Powerplay Woes

[rabbit3119]

Let's face it, we haven't had a steady powerplay arsenal in years. We have fast and crafy players. Vermette, Boedker, Vrbata, Korpikoski, yet we can still hardly ever break into the zone cleanly. I think we need a new Assistant Coach, one who specifically works on special teams. Jim Playfair is our defense coach, so i don't think there is a problem there, but John Anderson falls into the category of assistant coaches who have yet to solve our powerplay issues. Am I crazy for suggesting this? We change our roster all the time, we change coaching personnel very rarely. Even last year with Whitney we had difficulties getting in and setting up. I don't know, but frankly I'm sick of it.

[AP]

The teams issues right now go far deeper than the Powerplay which to be fair i1st 2 games is better than what we have seen in most of Tippett's time as Haed Coach. I'll have to chack the numbers from Dallas but maybe his system is not cut out for the PP even if we do get the skilled players on offense.

[Guest]

You know I watched closely tonight and it reminded me so much of the series against Chicago last summer. Chicago pressures our defense and kills our breakout, we bobble the puck around our blueline and halfway try to make it up the ice. I think one of the major problems with the powerplay is the breakout and it's something that teams expose with pressure.

The Coyotes powerplay looks pretty decent if they win a faceoff in the offensive zone, and they are pretty decent about holding the zone in that situation. If they get a weak breakout then they often dump and chase the puck and that makes it difficult to keep the zone. If they could get guys like Yandle and OEL to maybe carry the puck up the ice on the power play it may help, especially if they are supported as a 5 man unit coming up the ice to help back off the pressure.

[Tom Polakis]

They can hire the best power play coach in the world, and it isn't going to make this group of forwards into skilled players. With Whitney in the lineup last year, this was the second worst PP in the league. Really, who are our PP specialists this year?

[rt]

The powerplay, as ineffective as it has been has actually been a COMPLETELY different look from seasons past, ESPECIALLY on the break out. They had a D (usually OEL) break out with speed and drop the puck at center ice for a trailing forward charging up ice with a full head of steam(usually Boedker) and trying to gain the zone at top speed. It has failed, and it looks like a gimmick, but it IS like nothing theyve tried in theppast. Haha.

[rt]

Originally Posted by Tom Polakis

They can hire the best power play coach in the world, and it isn't going to make this group of forwards into skilled players. With Whitney in the lineup last year, this was the second worst PP in the league. Really, who are our PP specialists this year?

Hopefully Rundblad emerges and Yandle bounces back. Big steps forward by Boedker and OEL would also help tremendously. Also, Moss makes a great screen and we haven't seen that yet in these first TWO games. Two games.

[TeamTippett]

TO BE FAIR WE ARE 16th IN THE LEAGUE ON THE PP