The Sabres Power Play is a Problem.

[Brawndo]

Through the First Six Games, the Sabres has been abysmal with the Eye Test Matching the Analytics. 
 

 

The League Average is around 89% and as expected they have the highest expected goals against on the PP, meaning they are giving up the most short handed attempts.

 

The PDO Cast with Dimitri Filipovic and Cam Charron had a recent episode about the Sabres. Charron was with the Leafs Analytics Department until this year 

(It’s a excellent listen about the team, including that Krueger should be in jail for what He did Dahlin) 

 

They did mention that the Sabres are one of the teams who score well off the rush at 5v5, but do not utilize the same tactic on the power-play. Once they enter the zone they set up and allow the defensive team to get set up and their penalty kill this reduces the chance of being successful. Kevin (NTrider825 on Twitter) mentioned they are attempting to use the same power-play that they did with Eichel. The goal is to get the Tage Thompson or Victor Olofsson for one timers, unfortunately other teams have adapted to that and are able to allow their goalie to get into position to meet to save more often than not.  Switching personnel probably will probably make a short term difference but they do need to change the power-play to something different. Although this is a small sample size for this year, the problem was present last season as well. 
 

Attempting to score more off the rush before the PK has a chance to get set up in the zone or perhaps setting up a power-play that’s run for the goal line would be beneficial moving forward. With the amount of talent they have in this team the success rate of the power-play should be much higher. 

 

[Thorner]

Good post/thread

The powerplay performance is both a glaring negative, reflective of the coaching staff (we didn't think this coaching crew wouldn't have flaws, did we?), but also a supremely accessible area for potential improvement. That's the positive - this should be a fixable issue, considering, as you mentioned, the talent is there. 

The powerplay is perhaps one of those spots where simply removing Eichel and allowing the players here to step up to the mantle didn't/doesn't represent a successful strategy. Where perhaps Eichel's 5 on 5 play would occasionally leave something to be desired, resulting in an avenue where a full-team-buy-in can make up most of the "Eichel-to-the-next-closest-player" talent gap, the powerplay is an entirely different animal - there's no replacing what Eichel's command and distribution ability on the PP provided, when it was allotted that time and space a PP generally provides. 

Switching up to a different strategy to the one they used with Jack would appear to be the right call, the numbers kinda speak for themselves. 

[Norcal]

I'd like to know how they decide who's on the powerplay and where they play on said powerplay. 

It would seem a reshuffling is in order either way imo. 

 

[Doohicksie]

Ah yes you can tell the season has started.... the annual PP complaint thread.

[nfreeman]

The PP has indeed been a travesty.

I don't disagree that the scheme is likely a problem, and not just the personnel, but I'd really like to see VO in his office on the #1 PP instead of Mitts.

Also, I second @Brawndo in recommending the PDO podcast.  It was a very good analysis of the Sabres from a couple of pretty knowledgeable Sportsnet hockey guys.

[Thorner]

We've actually had an ~mid-to-slightly-below-mid pack PP since 17-18. 

We had the #1 ranked powerplay in 16-17 with...Disco Dan behind the bench. And, really, looking at the numbers, haven't really had a good one since 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Thorny

[Skibum]

Six games in, winning record, solid west coast road trip, team hasn't looked this good in 15 years, and here we go with 'The Power Play is a Problem". Capitalized and everything. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Skibum

[LGR4GM]

8 minutes ago, Skibum said:

Six games in, winning record, solid west coast road trip, team hasn't looked this good in 15 years, and here we go with 'The Power Play is a Problem". Capitalized and everything. 

If I have a car with a fast engine, best interior, amazing sound system,  and the tires are made out of wood blocks... that's still a problem. What a terrible take. We can't talk about teams very obvious issue? It's so abysmal I just assume they don't score or do much on it. That's worth discussing even if we were Colorado. 

Ftr we look better then in years past but far from good. If better than total ***** is the only standard what are we even doing?

[Brawndo]

34 minutes ago, Thorny said:

We've actually had an ~mid-to-slightly-below-mid pack PP since 17-18. 

We had the #1 ranked powerplay in 16-17 with...Disco Dan behind the bench. And, really, looking at the numbers, haven't really had a good one since 

16-17 had Bob Woods, who has been with Minnesota since, coaching the PP. He’s one of the better ones in league 

[Taro T]

37 minutes ago, Thorny said:

We've actually had an ~mid-to-slightly-below-mid pack PP since 17-18. 

We had the #1 ranked powerplay in 16-17 with...Disco Dan behind the bench. And, really, looking at the numbers, haven't really had a good one since 

Bob Woods was the architect of that.

Need to find a way to steal him back from Minny.

1 minute ago, Brawndo said:

16-17 had Bob Woods, who has been with Minnesota since, coaching the PP. He’s one of the better ones in league 

Yep.  LOL.

[Taro T]

44 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

The PP has indeed been a travesty.

I don't disagree that the scheme is likely a problem, and not just the personnel, but I'd really like to see VO in his office on the #1 PP instead of Mitts.

Also, I second @Brawndo in recommending the PDO podcast.  It was a very good analysis of the Sabres from a couple of pretty knowledgeable Sportsnet hockey guys.

Putting Olofsson "in his office" is one thing they should do.  Problem is, in order to do that, they also have to bump Skinner out of the center of the 1sp PP and put a playmaker there.  Can either slide Mittelstadt there or put Cozens there making a 2 for 2 swap, but after the way Kreuger treated Skinner really doubt Granato wants to take Skinner off PP1 even though a big part of the reason he scores most all his points 5v5 is he's actually a bad fit on the PP.  The only spot he really should be there is down low but the coaches are insisting on having size in that role.

Would really like to see them try 

                              Tuch

Thompson/Mitts  -  Cozens  -  Olofsson

                               Dahlin 

with an entry other than skate the puck past the red line, drop it to the trailer who now tries to skate it in deep w/ everybody else at a standstill and unable to be an option as a pass recipient nor as a forechecker on a dump in.  It worked w/ Eichel.  They don't have another guy w/ the speed, size, & hands to consistently gain the zone 1 on 4.

[Taro T]

2nd unit could be 

                                           Skinner/Peterka

Krebs/ Quinn/Thompson.   -   Mitts/Thompson  -  Peterka/Quinn

                                     Power

(Depending on which guy is the 5th on PP1, Thompson or Mittelstadt.)

[LGR4GM]

They need to run the pp from below the goal line

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

They need to run the pp from below the goal line

Not disagreeing but they aren't doing that w/ Tuch & Okposo the players playing low.  

[Huckleberry]

I would keep Krebs away from the PP for now, he needs to learn to keep it simple.   Always looking for the pretty pass through traffic.

Thompson opposite of Oloffson seems the best way to go, then they have to watch out for bombs from both sides + Dahlin.

[Thorner]

53 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

16-17 had Bob Woods, who has been with Minnesota since, coaching the PP. He’s one of the better ones in league 

That’s right, thanks. 

Correct me if I’m wrong, isn’t he the guy who is the/one of the only guys still running the PP through the pass-from-down-low / near the goal line system? 

37 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

They need to run the pp from below the goal line

Yup isn’t that the bob woods system 

Edited October 26, 2022 by Thorny

[Skibum]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

If I have a car with a fast engine, best interior, amazing sound system,  and the tires are made out of wood blocks... that's still a problem. What a terrible take. We can't talk about teams very obvious issue? It's so abysmal I just assume they don't score or do much on it. That's worth discussing even if we were Colorado. 

Ftr we look better then in years past but far from good. If better than total ***** is the only standard what are we even doing?

It's still OCTOBER.

[Zamboni]

1 hour ago, Skibum said:

It's still OCTOBER.

And in October … it’s a problem. Will it be in November? 
 

Well that’s why they play the games ….

[Taro T]

10 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

And in October … it’s a problem. Will it be in November? 
 

Well that’s why they play the games ….

Except, in the case of the PP, a more appropriate response is: Well, that's WHEN they play the games ...

(Which, barring a major change or 3, will also be the answer to the questions: will it be in December, will it be in December, will it be in January ...)

[Marvin]

3 hours ago, Skibum said:

It's still OCTOBER.

Welcome back.

I think there is a faulty strategy in the design of the power play.  If the strategy looked sound and the bad results looked to be bad tactical decisions during play, I would not be concerned.  Thus, even though it is early, I think concern about the power play is warranted.

Because the Sabres have been successful at even strength on the rush, I would prefer that they try a more direct attack heading into the offencive zone.  I also think they should try varying the structure in the offencive zone, such as playing forwards in the low and mid slot to each draw a checking defender, which could break down the discipline of the PK box and create room around them and give forwards more attack angles for rebounds.

If they keep with the current set-up in the offencive zone, then Dahlin and Power must be in the Eichel role on each unit -- which is why I would abandon the current structure, because that brings them down too low for my blood.

[Drag0nDan]

16 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

They need to run the pp from below the goal line

This!! They're playing cross ice passes, so put a good passer down low and crash the net.  Set up a play to do that and force them to adjust - set up cozens or tuch in front of the net for 1 timers, then have the wall guys crash for rebounds.  If they adjust then you can pass to thompson for the one-timer or one-touch cross ice pass.  Puck needs to move faster, and they need to use the space behind the crease to open some passing lanes.  

[Sabres Fan in NS]

The play of Power is not a problem.

[#freejame]

5 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

The play of Power is not a problem.

Minus his own goal tonight

[Porous Five Hole]

18 minutes ago, #freejame said:

Minus his own goal tonight

I’ve never played D so I don’t know if he was out of position, but it’s hard for me to say that was a miscue. Just bad luck. 

[#freejame]

9 hours ago, Porous Five Hole said:

I’ve never played D so I don’t know if he was out of position, but it’s hard for me to say that was a miscue. Just bad luck. 

It was in jest. That’s just a tough break.