The Habs Need To Change Power Play Strategies Again

Only once, while the power play was at its hottest, did Demidov fake a pass to shoot the puck past a netminder. If he wants to continue to build success on the power play with his teammates, the teenager can’t be afraid to let his shot fly. He has an amazing shot, but he often tries to go for the cross-ice pass and then, when that isn’t available, he tends to send the puck to someone on his side of the ice that attempts a cross-ice but often it gets intercepted, like it did when Slafkovsky tried it on multiple occasions to force a pass that wasn’t there. 

The only clear shooter on the power play is Cole Caufield, but the issue with him is that he plays too close to the goal line on the power play and never seems to get the right angle on his shot on the man advantage. There is a reason why Caufield is leading in even-strength goals and not power-play markers, because he is a fast player who thrives from getting his shot off in transition towards the net. Caufield can score on the power play, but as he has evolved into a faster 2-way player, it seems like he isn’t able to get off as great a shot when there is limited space to move around in. With that being said, don’t expect him to score a ton on the power play. Nonetheless, the fact that he shoots when he gets the puck is a positive that others should try when there is a clear lane for them.

The most dangerous shooting threat on the power play as of recently has clearly been captain Nick Suzuki, who has managed to get open for wide-open net chances along the left side of the net, where Demidov can easily thread the puck over to him. However, now that the passing lanes are cut off, the go-to plan is not an option for them anymore. Even if it is not a one-timer, Suzuki has proven that his shot can be a serious threat, but he will always be pass-first if he believes a pass can go through. 

Considering the passing lanes are being covered, the Habs should try to get someone like Demidov or Suzuki to just fire the puck off the half wall, hoping for a rebound that Caufield or Slafkovsky can get a hold of. Just keep it simple, no need to get fancy with it. This should allow the Canadiens to break their 3-game drought of no power-play goals scored.

Slafkovsky has been good on the power play when he just plays in front, as not only does he have a good shot, but he has a big body that can be used to screen the goalie. It’s no coincidence that he currently leads the Habs in power-play goals this season, as when he scores, he’s always in the right position. However, on the flip side, he likes to try to make skilled passes, but that’s not what the team needs from him. On Tuesday, he went back to his old habits, which really hurt the team’s power play. Although during the 5-on-3 man advantage, he was replaced by Noah Dobson on the top unit before he even had the chance to have his struggles later on. The thought was apparently that Dobson could fire the puck through, but the Habs didn’t have anyone to screen the goalie or play in tight like Slafkovsky does, which resulted in nothing getting through to the net. 

That may be a lesson learned for Martin St. Louis that Slafkovsky is likely better to stay on that unit even at 5-on-3 because his size can allow him to create offence for others by dragging guys with him in front of the net at times, or just be the body to bang in a rebound in front. Some people may mention that Slafkovsky had a bad game, but up until that point in the game, there was nothing wrong with his play. It is quite possible that helping the power play on that 5-on-3 would have changed the trajectory of that game for him, but we will never know.

Either way, the Habs should keep all the same guys on their first unit but change the strategy to fire more shots towards the net. This will not only create rebounds, but it may also lead to passing lanes becoming open again.

What do you think of a strategy for the Habs players to just get shots on net during a power play?