[Red]

Originally Posted by smiggy77

Saying we have no good shooters in the slot seems inaccurate when you have Mony parked there and also some strong shooters like Ferland, Janko, and Tkachuk.

On the back end, they don't have one D man holding the entire line. They run an umbrella for the most part, thus it is the responsibility of the wingers to hold the boards and 1/3 of the zone while the D in the center takes center ice while providing some support on the board side.

At the end of the day, the point of the umbrella is to provide options to maximize passing in the offensive zone as well as an outlet for a quick shot.

Yes, you risk having the other team dump the puck out, but that's a risk that is worth it on the powerplay to maximize your offensive potential. Your not focused on who can hold the line, you're focused on gaining puck possession and maintaining control of the Ozone as quick as possible.

Now the adjustment you've seen is that our system (along with most pp's, it isn't a groundbreaking formula) is that it cycles between the umbrella and standard positioning in the O zone. The problem is you need all 5 players to be in unison to maximize the possibility of maintaining possession. It's tough to script and you need everyone to be on board.

More than anything, it's an issue of IQ and practice. Versteeg is known for having good puck control and IQ in those situations, thus he's very useful in PP scenarios. Skill and speed is a bit lower, thus why we don't see significant impact from him on 5-5.

Another reason why you'll see Janko getting more time on PP compared to Bennett right now. Janko has solid IQ and skill, just needs the practice, while Bennett's IQ isn't as strong.

The PP is a much different game than 5 on 5 and you can't implement a 5 on 5 system. It's more tactical and precise. Right now, It just seems that the precision and practice is more of an issue, especially against some strong PK teams.

How many goals have these guys scored from the dot or beyond?
Our PP goals seem to mostly be from up close. We lack the big shot.