a point option ... similar to Getzlaf. Also sounds like Ruff is considering Goligoski and Daley again as the left shooters on the point on the 1st and 2nd unit.

hile Ruff said he has seen Spezza’s work on the halfwall, he also has watched Ryan Getzlaf help run a strong power play from the point in Anaheim.

“I think Jason could,” Ruff said. “A lot of what Getzlaf was doing for Anaheim, dishing the puck up top, he has that reach and that ability to see ice. If he could slide (the puck) to a lefty, either Goligoski or Daley (at the right point), or slide it to Tyler Seguin (in the left circle), they’re both one-timers. That’s something we’ve already talked about.”
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Things will for sure change quite a bit while they figure it out on the ice in camp, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if they've got Cole and Sceviour as their potential net presence guys.

Not my ideal if I had a free pass ... but my best guess for one they're strongly considering:

Seguin|Cole|Benn
Spezza|Goligoski

Hemsky|Sceviour|Nichushkin
Peverley*|Daley

Pevs is obviously a major question mark and Klingberg probably an even better option isn't exactly a roster lock. I think I saw that Eaves could play the point on the PP so he might be an option if he's healthy. Otherwise the best option may just be another leftie out there.
 
SolidusAKA said:
This is a good question. It seems like any task we give Benn he does fairly well with.
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I think the problem was that he was simply too good in the bottom half of the offensive zone to move him out of it. But with Hemsky and Spezza now available, I feel like it should at least be given a shot. Benn's done pretty well with just about anything he's asked to, like you said.
 
Benn is at his weakest when he has to hold on to the puck and distribute. He telegraphs his intentions and is prone to trying to make the perfect pass rather than remaining in motion and opening up lanes. He should stay on the weak side creeping down toward the end line where he can pounce on rebounds and receive cross-box passes.
 
piqued said:
Benn is at his weakest when he has to hold on to the puck and distribute. He telegraphs his intentions and is prone to trying to make the perfect pass rather than remaining in motion and opening up lanes. He should stay on the weak side creeping down toward the end line where he can pounce on rebounds and receive cross-box passes.
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The bad part about the powerplay is that you can say the same about Seguin. He might be a better distributor, but he's still not great at it. He's also very good at hammering a one-timer. Maybe not as good as Benn on a wrist or snap shot, but better at a slapshot. Stupid Goligoski not being Zubov/Richards.
 
I thought about that too, but ultimately I think it's a mistake to treat Seguin as a finisher on the PP. How many times did we see the PP bog down as everyone else tried to force the puck to Seguin for one-timers? Personally I think Seguin is a significantly better PP distributor than Benn. This all gets complicated by the addition of Spezza and where to work him in that's different from Benn and Seguin's spots. Spezza doesn't seem like a fit on the point to me since by all accounts he'd be a Richards-level defensive liability back there. If you're thinking of moving any of the current forwards back to the point Seguin is the one that makes the most sense IMO. He's got the cannon of a slap shot, he's got the vision, he stays in motion, he can skate the puck, he can get back on D.

I'm toying with the idea of this formation...

*****Benn******
***************Klingberg
**Sceviour******
***************Seguin
******Spezza***

edit: Actually no, I don't like that either. I'm going to have to think about this more.

OK, so just flip Seguin to the right point and (grudgingly) put Goligoski on the left. That works.
 
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piqued said:
I thought about that too, but ultimately I think it's a mistake to treat Seguin as a finisher on the PP. How many times did we see the PP bog down as everyone else tried to force the puck to Seguin for one-timers? Personally I think Seguin is a significantly better PP distributor than Benn. This all gets complicated by the addition of Spezza and where to work him in that's different from Benn and Seguin's spots. Spezza doesn't seem like a fit on the point to me since by all accounts he'd be a Richards-level defensive liability back there. If you're thinking of moving any of the current forwards back to the point Seguin is the one that makes the most sense IMO. He's got the cannon of a slap shot, he's got the vision, he stays in motion, he can skate the puck, he can get back on D.

I'm toying with the idea of this formation...

*****Benn******
***************Klingberg
**Sceviour******
***************Seguin
******Spezza***
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I'm all for letting him try it full time, I'm just saying last year didn't give me confidence that he'd be a great option as the point guy. Personally, I'd flip Spezza and Seguin in that formation, with the thinking we can try it the other way if it doesn't work out. I just like Seguin being able to slip down to the bottom of the circles on that left side too much to have him strictly play the point.
 
See that's a no go as far as I'm concerned. Spezza absolutely owns the strong side half wall. That's a huge part of why he's here. He's better at it than either Benn or Seguin can come close to. They're the ones who've gotta move.
 
piqued said:
See that's a no go as far as I'm concerned. Spezza absolutely owns the strong side half wall. That's a huge part of why he's here.
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Then hell, I don't know. Maybe Seguin is on the 2nd unit. We have enough forward talent that we could have 2 productive units. Seguin on the top right point screams disaster to me.
 
I have a lot of concerns about Seguin on the point too. I'm worried that if he's on the same side as Jamie then Jamie is going to become obsessed with playing the puck back to him. Seguin on the 2nd unit honestly does make some sense.

1st: (imagine the goal is up)
Spezza-Sceviour-Benn
Goligoski-Klingberg

2nd:
Seguin-Nichushkin-Hemsky
whatever, ugh defense
 
I like the sound of at least trying out Spezza on the left point. piqued, you may not like it but Ruff thinks it's worth a shot.

If he works out there that leaves Seguin on the left side half wall, Benn on the right half wall, Goligoski on the right point, and whoever you want to try to be the crease crashing garbage goal guy (probably Sceviour).

In an ideal world that allows your best playmaker to be able to direct the PP from the blueline (Spezza), while keeping Seguin open to either make a pass on his strong side or leave him open for the one-timer. Spezza and Goligoski are both open for one-timers from the top. Benn is open for the one-timer on his off-wing. He and Segs are both in a position to make the cross-crease pass for the tap-in that they had working pretty well last year.

I'm still not convinced that Seguin is a better playmaker than Benn. Better passer maybe, but not a better playmaker.
 
glovesave_35 said:
I like the sound of at least trying out Spezza on the left point. piqued, you may not like it but Ruff thinks it's worth a shot.

If he works out there that leaves Seguin on the left side half wall, Benn on the right half wall, Goligoski on the right point, and whoever you want to try to be the crease crashing garbage goal guy (probably Sceviour).

In an ideal world that allows your best playmaker to be able to direct the PP from the blueline (Spezza), while keeping Seguin open to either make a pass on his strong side or leave him open for the one-timer. Spezza and Goligoski are both open for one-timers from the top. Benn is open for the one-timer on his off-wing. He and Segs are both in a position to make the cross-crease pass for the tap-in that they had working pretty well last year.
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I agree with this and want to see it at least tried to start the season.
 
Have we given any thought to keeping the top lines separated so that when the power play is over whichever line has recovered can start the next full strength shift?

So you'd have Benn/Seguin stay together with whomever of Sceviour, Eakin, Goligoski, Roussel (net presence) and then Spezza, Hemsky, the leftovers and try Nichushkin with each duo to see with whom and where he works best.

Traditionally teams like to load up their 1st unit power play but I do wonder if this team might be better served splitting up the power because the individual best players excel at the same two spots on the ice.
 
Hull Fan said:
Have we given any thought to keeping the top lines separated so that when the power play is over whichever line has recovered can start the next full strength shift?

So you'd have Benn/Seguin stay together with whomever of Sceviour, Eakin, Goligoski, Roussel (net presence) and then Spezza, Hemsky, the leftovers and try Nichushkin with each duo to see with whom and where he works best.

Traditionally teams like to load up their 1st unit power play but I do wonder if this team might be better served splitting up the power because the individual best players excel at the same two spots on the ice.
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It has been thought about and discussed, some. I see the value in it, but my gut reaction is to try and cram as much talent onto the 1st PP unit and let others pick up the scraps on the 2nd unit. A huge reason we went out and got Spezza was to help on the PP, and if you're going to be a team that relies on puck possession and your best defense being a good offense, then you need to have a PP that makes the other team hurt. Spreading everybody out, given that we lack a defenseman who can QB a PP seems to be spreading everybody a little too thin.

I would rather heavily use our weapons on the PP and let the 3rd and 4th lines pick up the ES minutes directly after said PP.
 
Hull Fan said:
Have we given any thought to keeping the top lines separated so that when the power play is over whichever line has recovered can start the next full strength shift?

So you'd have Benn/Seguin stay together with whomever of Sceviour, Eakin, Goligoski, Roussel (net presence) and then Spezza, Hemsky, the leftovers and try Nichushkin with each duo to see with whom and where he works best.

Traditionally teams like to load up their 1st unit power play but I do wonder if this team might be better served splitting up the power because the individual best players excel at the same two spots on the ice.
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Maybe, but if the Power Play Units were say

Benn Seguin Hemsky
Goligoski Spezza (Ruff mentioned thinking he could move from half wall to the blue line)

and say
Eakin Nuke and who ever the 1/2 RW/LW winds up being, that could leave what ever center has rested longest or even Fiddler could take a shift with Roussel and Garbutt after PP ends.

Personally I would prefer to see them either Load up a PP unit or almost run regular lines as the PP units, whichever lines have the hot hand that night. I really like the idea of a fully loaded special unit for when we absolutely need a goal though.

I really cant wait to see how the lines shape up during Preseason, and to see if any of the Prospects force their way into the lineup.
 
And herein lies my issue with signing eaves. Even if you wanted a prospect to break through on the forward lines, sheer numbers is probably going to keep someone down regardless. Hopefully if Ritchie is ready, Cole will be moved out. Otherwise those spots won't be available until injuries occur.
 
Hull Fan said:
And herein lies my issue with signing eaves. Even if you wanted a prospect to break through on the forward lines, sheer numbers is probably going to keep someone down regardless. Hopefully if Ritchie is ready, Cole will be moved out. Otherwise those spots won't be available until injuries occur.
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No it doesn't. Nill already proved last year he has no problem paying over $600K to an AHL guy with Jeffrey.

Nill's proven that he has no problem making room for guys. Obviously his time table doesn't match ours exactly. I wanted Secviour sooner ... Nemeth sooner probably would have been nice, but there's absolutely no reason to say he was wrong to get them more seasoning.

Same thing goes for Ritchie ... if he's ready in Nill's opinion ... he's going to play in the NHL.
 
Hull Fan said:
And herein lies my issue with signing eaves. Even if you wanted a prospect to break through on the forward lines, sheer numbers is probably going to keep someone down regardless. Hopefully if Ritchie is ready, Cole will be moved out. Otherwise those spots won't be available until injuries occur.
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Am I missing something or is this not really related to the PP?
 
beepeearr said:
I really cant wait to see how the lines shape up during Preseason, and to see if any of the Prospects force their way into the lineup.
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My response was in reply to this statement.

G I think you vastly overestimate Nill's willingness to move Eaves to the AHL before the season starts.
 
Hull Fan said:
My response was in reply to this statement.

G I think you vastly overestimate Nill's willingness to move Eaves to the AHL before the season starts.
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I think you're vastly overreacting if Ritchie doesn't start the year in the NHL. Sceviour was ready at the start of last season too, and Brett has only been in the AHL for one season.

Shocking that a guy from a notoriously patient organization that develops talent as well as the Wings do would take a similar approach in Dallas.
 
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