Analyzing The Habs PP Units

As expected, both Hutson and Noah Dobson were quarterbacking their own unit at practice on Sunday. When looking at the units, it’s honestly hard to see how the units can’t both be top power-play units on most teams with the perfect balance that was created by the coaching staff.

For Hutson, he had the three players that he had the most by his side since taking over the top unit, in Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. However, their unit has also been given Zachary Bolduc as the 5th man, which could prove to be interesting, especially if Bolduc is used in the bumper, where he was known to score the majority of his power-play goals.

This power-play unit will continue to revolve around Caufield’s shot from the left side, along with Hutson and Suzuki setting him and the other players up for the best possible scoring chances. However, Suzuki may be the true biggest factor on the power-play as he is the best triple-threat of all the players, which is why he sometimes played entire power-plays last season.

The truth is nobody can do all of skating the puck up ice to get back into the zone, pass and shoot the puck as well as Suzuki can. There are things where someone does a single thing better than the captain, like shooting, where Caufield and Bolduc may have an edge on Suzuki, or Hutson with skating and playmaking, but nobody has a better combination of the three that Suzuki brings to the table.

As for the final guy on the unit, Slafkovsky, he will excel in doing all the work down low with his big physical frame. Whether it’s setting up his teammates close to the net, grabbing the puck in the right corner of the zone, screening the goalie on his teammates’ shots or attempting to bang in rebounds, Slafkovsky will make his linemates’ job easier by being the nuisance that completes the unit.

The other unit, which is quarterbacked by Dobson, will also feature similar traits that could make it almost, if not as effective as, the first unit. It will start with Dobson, who will be able to control the puck along the blueline and help set up everyone in the offensive zone. Unlike Hutson (although he is improving), Dobson also can be a threat with his hard one-time slap shot from the point, giving his unit an extra shot booming shot that can make it different than the other unit.

While on the first unit, it is Suzuki that is the triple threat; for this unit, it would have to go to the uber-skilled rookie Ivan Demidov, who has shown that he can do just about anything when it comes to offense. Despite being a rookie, the actual power-play unit may run through him. It makes sense to split him and Suzuki up on the power-play if you are looking for the most balanced two units possible. Without Demidov being there and having Bolduc there instead, the 2nd unit would be missing a true playmaker.

Demidov also has great chemistry with Patrik Laine offensively; they have been working almost all summer to be able to play on the power-play together. There is likely not a better one-time wrister on the team than Laine, and Demidov will soon be the best player at threading cross-ice passes, which could form one of the best power-play duos in the NHL this season.

Kirby Dach has shown in the past that he can be very good on the power play. There is a risk that he may struggle to get going in that role again, but now that the 2nd unit is filled with talent, he will have an easier time receiving the puck and dishing it out compared to last year when he was playing. Dach will be given every chance to succeed in this role, and given the other options, he’s probably the best option to be at the bumper on this newly formed unit. 

In front of the net, the Habs will have a smaller but tough nonetheless Brendan Gallagher, who will work by being a nuisance for opposing netminders as he tries to dig out a rebound on every shot that gets stopped. Even as he’s aged and gotten injured, Gallagher has never stopped being a good power-play player for the Canadiens in front of the net. With the new influx of talent, his role will also not be as important as it once was on the 2nd unit when that really was the only true threat when the first unit got off the ice. 

Unlike we’ve seen before, it truly seems the Canadiens are going for more of a power-play 1A and 1B type of style with their two units. Hopefully, it looks as good on the ice as the idea looks on paper.

How do you feel about the power-play units announced on Sunday?