Power plays do not get fixed overnight. However over the course of an offseason you want to see improvement. Improvement the Arizona Coyotes have not shown.
I do not think I have the answers on how to fix the Coyotes power play. However neither does Arizona Coyotes’ head coach Rick Tocchet at this point. The Coyotes have gone 0 for 9 on the power play this season.
Your power play should be a difference maker for your team. It should be something that can put you over the edge in a big game or help get you back into it when down by a goal. The San Jose Sharks know all about the importance of a power play when they scored 4 power play goals to get the lead against the Vegas Golden Knights in game 7 last season.
The Arizona Coyotes need a successful power play. Think about it, if the Coyotes scored a power play goal against Boston or Anaheim those games would have been completely different. One goal games where you fall up short at the end always could have been different if you capitalize on the power play chances.
Here is how I think the Coyotes can begin to fix their strange obscure power play.
I would start with Kessel and Keller on the wings. Have those two players create chances left and right for the ‘Yotes with one timers and passes. Now I am not saying the Arizona Coyotes should turn into the Washington Capitals where all they do is set up Ovechkin for the one timers. I just mean that if Kessel and Keller are both their giving two options on either side the unit could maybe succeed more.
Now I know I just described one aspect of the ‘Yotes current power play set up, but here is the thing, they need to change how the play. It can’t be playing the perimeter and passing the pucks up at the point for 15 plus seconds. The Coyotes need to just shoot the puck, get a rebound, shoot the puck, repeat until they score a goal.
One aspect of shooting often on the power play needs to be getting rebounds and getting traffic in front of the net. Enter two player that I want to play a different role on the power play. Derek Stepan has played down low and that is great, but you also need to add in a player like Nick Schmaltz to also try to make the PP better down low.
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Schmaltz has played on the PP as a sort of third winger floating around the perimeter. I want to put him down low trying to get pucks in the net with Stepan. We saw the one issue with the Coyotes power play is they can not find any way to get a rebound. In the game against Vegas. Malcom Subban gave up so many great rebounds but no one was getting on loose pucks. Stepan and Schmaltz will be responsible for the traffic in front of the net with Kessel and Keller shooting.
Also I think Oliver Ekman-Larsson should quarterback the PP. Ekman-Larsson has gone from being someone who is worthy of winning the Norris Trophy to just a shut down defenseman over the course of the last few seasons. I want to see him succeed, and that starts on the power play.
Sure this new configuration does include a lot of the faces on the current power play for the Coyotes, but how they will be used is different. Hopefully the Coyotes power play can get something done against Winnipeg tonight.