Ongoing Powerplay Discussion

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Hanzal shuts down Getzlaf, Thornton, Kopitar, Sedin, etc. consistently.

Couturier shut down Malkin among others.

Not sure how those guys aren't 3rd liners shutting down 1st liners...

Not only is he not a 3rd liner, but he doesn't shut down those guys consistently. When they do, it's a team effort from the goal out. If you can get a single 3rd liner to shut down all those all stars "consistently", then you hit the jackpot. As good as a superstar, about, if you can "consistently" stop one.

Would you say Hanzal was a - player tonight because he's lousy defensively? Maybe the high skill level of his foes had something to do with it.

 

[LT]

Not only is he not a 3rd liner, but he doesn't shut down those guys consistently. When they do, it's a team effort from the goal out. If you can get a single 3rd liner to shut down all those all stars "consistently", then you hit the jackpot. As good as a superstar, about, if you can "consistently" stop one.

Would you say Hanzal was a - player tonight because he's lousy defensively? Maybe the high skill level of his foes had something to do with it.

Or maybe it's because we have 3 guys on the ice who are offensive threats instead of one. Can't cover all 3 of them.

 

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Yeah. I guess that's sort of casually my point. Even if he does shut down one, well, what good is it?

Anyway, I'm not sure how I feel about Eakin yet. That line had a lot of spark in the offensive zone but did look a little confused in their end.

And Fiddler got massively important minutes again.

 

[LT]

Good point, but you can't expect one player to stop an entire line.

Yea, agreed.

Back on topic, I was extremely happy to see not one, but two powerplay goals, both from guys brought in to work on the PP. While the overall PP wasn't all that impressive, we got the goals and that's all that matters in the end.

 

[The Frugal Gourmet]

Just that the power play did not give the other team massive momentum was a pleasant surprise in itself. The scoring was icing on the cake.

Last season was one of those rare teams when you wish you could decline the power play. On a team that often got into ugly games, that was a deadly combination.

 

[TrillMike]

They have gotten a lot better on faceoffs. Roy has been great at them. However, one of my biggest issues is having Whitney take PP draws. Loosing an offensive draw on the PP burns what? 20 seconds avg? Why the hell isn't Roy taking draws in these situations?

 

[livewell68]

They have gotten a lot better on faceoffs. Roy has been great at them. However, one of my biggest issues is having Whitney take PP draws. Loosing an offensive draw on the PP burns what? 20 seconds avg? Why the hell isn't Roy taking draws in these situations?

They're trying to have Whitney, Jagr and Morrow up front which is not working. Morrow is useless on the powerplay.

I think they should be putting Jagr, Roy and Whitney up front and having Jagr double shift with the second unit.

 

[Mr Misty]

They're trying to have Whitney, Jagr and Morrow up front which is not working. Morrow is useless on the powerplay.

I think they should be putting Jagr, Roy and Whitney up front and having Jagr double shift with the second unit.

The powerplay is a problem, and you are definitely right about Morrow. I suspect that Morrow as the captain is being given more responsibility because he is the captain, which is a failure of leadership by whoever is designing the powerplay.

I don't understand why Eriksson isn't on the first unit. Shouldn't a shooter (Ryder or Eriksson), be paired with a good passer (Jagr or Whitney)? I know both Jagr and Whitney know where the net is, but it seems like stacking the two best playmakers while giving the scraps to the most consistent scorer and last year's top scorer makes no sense.

They have gotten a lot better on faceoffs. Roy has been great at them. However, one of my biggest issues is having Whitney take PP draws. Loosing an offensive draw on the PP burns what? 20 seconds avg? Why the hell isn't Roy taking draws in these situations?

This is a good point too, and since Whitney has played the point elsewhere IIRC, having them switch after the faceoff makes much more sense.

 

[jagrgodr]

Along with losing the faceoffs on the powerplay, they are also having huge problems entering the zone with control of the puck. There have only been 2-3 times where they have actually managed to skate it in and control it on the PP

 

[Stars99Lobo37]

they are also having huge problems entering the zone with control of the puck

In Robidas & Goligoski's case, they're having issues just getting it out of their own zone.

 

[piqued]

I'm struggling to understand how the coaching staff looks at the point options available and concludes that Larsen merits no PP time.

 

[TrillMike]

I'm struggling to understand how the coaching staff looks at the point options available and concludes that Larsen merits no PP time.

Hell, I'd like to see Jordie instead of Robidas. He seems to have a pretty hard shot.

 

[glovesave_35]

I'm struggling to understand how the coaching staff looks at the point options available and concludes that Larsen merits no PP time.

It's times like this where big hockey market media would put the coaching staff/organization's feet to the fire. It's absolutely ridiculous that Larsen isn't getting any PP time.

 

[Dessloch]

Would not Jagr be better of playing the PP with the same players he plays with even strength? I would want to see Eriksson with Jagr on the PP!

 

[MetalGodAOD*]

“We’re forcing things. We’re forcing things. We have to be content with dumping it in and grinding it out. We shot ourselves in the foot a couple times with errant passes and some things. If you can’t get it, race to the red, get it in and work. It’s nothing you can design all the time. You just have to work and get it done. I thought we had chances later, but we needed one in the first.â€

Does any other team use dump and chase as its primary PP zone entry strategy?

 

[piqued]

Wow. That's pretty much just waiving the white flag. What exactly are they practicing?

 

[Cin]

Does any other team use dump and chase as its primary PP zone entry strategy?

Our team especially shouldn't be using that strategy because of the age up front. constantly being gassed doesn't help, plus we've got the talent to walk the puck into the zone no problem.

 

[Stars99Lobo37]

What exactly are they practicing?

Nothing at all as of late.

Seriously this can't be Fraser's big plan can it?

 

[Cin]

Nothing at all as of late.

Seriously this can't be Fraser's big plan can it?

They haven't even touched it in Frisco?

 

[MetalGodAOD*]

Hopefully the 2 days off give them time to actually develop something with the new personnel.

 

[KiedisA]

Oh sod it with you...

 

[FrailSwan]

Ranger fans are turning against Richards. BRING 'EM BACK JOE. He can fix this PP.

 

[StarsFan74]

Ranger fans are turning against Richards. BRING 'EM BACK JOE. He can fix this PP.

Sorry, but no (even if you were kidding). He's their problem for the next 7 years.

 

[Cin]

**** Brad Richards.

 

[FrailSwan]

Totally forgot about how he screwed us. JK guys. I fudged this one.