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Solutions to the PP

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Thank f***ing god. What a concept eh? Who would ever have thought future HHOF Joe might have something to offer lol.

Jumbo, 544 Regular season power play points in his career and another 50 PP points in the post season over his 20+ year career. There's no way he knows more than Manny Molhotra (36 PP Pts in regular season, 1 PP pt in playoffs)

Joe has had greater than 36PP pts in 3 individual seasons for f*** sakes. Blows my mind how Malhotra is still in charge of this PP. I'm fine keeping him on staff because he still has a lot to offer, but having him in charge of the PP is like having a fat personal trainer TBH
 
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Personally there is nothing a PP coach can teach the players we have on our team. The skills alone of these players should be producing and they are not. You could put Gretzky on this unit in his prime and we still would be struggling.

They do not shoot enough, look for the perfect pass too much, and put no presence in front of the goalie. Do these three things more effectively and it will start producing once again. I personally feel having Nylander, Marner, and one of Reilly/Sandin on same powerplay is too much. They are pass first players. PP units should be split once again. Marner and Matthews on one unit, Nylander and Tavares on the other. Put a net presence on both units with a shot presence at the point. Simple.
 
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There was a time when our PP had a point presence with Reilly. He scored 20 plus goals one season with half of them coming from the point on the PP. Most goals werent bombs, simply wristing the puck to the net with a players in front of the net. He had a knack to change the angle of his shots by doing cross overs along the blue line.

This has disappeared, and I dont know how much of that has to do with Marner being main distributor and Matthews being anointed the trigger man. Both Reilly and Tavares have struggled because of this.


Put Nylander, Tavares and Reilly on a unit together with Hyman and Spezza. Matthews, Marner, Brodie, Simmonds and Thornton on the other. Let it ride.
 
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They need to position themselves to shoot. They position to be able to recieve a pass wide open because no one is gonna cover them behind the goal line, high on the side boards, high on the blue line.
If they wanna get score, they need to be in dangerous shooting positions when the receive a pass and they gotta pass into the dirty areas.

And yes, I do know we generate a lot of chances from "dirty areas" however these are slow developing plays and nothing like a cross circle pass to someone like Matthews who's ready to shoot.
 
[TABLE="class: brtb_item_table"][TBODY][TR][TD]Player[/TD][TD]iSF/60[/TD][TD]ixGF/60[/TD][TD] iCF/60[/TD][TD]iFF/60 [/TD][TD]ixGF/iFF [/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Tavares[/TD][TD]15.12[/TD][TD]3.01[/TD][TD] 27.57[/TD][TD]23.12 [/TD][TD] 0.130[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Nylander[/TD][TD]15.09[/TD][TD]2.86[/TD][TD] 20.48[/TD][TD]18.33 [/TD][TD] 0.156[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Matthews[/TD][TD]19.02[/TD][TD]2.59[/TD][TD] 33.38[/TD][TD]28.33 [/TD][TD] 0.091[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Marner[/TD][TD]8.92[/TD][TD]0.99[/TD][TD] 20.82[/TD][TD]12.64 [/TD][TD] 0.078[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Rielly[/TD][TD]8.42[/TD][TD]0.58[/TD][TD] 17.64[/TD][TD]10.02 [/TD][TD] 0.058[/TD][/TR][/TBODY][/TABLE]
Marner has the puck more than any other player on the unit.

1. He takes the same number of shot attempts as Nylander, who is a net front guy
2. When he does take a shot, it get's blocked almost 40% of the time.
3. Assuming it's not blocked, it's not a particularly dangerous shot, especially when you consider shooting talent which xG does not.
4. He has 0 PPG this year.

The other thing that sticks out to me is that Matthews and Tavares don't get a lot of their shots blocked, but they do miss the net quite often.
 
While it's easy to blame coaching... I do believe this comes down to coaching.

Everything they do on the PP is predictable... it's 2-3 "steps" to set up AM with a shot. They have Mitch Marner in a "prime" shooting position, Morgan Rielly in a secondary shooting position... Mitch Marner has 0 powerplay goals this year. Morgan Rielly has 1.

Personally, I think they need to "turn it upside down". Put Marner behind the net, and "work" the powerplay from down low. Nylander & Matthews in the prime shooting positions, JT in a tip/ rebound position. The threat of a cross-ice pass is a lot more effective if the goalie believes the guy with the puck might shoot it.
 
Sweet Leaf said:
They look more dangerous with Sandin on the point.
Click to expand...
Agree 100%.
Reilly has absolutely no vision or creativity.
Yesterday on the PP I saw him totally ignore a wide open Matthews just to take one of his patented muffin shots from the point that, of course, never made it anywhere close to the net.
The guy is brutal, a #3-4 D at best.
 
The reason we haven't been effective in my opinion is because teams have completely taken away the cross seem pass from wall to wall. That was our bread and butter for years. Marner would walk in on his strong side wing, and hit Matthews on his strong side and go shelf.



Teams have completely eliminated this pass from our PP. Which has caused a lot of circling back up to the point/rinse and repeats in hopes that the 2nd and 3rd attempt the window will get wider. Teams are not backing off. and why would they? we don't try anything else lol. Eliminate that pass, and you essentially will kill that PP at a 95% efficiency.

We need to move the personnel around a bit in my opinion. Here's what I'd do:

1. Move JT in front of the net where Nylander presently is. JT is not a great passer, and with that cross seem pass being eliminated they have had to utilize the bumper position a lot more. So many times plays have either ended by going to JT in the bumper, or he just burps it back out to where it came from. I've never seen JT take the pass in the bumper and go to the opposite side of the ice. always a shot on net, or back to where it came from. Extremely predictable. He Has a good catch and release from that spot, but he doesn't do it enough. He would be really effective down low getting rebounds and presenting himself as an option down low when the pucks are on the walls

2. Move mitch to the bumper. Mitch is the most creative player on the team. He can make plays in this position that JT just cannot do. Something that no one can game plan for. Give him creative freedom to make whatever play he wants. Not just the design turn and shoot, and burb back out that we see with JT. He will Draw so much attention that other lanes will naturally open up

3. Move willy to the wall. Willy presents himself as more of a threat to shoot than Mitch. And also has the ability to make those cross seem passes should they present themselves. He has a great shot on his strong side, or on his 1T side. (see below)





4. Lastly, have JT be more mobile in the net front position. Don't just staple him in front of the goalie. Our shooters can beat any goalie clean on any night. He needs to present himself as a passing option below the goal line when the puck is on the wall. It will make PK'ers move their sticks into other lanes, which will present more room to make plays in the middle of the ice.
 
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Since I focused on Marner in my last post I decided to see how this year compares to years past for him:

[TABLE="class: brtb_item_table"][TBODY][TR][TD]Year[/TD]
[TD]iSF/60[/TD][TD]iFF/60[/TD][TD]iCF/60[/TD][TD]ixGF/60[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]16-17[/TD][TD]11.86[/TD][TD]14.17[/TD]
[TD]20.43[/TD]
[TD]1.14[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]17-18[/TD][TD]16.39[/TD]
[TD]20.4[/TD]
[TD]32.44[/TD]
[TD]1.78[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]18-19[/TD][TD]12.01[/TD][TD]15.72[/TD]
[TD]23.44[/TD]
[TD]1.1[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]19-20[/TD][TD]10.91[/TD]
[TD]16.36[/TD]
[TD]20.21[/TD]
[TD]1.22[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]20-21[/TD][TD]8.92[/TD][TD]12.64[/TD]
[TD]20.82[/TD]
[TD]0.99[/TD][/TR][/TBODY][/TABLE]

Aside from Marner being a PP beast in 17-18, the main thing I notice is he's having a harder time actually getting his shot on net. He historically get's between 50-53% of his shot attempts actually on net. He's getting 43% this year.
 
It's too passive.

What I mean by that is the defences have to expend very little energy as they stay in their formation for quite a bit of the Leafs o-zone time while the Leafs pass the puck around.

Some observations:
  • A legit threat from the point would open up space
  • They play too far down low much too often - reduces passing lanes for one-timers
  • The point man really needs to shadow more towards the centre-opposite side of AM. When he rips it high and wide it wraps around to the blue line (and out) at times. AM has to take that shot - he has the best shot in the league but the point man needs that awareness
  • Not enough consistent congestion in front of the goalie
  • 2 players downlow closer to the outside posts would gobble up rebounds and likely slam some sweet garbage goals home
 
Last edited:
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The solution is simple IMHO.

Matthews and Tavares need to take more shots.

That's it.

Two of the best shooters in the game but they try to wait for the right moment too much, sometimes it's best to create a bit of chaos letting defenses know you're shooting at any point.
 
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BM14 said:
defences have to expend very little energy as they stay in their formation for quite a bit of the Leafs o-zone time while the Leafs pass the puck around.
Click to expand...
its so true. We kill the penalties for teams TBH. We just circle the umbrella trying to find that lane that has been completely eliminated. We waste 30-60 seconds per PP just working the puck around trying to find that 1 lane that will never open up. The movement of the puck is so damn predictable.
 
With three meaningless games remaining, they should move Simmonds to PP1 and put him in front of the net. Nylander or Matthews should be the puck carrier not Marner.
 
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MSZ said:
With three meaningless games remaining, they should move Simmonds to PP1 and put him in front of the net. Nylander or Matthews should be the puck carrier not Marner.
Click to expand...

Agreed - they need something like that (more net presence). marner gets too cute with the puck at times too and everyone knows he's going to pass
 
X66 said:
The solution is simple IMHO.

Matthews and Tavares need to take more shots.

That's it.

Two of the best shooters in the game but they try to wait for the right moment too much, sometimes it's best to create a bit of chaos letting defenses know you're shooting at any point.
Click to expand...
who retrieves the puck when the shot does not go it? I guess that is the problem with PP1, too many high skills players who do not like chaos want a clean shot.
 
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seanlinden said:
While it's easy to blame coaching... I do believe this comes down to coaching.

Everything they do on the PP is predictable... it's 2-3 "steps" to set up AM with a shot. They have Mitch Marner in a "prime" shooting position, Morgan Rielly in a secondary shooting position... Mitch Marner has 0 powerplay goals this year. Morgan Rielly has 1.

Personally, I think they need to "turn it upside down". Put Marner behind the net, and "work" the powerplay from down low. Nylander & Matthews in the prime shooting positions, JT in a tip/ rebound position. The threat of a cross-ice pass is a lot more effective if the goalie believes the guy with the puck might shoot it.
Click to expand...
Watching last night it seemed so obvious that marner or anyone really should be in gretzkys office at least some of the time. It would turn the defenders around and create different looks. We need a shooter at the point and Marner and Rielly are not it. One thing I did notice about Sandin who is quickly becoming a fave of mine is he was getting the shot through pretty much every time.
 
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I really want them to go back to start of season units and don't understand why they don't, or generally something like this.

x-Simmonds-x
Marner-Tavares-Matthews
x-Sandin-x

x-Hyman-x
Nylander-Thornton-Galchenyuk
x-Rielly-x

You then still have Brodie or Muzzin who can take reps on the point, in addition to Foligno, Spezza and Kerfoot who can tag in up front. BREAK UP THE BIG UNIT THEY OVER PASS.

Unit one in this case has your 3 best forwards with Simmonds who is great around the net and Sandin who has the IQ to play with them, while until 2 has your two biggest PP shooting threats after Matthews, a great net front guy in Hyman, one of history's best playmakers in Thornton AND Rielly to get creative.
 
I absolutely love Sandin, and am excited about what he brings both now and going forward to this team, but to be perfectly clear. Anyone who suggests he's made the powerplay look better since they put him on the unit, is seeing what they want to see. He's looked very much like Rielly imo, which is a credit to the youngster, but doesn't really change our powerplay dynamic at all
 
X66 said:
The solution is simple IMHO.

Matthews and Tavares need to take more shots.

That's it.

Two of the best shooters in the game but they try to wait for the right moment too much, sometimes it's best to create a bit of chaos letting defenses know you're shooting at any point.
Click to expand...

It's definitely some of that, but I don't think it's quite that simple. Matthews and Tavares need to receive the puck in scoring positions. This is a challenge for Tavares given his net front positioning he needs crisp paces or rebounds he can jump on, and Matthews is under pressure seemingly every single time the puck even comes remotely close to him. They need to get the players moving and trading the puck around more effectively to open shooting chances.

My point is without the movement and passing Matthews is wearing a pk forward the entire time he's on the ice.
 
I might start by trying something different. Radical idea I know. Still waiting for those halftime adjustments a half season later.
 
Fire the guy coaching the PP because he doesn't know what he's doing because he's never been on a PP so why is he coaching the PP?
 
BlueForever75 said:
Put Nylander, Tavares and Reilly on a unit together with Hyman and Spezza. Matthews, Marner, Brodie, Simmonds and Thornton on the other. Let it ride.
Click to expand...

I find it worrisome that our head coach seems to think stacking a line is the answer to poor offensive output rather than changing tactics. (see last season qualifiers)
 
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