I have never understood the way Sharp has been used on the PP the last couple years. He was the backdoor recipient for a while. But they went to that well too long and now he is back on the point. Yes....he is a sniper. But he is much more useful getting set up in the slot or positions like that to snipe. Not 'sniping' from the blue line. Seems like a waste of his talent. Leddy gets the puck on the net also besides Seabrook. He has a pretty good shot.
The PP was bad last year too, but the average fans on this board were blinded by the high "ranking".
Where did I ever make playoff predictions? Show me.
This is correct. I opened a thread on our struggling PP last season when Kane sprained his ankle and was to be out for a while. The stats said we were doing alright and that was the argument thrown at me from all directions. It was obvious to me and a few others then that we had major issues and they have not gone away. In fact are now chronic. Q has made a big mistake by keeping Kitchen through all of this…. Not all franchises would be so forgiving.
If the ineptness doesn’t turn around in the PO’s, our chances are slim.
I love the unit but I don't like Sharp on the point, never have. He needs to be near the net, especially since he shoots high very well and that's the best way to get one by Smith. I'd put Toews on the point with Seabrook, (Toews taking draws and shifting back though), Sharp-Kane-Hossa up front.
I love the unit but I don't like Sharp on the point, never have. He needs to be near the net, especially since he shoots high very well and that's the best way to get one by Smith. I'd put Toews on the point with Seabrook, (Toews taking draws and shifting back though), Sharp-Kane-Hossa up front.
Havinf Toews on the point, makes some sense to me. It also serves the purpose of keeping Toews out of the traffic areas on the PP and helps ease him back into the line up.
That said, I'd still rather have Hayes in the slot, playing the Buff role. We can't continue with the periphery system in the playoffs. It's time to get dirty.
obviously this is just a thread so panzer can complain about Q again...
we dont know who this new power play will work out...maybe he will keep the first unit out for most of the time every power play. It could work unbelievably well, what is the point of complaining before we see it.
I don't think it's the players that are the cause of our woeful PP, but the system they run. No matter how you slice it, we should have a killer PP with Toews, Kane, Sharp, Hossa, Keith, Seabrook, Oduya, Leddy that all have good qualities for the PP.
Maybe loading up our first unit will do it, because obviously the system won't. It's worth a shot.
Havinf Toews on the point, makes some sense to me. It also serves the purpose of keeping Toews out of the traffic areas on the PP and helps ease him back into the line up.
That said, I'd still rather have Hayes in the slot, playing the Buff role. We can't continue with the periphery system in the playoffs. It's time to get dirty.
Agreed on all points. We should have both. First unit loaded with stars, 2nd unit more of a workman like simple and effective PP:
Hayes (In front)-Bolland-Stalberg (If Hayes is in front, you need someone who can get around with the puck and chase it down)
Keith (could be Oduya here if you want to play the piss out of Keith even strength and PK)-Leddy
I love the unit but I don't like Sharp on the point, never have. He needs to be near the net, especially since he shoots high very well and that's the best way to get one by Smith. I'd put Toews on the point with Seabrook, (Toews taking draws and shifting back though), Sharp-Kane-Hossa up front.
I guess we will have to wait and see how it works out, but I would assume that the reason for putting Sharp on the point is so that they can concentrate working from one side. I would guess that they will try to work the puck to Kane on the right half boards and then look for one timers from Seabrook at the top of the point and Sharp sliding down to the top of the left circle. Sounds like a good idea, but in order for it to work we have to gain entry and control the puck which has been the biggest problem on the PP all year.
I guess we will have to wait and see how it works out, but I would assume that the reason for putting Sharp on the point is so that they can concentrate working from one side. I would guess that they will try to work the puck to Kane on the right half boards and then look for one timers from Seabrook at the top of the point and Sharp sliding down to the top of the left circle. Sounds like a good idea, but in order for it to work we have to gain entry and control the puck which has been the biggest problem on the PP all year.
Right, last year they were able to attract enough attention to the right side to allow Sharp and Seabrook (at times) to be left open and slide down for the back door play. Like you said, you have to cycle well to throw the PK off. Most times this year they set up in a standard box and the Hawks can't do anything to get them to leave position so they end up shooting it into their shin guards.
I think the biggest problem with our PP, as Olczyk and Foley like to point out, is that our entry into the zone is terrible. We try to skate it in every time... which worked in years past when teams didn't fully recognize that this is a big strength for us and how we set up quickly.
Now you notice the opponent's two forwards standing at the red line and angling the puck carrier to the outside for their defensemen to poke check us at the blue line. No matter who's on our PP unit, if we can't skate the puck in and we refuse to dump and chase... we're not setting up at all.
This is why I think we should have Stalberg on the 1st unit and try dumping the puck into the weaker defenseman's corner, Stalberg skates in and retrieves it and works it up to the half-wall/point. From there, send him to the slot/in front of the net and try to get shots on net. He's pretty decent in tight and has the speed and strength to retrieve the puck and make plays when we're cycling.
Also, I agree with those saying to send Hayes to the front of the net. He's huge, he's got pretty soft mitts for a big guy and seems to have a knack for deflecting pucks. That role utilizes all of his best assets pretty well... not sure why it hasn't been a more regular thing with how awful our PP has been.
I liked when Campbell and even Leddy at times (Campoli a little too), would get up to full speed entering the zone, everyone would come in with them, then they either keep puck and carry it all the way to the goaline and fire a shot or dish it back to an open man. I haven't seen the D-men willing (or having enough confidence) to go goal line to goal line with the puck.
Leddy has done that quite a few times in the past few games, actually. I remember because I kept thinking about how he plays a better overall game when he is rushing the puck out of our zone and skating it from end to end... must be a show of confidence when he's playing like that.
But I agree that we don't do it nearly enough. We have Keith, Seabrook, Oduya and Leddy who have all shown that they're capable of doing it effectively but don't very often.
