It’s Time To Talk About the Habs Power Play

However, the question remains if they should continue to run the same units and fix their strategies around a bit, or if they should switch up the players to hopefully find a much-needed boost?

The reality is that fixing their power play strategies should be the first move that the Canadiens make to try to get things going. Right now, it seems like both units are focused on passing the puck around in hopes of finding the perfect opportunity to strike; unfortunately that isn’t getting them anywhere. Given their struggles, they really should just try to simplify their game by putting pucks on net with a lot of traffic in front of the net, much like how the Canadiens were able to get the game-winner last night against the Blackhawks. It may have been a 5-on-5 goal, but it shows the basics that would be needed from the power play.

Another issue is that Martin St. Louis switched up where his guys play on the power-play to start the year. Nick Suzuki seems much less effective as a double threat on the left half wall than he has in the past patrolling from the right side. The Canadiens need to reopen the option where Suzuki can feed Caufield cross ice for dangerous shots like in the past. Sure, the Canadiens have Zack Bolduc as a bumper option, which may change things up a bit, for the better, as they have a new threat, but it seems that the whole focus of the power play is now to get Bolduc in the slot and not put focus on things that worked in the past. Players like Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky aren’t being used to the best of their abilities out there right now.

For Slafkovsky and his big body, he should be playing right in front of the net by being a screen and attempting to tip in shots. It’s clear Slafkovsky has a lot of skill, but he is definitely the most effective at screening the goalie and being a presence in front of the net on the power play. In fact, that’s how he scored during Thursday’s game as he moved into the spot in front of the net on the power-play. However, if Suzuki is the one controlling the right half wall, it would allow Slafkovsky to stay in his role in front of the net to grab any rebound in front of the net or work behind the net. The Habs should go back to the basics that made things work in the past. They seem to be trying new things that just aren’t what they should be doing.

As for the 2nd unit, once those guys gain more chemistry, things may start to go better for them. As of now, that unit really only has the very predictable Patrik Laine shot. Once Noah Dobson gets his shot to be more of a threat (doesn’t break sticks), or gets more chemistry with his teammates, as well as Ivan Demidov starts trusting his wrister a bit more, that should take some of the pressure off just always trying to find Laine cross ice. It has really become predictable, which is why it isn’t working.

Many fans believe that the Canadiens should try to change up the units on the power-play, but the truth is the first unit just needs to be made similar to the way it was last year, with Bolduc in the bumper instead of using Caufield there and Laine in Caufield’s main office. If the Habs got back to simplifying things, where the Habs’ top players are in spots they are used to playing. It may be hard to hear, but despite Demidov’s skill, he likely wouldn’t make the first unit that much better, as teams have clued in on his go-to move on the man advantage for the time being. Once Demidov starts choosing to shoot, maybe that will change, but for now, keep him on the 2nd unit for Laine and Dobson.

What would you do to change up the power-play?