Our first Powerplay unit (must) change long before the playoffs

[Byron Bitz]

Load up the top unit and leave them out for a long time. If the power play has Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander and Reilly on the top unit there’s no reason why they can’t get it done, there’s too much talent for them to not figure it out and get going.

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

you dont need a booming point shot, you need screens and deflections, smart play.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Well one thing that unit seems to miss is just a smooth clean puck mover to transition into the zone so I want to see Nylander in that role cause he’s good at those zone entries. Brodie would be there for a defensive outlet and general puck movement as the other point man.

That really comes down on Marner, who constantly seems to be mishandling passes and the puck in general right now. Then he is constantly turning towards the boards and letting guys swarm him.

When the PP goes through him and he can't do anything right, it comes as no surprise that we are struggling.

 

[bossram]

If there were ever a team to run 5 forwards on the PP, it's the Leafs. They have the personnel. Just give 'er Keefe. Marner played the point on the PP in junior. Get Matthews and Nylander attacking downhill on their strong sides, for their patented cross-seam + snapshot finish.

Simmonds
Matthews - Tavares - Nylander
Marner

Hyman
Spezza - Galchenyuk - Thornton
Rielly

 

[The Best Leafs Ever]

There is more wrong than our power play sire

One game left in March,played 13. Scored 38,gave up 36. If we lose to the Jets on wednesday we will be 7wins/7losses for march. 25% of the season was March and they weren’t a playoff team for the entire month.
We have more problems than powerplay.

Management knows we have two injured Goalies and play both and injure them further. Still soft. Slower and older to boot. Dubas just sits around watching it fold up again.

Thornton shouldn’t be on any power play in the league. Zero goals and 3 assists in last 15 games. He needs to sit. He’s done and getting 15 minutes a game. It’s B.S. He needs to be healthy scratched. Period he’s a good cheerleader apparently, so let him cheer lead. He’s not leading on the ice. Sick of the cozy narrative with a player. I don’t care who likes him.

Of course we have more to blame than just the PP, but if you can't score on the PP chances then you can't accept to win every game 5v5. It is exactly why we are .500 team in March. All the teams that can hardly score on the PP are the ones that are gunning for top 3 picks, because they just don't have the talent.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Of course we have more to blame than just the PP, but if you can't score on the PP chances then you can't accept to win every game 5v5. It is exactly why we are .500 team in March. All the teams that can hardly score on the PP are the ones that are gunning for top 3 picks, because they just don't have the talent.

I would say goaltending is a larger issue than our PP. We were 4-0-1 the past 5 games (3/5 of which were against the next two best teams in the division) despite not scoring a single PP goal. The main difference is our GAA went from a 4 with Andersen in net to like a 2 with Campbell/Hutch in net.

Our PP does need to improve, but it is more of a confidence thing than a "completely blow things up" thing. They are still getting opportunities and shots, but they are not going in.

What probably will help is getting the puck off of Marner's stick, who is forcing, mishandling, and thinking way too much and getting it onto Tavares, Nylander, and Matthews who can make excellent passes but also can snipe a goal at any point. Or even getting Rielly more clean looks so he does more than just distribute or throw desperation shots at the net when there are few other options available to him. I don't expect him to score but with a guy like Simmonds at the net, he may get some tips/deflections or even an easy rebound goal.

That is what our PP needs right now.

 

[The Best Leafs Ever]

I would say goaltending is a larger issue than our PP. We were 4-0-1 the past 5 games (3/5 of which were against the next two best teams in the division) despite not scoring a single PP goal. The main difference is our GAA went from a 4 with Andersen in net to like a 2 with Campbell/Hutch in net.

Our PP does need to improve, but it is more of a confidence thing than a "completely blow things up" thing. They are still getting opportunities and shots, but they are not going in.

What probably will help is getting the puck off of Marner's stick, who is forcing, mishandling, and thinking way too much and getting it onto Tavares, Nylander, and Matthews who can make excellent passes but also can snipe a goal at any point. Or even getting Rielly more clean looks so he does more than just distribute or throw desperation shots at the net when there are few other options available to him. I don't expect him to score but with a guy like Simmonds at the net, he may get some tips/deflections or even an easy rebound goal.

That is what our PP needs right now.

You can blame it on the goalies for the time being but that play is not sustainable considering every playoff team can score the same amount of goals we can with way less offensive capability.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

You can blame it on the goalies for the time being but that play is not sustainable considering every playoff team can score the same amount of goals we can with way less offensive capability.

I highly doubt our PP will be at 0% forever even if we don't change a single thing.

If that play is not sustainable, then our PP woes are not sustainable either.

If you add our PP capabilities on top of our 5-on-5 ability this season (which has been consistently great), then there are not too many teams that will be able to stop us.

 

[TopCheeseShotta]

You know what?? It's kinda good that our power play is going through a major drought.. cuz as we all know historically in the playoffs, the power play opportunities most def dry up. Refs are more likely to 'Tim Peel' it and keep em even, and so - maybe the positive is, that the Boys are really just proving to themselves that they can survive without it - at least in the last 5 games they are.

 

[Dayjobdave]

I’m waiting for the Simmons comment that points out the Leafs had the top PP in the league until they traded Lehtonen, since then they are 0 for 28...

The PP is painfully cold but we are winning. They need to figure out how to make this work while being pressured in time for the playoffs and all will be good

 

[WatchOut]

i feel they don't use Tavares and willy enough on the powerplay, the puck is normally on marners or matthews stick and they keep doing the same play over and over. Where one or marner or matthews gets the puck from the blueline and skate to the net to normally just shoot it on goal. We rarely see a one time from Tavares from the middle (while being in the middle of the penalty killers) or a cross pass one timer setup for Matthews. I think the biggest thing that is killing the powerplay is the change of pace, maybe if the whole unit moves around a little more it might do the trick

 

[seanlinden]

If there were ever a team to run 5 forwards on the PP, it's the Leafs. They have the personnel. Just give 'er Keefe. Marner played the point on the PP in junior. Get Matthews and Nylander attacking downhill on their strong sides, for their patented cross-seam + snapshot finish.

Simmonds
Matthews - Tavares - Nylander
Marner

Hyman
Spezza - Galchenyuk - Thornton
Rielly

I think the root of their powerplay issues is that there is no PP2. They've run into this same problem the last few years -- PP starts hot, then fizzles out. Teams can practice, hone in on everything that PP1 does, knowing full well that these guys are going to be out there a while, and that the Leafs "burn" their talent on 1 unit.

Maybe do something like this:

Hyman
Matthews - Spezza - Marner
Rielly

Simmonds
Tavares- Galchenyuk -Nylander
Muzzin

Have a group that's built to make smooth passes and score from a distance on the 1st unit... Have a 2nd unit that's built to crash the crease and pot some dirty goals.

 

[AaronDellForPrez]

thornton is saving himself for the playoffs/

 

[Stonehands1990]

Blows my mind that they aren’t using Galchenyuk’s howitzer on PP2 OR Nylander‘s zone entries on PP1. Whoever is making the personnel decisions needs to smarten up

 

[hfman]

This is just it. I wrote it down as a knower a couple of days ago already: Joe Thornton must not play in the dirty first unit anymore. John Tavares is OUR captain and one of the best players with the great shot, he should ALWAYS; ALWAYS like the italians say play on the first unit. Always.

Even the sharks knew that joe thornton is not anymore the best player he was. Even THEY, as a worse team than us knew it. They played joe only in the second PP unit for the last two years. He sometimes had some time on the first unit, but not a lot anymore.... they knew. They had a much worse team than us during these last two years.... so we still playing joe in the first unit. That right there mifriends, is not good coaching. Thats wrong. Awful in a long period of time.

Our first unit should have Marner, Simmonds, Matthews, Tavares and Rielly out there.
Second should have Nylander, Big Joey, Spezza and other fools.

But we WILL FAIL IN THE PLAYOFFS and I will GUARANTEE this if our first unit still has Joey there..... he's not anymore having it. Like he once had. He is slower and slaughtier. Like a toad. But still I love his game and what he brings, leadership and all. But not anymore on the first unit. Just like the shesharks knew too.... and they are WORSE THAN US. Think how deep that goes. That's a farce coaching job right there. Use our captain, one of the best players always, always on the first unit when it starts. That's key for life sire.

there's a lot less bling than usual in this post

looks like coachescorner is growing up

good boy! ...got a ways to go but a man you will become

 

[cannucky]

you dont need a booming point shot, you need screens and deflections, smart play.

You do need a booming point shot because it creates rebounds and hard deflections and changes the way the D approach shot blocking , guys don't drop to their knees and wall up after they get hit with a bomb they stand and try to take it on the shin pad creating a better shooting lane . You see guys blocking these muffin wristers with their hands now ffs .

 

[bossram]

I think the root of their powerplay issues is that there is no PP2. They've run into this same problem the last few years -- PP starts hot, then fizzles out. Teams can practice, hone in on everything that PP1 does, knowing full well that these guys are going to be out there a while, and that the Leafs "burn" their talent on 1 unit.

Maybe do something like this:

Hyman
Matthews - Spezza - Marner
Rielly

Simmonds
Tavares- Galchenyuk -Nylander
Muzzin

Have a group that's built to make smooth passes and score from a distance on the 1st unit... Have a 2nd unit that's built to crash the crease and pot some dirty goals.

It's not an issue of not having a PP2. The league has moved away from really using their 2nd units. Most teams use a loaded top unit and run them for 1:30. Canonically, look at the Caps, Bolts, Avs, etc. They're not dividing the talent on their powerplay units.

 

[Stephen]

I think the first thing they need to do is simplify their zone entries and do so with some urgency. I get that they're trying out some kind of slow it down formula but a stationary powerplay with no reliable designated shooters and constant drop passes and extra touches don't work. It's absolutely bonkers to me how they can run such a high speed 5 on 5 cycle game and then complete scrap that and elect to play keep away on the perimeter.

I don't recall what kind of PP the Canucks used last year but I can't imagine it would have looked like this kind of sloppy approach.

 

[Guided by Veseys]

They need to set it up, pass it around a bunch and finally get it to Rielly who will wrist it into some traffic. Guaranteed success.

 

[TopCheeseShotta]

Ahhh.. they don't need clean zone entries, or pyramids, umbrellas, or diamonds.....
No - they just needed to get humiliated, by allowing a terrible team to score shorthanded on them - for Matty to rush the net and bag himself a greaazzzy tap in from the top of the crease..
All makes sense now..!

 

[Coachcorner]

NOTHING is changed on this here. We should, always, always like the italians say with the accent, to have one big STAR PP. Tavares, marner and matthews on the same. Then add the motherf***ers who should play there and KEEP IT HARD. STAY HARD. OR LOSE IN THE PLAYOFFS: maybe they insert foligno in there. But I gotta say... tavares should always, always be there when it starts. ALWAYS. I KNOW BOUT LIFE MAYNE.

 

[Mats13]

The stupidity of our PP coaching is astounding.

Jumbo and Simmonds out there EVERY f***ING TIME to ruin it for Matthews and Marner.

I don’t remember the last time Rielly made a good decision.

THORNTON AND SIMMONDS PLAY ON THE FIRST UNIT OVER TAVARES AND NYLANDER.

Matthews and Marner only play one minute.

Garbage coaching. Absolute garbage.

 

[Coachcorner]

The stupidity of our PP coaching is astounding.

Jumbo and Simmonds out there EVERY f***ING TIME to ruin it for Matthews and Marner.

I don’t remember the last time Rielly made a good decision.

THORNTON AND SIMMONDS PLAY ON THE FIRST UNIT OVER TAVARES AND NYLANDER.

Matthews and Marner only play one minute.

Garbage coaching. Absolute garbage.

Tavares should ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE THER SIRE. That's my only thang. Nothing to add. marner matthews and tavares SHUOLD ALWAYS START WITH IT.

Other than that, you should put in players who stay there. Always, score, and keep it real and the SAME.

 

[HolyCrap]

That must fix this before playoffs. If they don’t then teams wont be afraid to take liberties and penalties on us.

 

[Coachcorner]

Nothing else to say. Y'all see the since march numbers. The worst PP in the league. 2.9%. Under anaheim. Smart not to play tavares a key guy, a captain not on the PP.

I'm laughing out loud and smokin a cigar. Coach keefe, you a good coach. Why be worse?? How you gon be worse than me? Smoke some and take some. Enjoy life. Keep the first PP the same for LIFE. OR LOSE SOME. Don't elect that one sire. F. FOOL.