Training camp questions #3: What happens to the power play?

[dudacek]

It got lost in the gloom that was last year, but the Sabres power play was deadly.

It was not only best in the league last year, it was the fourth best in the NHL in the past decade.

And that's just two years after being dead last.

 

The players all return but the coaches who designed the PP are gone. And the new head coach ran a mediocre PP in Nashville.

We've added three defencemen who count the extra attacker among their strengths, as well as Pominville who also plays on the PP

 

Systems may change. Players may change.

What can we expect from the extra man this year?

Edited September 2, 2017 by dudacek

[LGR4GM]

Anytime you have Jack Eichel and ROR on your PP, you'll have success.

[bob_sauve28]

Whoever it was in another thread that said we keep number one unit the same and have Pommer, Bowl-you and Scandella fight over a place on the second unit was right on.

 

With a better team, maybe we get more opportunities on the PP.

 

*I think Toronto actually scored more PP goals than we did but their percentage was lower. So we can still improve

[pi2000]

natural regression, still top 10 tho

[Eleven]

natural regression, still top 10 tho

 

I think this is right.  Can't keep pace with last year, but it's a good power play unit.

[jeffismagic]

I think this is right.  Can't keep pace with last year, but it's a good power play unit.

 

Anything less than top 5 with Jack Eichel, ROR, and Risto is a disappointment.

[SwampD]

Players make the power play, not the coach.

 

Top 5.

[qwksndmonster]

It's crazy how good our power play was while sucking so bad at gaining the zone.

[dudacek]

As good as the first unit was, the second was lacking.

I'd consider tweaking it by handing Reinhart's role on unit one to Moulson and building the second unit around Sam.

 

Maybe Sam on the right half-wall, Pommers opposite him and Beaulieu at the point?

Antipin seemed to play the Okposo slot in the KHL so maybe him there and that leaves Kane down low?

 

First unit shouldn't drop off much and it might add some trade value to Moulson.

The second might have some potential.

 

EDIT: that should be Sam on the left half-wall.

Edited September 2, 2017 by dudacek

[jeffismagic]

As good as the first unit was, the second was lacking.

I'd consider tweaking it by handing Reinhart's role on unit one to Moulson and building the second unit around Sam.

 

Maybe Sam on the right half-wall, Pommers opposite him and Beaulieu at the point?

Antipin seemed to play the Okposo slot in the KHL so maybe him there and that leaves Kane down low?

 

First unit shouldn't drop off much and it might add some trade value to Moulson.

The second might have some potential.

 

Last year Jack drove power play 1 and Kane was power play 2. Interesting to see if that changes as you said Reinhart could be a candidate if they wanted to improve PP2.

[Randall Flagg]

Risto is one of the better PP QBs out there, as long as any combination of him, Jack, ROR, Sam, Kyle etc. are on this team, anything below top 10 would be a big disappointment.

[Huckleberry]

I'd put scandella on the first unit instead of risto.

[bob_sauve28]

natural regression, still top 10 tho

If they fell to ten, but the PK rose to 10, that would be a big overall improvement

[Huckleberry]

I'd put scandella on the first unit instead of risto.

1st unit

 

Okposo - O'Reilly - Samson

Eichel - Scandella

 

2nd PP unite

 

Kane - Josefson ? - Pominville

Bealieu - Risto

Edited September 2, 2017 by Huckleberry

[pi2000]

As good as the first unit was, the second was lacking.

I'd consider tweaking it by handing Reinhart's role on unit one to Moulson and building the second unit around Sam.

 

Maybe Sam on the right half-wall, Pommers opposite him and Beaulieu at the point?

Antipin seemed to play the Okposo slot in the KHL so maybe him there and that leaves Kane down low?

 

First unit shouldn't drop off much and it might add some trade value to Moulson.

The second might have some potential.

 

EDIT: that should be Sam on the left half-wall.

if it ain't broke..

[rakish]

I prefer goals for - shorthanded goals against as a better metric for two reasons. One is that PP% doesn't take into account shorthanded goals against (Holy cow, look at the shorthanded goals against Dallas, they must have really bad talent), and Two, it allows you to give meaning to the stat (the Sabres PP was plus 53, the average (roughly) is 40, so the PP helped to a tune of 13 goals, the PK cost them 10 goals, Nilsson helped them a few, Lehner probably even, etc).

 

So looking back a year, what would you have predicted then? League leader San Jose went from 55 to 35 from the previous, to last year. Also ran, in 15-16, Tampa gained 17 while losing Stamkos for most of the year, finishing tied for first. Also ran Pittsburgh got much better with worse talent (I believe Letang was healthy 2 years ago, and not last year, but I could be wrong). Also ran Buffalo got much better, going from 43 to 53 with similar talent.

 

The third thing: Buffalo has OK top end talent, but excellent top end talent? I have my doubts.

 

And fourth, as far as this year, I think what you're going to see is opposing teams watching tape. Eichel's not going to get the open one-timer he got last year.

[Taro T]

natural regression, still top 10 tho

  

Anything less than top 5 with Jack Eichel, ROR, and Risto is a disappointment.

Both of these. Best guess is they're 3rd or 4th overall.

 

  

As good as the first unit was, the second was lacking.

I'd consider tweaking it by handing Reinhart's role on unit one to Moulson and building the second unit around Sam.

Maybe Sam on the right half-wall, Pommers opposite him and Beaulieu at the point?

Antipin seemed to play the Okposo slot in the KHL so maybe him there and that leaves Kane down low?

First unit shouldn't drop off much and it might add some trade value to Moulson.

The second might have some potential.

EDIT: that should be Sam on the left half-wall.

  

if it ain't broke..

Agreed. Injuries will give somebody a chance to show they belong on the top unit but IMHO it would be folly to messw/ the 1st unit out of the gate. With the additions to the line up & the natural maturation process, wouldn't be surprised to see the 2nd unit better than a handful of other teams top units; that WITHOUT scavenging parts from the top unit.

[erickompositör72]

And fourth, as far as this year, I think what you're going to see is opposing teams watching tape. Eichel's not going to get the open one-timer he got last year.

 

I'm sure every team tries the same against Ovechkin. Doesn't work. They're both too good/know how to get open, however you try to cover them.

[Randall Flagg]

 

And fourth, as far as this year, I think what you're going to see is opposing teams watching tape. Eichel's not going to get the open one-timer he got last year.

As soon as someone does this, Jack will see that the cross ice pass to Kane (Columbus, March) or O'Reilly (Arizona, March) and put it on their tape for an easy goal. 

 

His vision won't let them sit on the 1-timer 100% of the time because they know he will hit the seam that opens up. So he will still get shots, and he only needs the one chance to bury it. 

 

There are also situations (the first game against Ottawa) where the shot wasn't there, and he gave it to Risto, and Risto and Kyle (or maybe O'Reilly was in there, and it was Kyle-Kulikov for Eich's Toronto 1-timer) moved the puck on the other side of the umbrella to pull pk forwards away from Jack, and then they put it back to Jack when that happened and he scored. These guys know what they're doing and they know how to get Jack his shot. 

[dudacek]

The above. All of it.

Jack is elite on the PP and the other four are all so good that you can't focus all your PK on Jack because they can score without him.

 

We have some very talented players.

Which is the main reason why I blame Bylsma for our lack of 5-on5 scoring.

[erickompositör72]

Which is the main reason why I blame Bylsma for our lack of 5-on5 scoring.

 

bingo

[Mustache of God]

You keep the first unit the same. Don't fix something when it's the best.

 

Our second unit will be better as well. Pommer will replace Gionta and Scandella / Antipin / Baloo will work the point which will be an upgrade to....I don't even remember? Franson and Kulikov? Franson and McCabe?