The Flames' Anemic Power Play

[Samonadreau]

The power play has been beyond anemic this year and even more so as of late. We would have gotten at least one point today against the Blues, probably 2, if we could have gone 1 for 4. Here are some fun facts:

10.3% on the year, next worst is the Pens at 14.2%.

We are 1/33 (3.0%) in the last 9 games, and in that span have given up 2 shg's which makes us -1 on the man adv. in the last 9 games.

Going back a bit farther: 2/51 (3.9%) in the last 15 games and even because of those 2 shorties.

It is a miracle we have gotten back in the playoff race with those pp stats.

Its starting to look a bit better but still not producing. You would think it would be a matter of time until they just get a lucky bounce and one goes in. Either way something has to give because we are almost better off conceding the pp and staying 5on5 or taking a minor just to go 4on4. Also is it possible to make the playoffs if they finish the season with the worst PP?

Edit: the PK doesnt worry me as much as the PP because the PK is trending up and they are pretty disciplined which keeps them out of the Sin Bin.

[GranteedEV]

-Need to change the forward personel. Colborne et al have earned NOTHING to stay on.

-Wideman needs to stop shooting unless he gets himself into the left side circle. Hamilton should probably get himself to that side as well. Not much use way on the right blue line.

- Russell should not be on the PP.

- Seriously, just get a cycle going down low. Toss out Stajan and Ferland and Jones and just have them get the puck deep.

- Need more hustle and urgency. They waste about 10+ seconds every PP just lazily skating in their own zone.

[cofias]

As soon as we get on the PP one of our guys needs to run the goalie hard or cross-check a star player in the face, to gain an advantage and turn the play into a 4v4.

[JiriHrdina]

Well the good news is they are due!

[KootenayFlamesFan]

They've had chances lately but they need to start going in. So far they've been way too slow too often. Need more urgency.

More shots from the point with traffic (especially Ferland) like we saw at times today and they should start going in.

Hard to see them make the playoffs with both the worst PP and PK in the league, though.

[Samonadreau]

The PP is killing them more so then the pk. They are pretty disciplined and the PK has been better of late.

I bet they could have an average pp the rest of the year and still be last because of the hole they have dug. In that retrospect they probably could finish last in pp and still make the post season.

Problems:
- The breakouts are slowed down by the D that take 15 seconds to decide what they are going to do.
-I dont know what happened to the Wideman of last year but he is gone. This Wideman has a terrible read on when and where to shoot. Same for Russell most of the time.
- the forwards stand still and arent creating the gaps necessary.
- need quicker tape to tape passes. Tick tack toe style.
- need better net front presence with, again, better reads from the D on where and when to shoot.

[DoubleK]

Why don't they hit up Adam Oates who seems to be freelancing as a PP specialist. He's been working with Detroit of late.

[AC]

Originally Posted by cofias

As soon as we get on the PP one of our guys needs to run the goalie hard or cross-check a star player in the face, to gain an advantage and turn the play into a 4v4.

I would legitimately support this. View a PP has a free chance to send a message and go to town 4-on-4.

[JJ1532]

Sorry, but for me Brad needs to sit down with Hartley and seriously discuss Gelinas' role with the team. Ok, he might be a decent coach, but our PP has been listless for too long to think its simply a player issue. I'm not calling for him to be sacked, but they have got to take a long hard look at why the PP is so poor.

The strategy for gaining the zone is awful, the strategy for actually scoring is non-existant. I mean, what are we going for on a PP? Who is the guy we look to to score, or create that killer pass to set up someone to score? Who is QBing the different units? Sure, 1 or 2 of the PPs in the last 2-3 games have looked a little more dangerous, but its still poor.

For me, Gelinas needs to look at working on a 1-4 PP, with 4 forwards. Gio and Brodie alternate between the 1st and 2nd units, then you start switching up the forwards in a bid to find a combination that works.

[GirlySports]

At this point id put Engelland in front of the net

[MisterJoji]

I think this where we will see how good of a coach Gelinas is. His current system, whatever that may be, has been pitiful. Is he going to change his system up or is he going to just wait and see if/when it starts going? No one panicked after their terrible start to the season and we're starting to see the same team we saw last year as they scratch and claw their way up the standings. Are they hoping the decent PP they had last year will start to show up as well?

[Fire of the Phoenix]

I'd force out Monahan-Bennett-Gaudreau Hamilton-Brodie until it works. Can't get any worse, might as well go with the young guys who will be instrumental to offensive success for the next half decade. No need for the big body, we don't have one who can be like Franzen anyway. We might as well work to our strengths.

[doctajones428]

I've lost my patience on this power play situation. Raymond and Colborne have been absolutely useless on the PP but we continue to keep rolling them out. You have SAM BENNETT on the bench while Raymond is getting top line PP minutes. Tell me how this makes any sense? It makes me absolutely furious that Hartley/Gelinas/whoever continues to let this happen. It hasn't worked and it will continue to never work. I see it, we see it, you can't tell me the coaches don't see it.

I almost never get upset when watching hockey, but seeing those same power play lines get rolled out 4 times and flounder had me yelling and cussing at the TV like an idiot. That was a game we could have won if we scored on one of those powerplays, but let's continue rolling out two guys who have zero PP points this year.

Bennett. Granlund. Jones. Stajan. Ferland. Jooris. Give me any of those instead of Raymond/Colborne. It's not working. Change it up.

[Erick Estrada]

LOL at people blaming Raymond and Colborne. Much like the defensive issues earlier in the season the powerplay issues are a team issue not an individual issue. Some of the blame in particular has to to go the point men who simply haven't got enough pucks on net. If they just tee'd off on every powerplay eventually they would get one in but it's lots of missed nets and pucks shot directly into defenders. I can't count how many times the team has moved the puck around and the point man passes on clear shots only to later take a shot that has virtually zero chance of getting by a defender closing in on them.

[Chingas]

It is hilarious to me now. That fact that Raymond continues to get top unit minutes friggin hilarious.

Colborne our "big man" spent more time at the blue line than below the dots tonight.

I thought Ferland was our best player tonight not named Johnny, and was yelling at my tv to give him some pp time. So i was relieved when i saw him get his ten seconds or so lol, despite it being with Raymond lol.

I agree that the dmen waste to much time and miss many chances of our forwards driving up the ice causing everyone to have to regroup. Further more the lack of shots on net from the point is one thing, but rebounds are useless without our forwards in the area to capitalize.

I know that it is ridiculous to think that we know more than the coaches but how the hell cant they see what what seems so painfully obvious?

[Fire of the Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

LOL at people blaming Raymond and Colborne. Much like the defensive issues earlier in the season the powerplay issues are a team issue not an individual issue. Some of the blame in particular has to to go the point men who simply haven't got enough pucks on net. If they just tee'd off on every powerplay eventually they would get one in but it's lots of missed nets and pucks shot directly into defenders. I can't count how many times the team has moved the puck around and the point man passes on clear shots only to later take a shot that has virtually zero chance of getting by a defender closing in on them.

No one is blaming Raymond and Colborne but they are clearly the worst players being deployed on a consistent basis on the league's worst PP.

The defense isn't the problem aside from Wideman losing his mojo (which I think he'll get back). The problem, in my eyes, is a total lack of creativity down low from the forwards. Gaudreau is the only one with a creative bone in his body at the moment, and that just won't do. The D don't have any options but to lob it in hoping something will happen because the puck dies once the forwards get it. There is no confidence, and thus no creativity.

All is not ls lost however, I think they are very close to opening the flood gates IMO. The PP has looked much better in December, despite the lack of results. We are one good game away from breaking out, I can feel it. This is not a historically bad PP, they just look like one so far. This is like the opposite of our good sh% last year, this will balance out.

[sun]

Think we need to see five D out there.

[dying4acup]

This is where I think the lack of RH shots up front hurts. I wouldn't try to deploy a 1d 4f pp because our D have shown offensive potency, and are actually RH balanced.

Having a really good RH on the top unit (Jones is sufficient for 2nd unit) would help as it would give Johnny a 2nd RH one-timer option.

Lol, I hate to say it, but Iginla would be a pretty solid option.

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by dying4acup

This is where I think the lack of RH shots up front hurts. I wouldn't try to deploy a 1d 4f pp because our D have shown offensive potency, and are actually RH balanced.

Having a really good RH on the top unit (Jones is sufficient for 2nd unit) would help as it would give Johnny a 2nd RH one-timer option.

Lol, I hate to say it, but Iginla would be a pretty solid option.

Hudler for Iggy at the deadline?

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Party Elephant

Hudler for Iggy at the deadline?

Wouldn't Colorado need him just as bad as we do? And why do they want Hudler?