The powerplay!!!

[the canadian dream]

Okay. This was coming. I am not jumping off any bridges as I do think the powerplay will correct itself at some point. But right now it's one of the Hawks biggest concerns.



Let's hear some ideas of what you think the Hawks can do to improve this and why you think it has been so unproductive so far this season. It's not something we haven't seen before though and the powerplay is an odd special teams. We have seen teams with great powerplays draw blanks on it during the playoffs and vice versa. But it's still an interesting discussion.



While I know we will see a lot of "fire the coaches" here let's think about what the Hawks could actually do on the ice to improve such a miserable powerplay.



I saw one thing tonight that just drove me nuts. Hawks have a powerplay the face off is outside the Canes zone. Canes line 3 up front and drop one player back!!! We win the face off cleanly and gain possession. THIS IS WHEN YOU DUMP THE PUCK IN AND CHASE IT!!! Instead the Hawks decide to pass it back again and set up for a zone entry that way!! SO WRONG!!!! That gave the Canes time to set up and meet the entry. Hawks may have gained the zone but as soon as they did the Canes were set up and yet again we saw a shot into a Cane player then cleared.



That puck should have been dumped in immediately after the face off win using a forward momentum to chase down the puck. The Canes are forced back deep and there is no way they would have won a chase to the puck in the way they lined up for that face up..no way!!! Forces the play low and opens up the point for a much clearer shot and also allows time for bodies to get in front of Ward.



Does that make sense?



Hawks powerplay needs some versatility. This drop pass zone entry system is not only predictable it's not allowing time for bodies to get to the net and it's not clearing any zones for point shots. I don't hate the zone entry system but a little dump and chase mixed in doesn't hurt. As far as the Hawks go? Never see it at all anymore. I know we all hated it when that is all the Hawks ever did but now it's reversed and we never see it at all. Frankly the Hawks powerplay was more productive back when we played the dump and chase system more.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

11.6%



Sucks like normal...

 

[EbonyRaptor]

The Wings use a play that is a thing of beauty. Basically they pass it QUICKLY between the left half boards to Lidstrom on the left point to Kronwall on the right point back to Lidstrom and they do that several times with Lidstrom is the middle piece then after Lidstrom passes to the left half boards again he drives straight toward the net taking the PK right forward with him while at the same time Kronwall comes across to the left point and takes getts the pass for a one timer which whizzes past Lidstrom who is screening and distracting the goalie. It's like the wheel play in baseball where all the infielders are moving in choreographed precision.



I've seen Detroit use that play twice this season and they scored both times. It's a beautiful thing ... except it's the Wings doing it.

 

[CLWolf81]

I blame Kitchen for coaching the PP.



Just get Haviland to coach both the PP and the PK and we won't have this problem. If the Hawks keep saying they're having problems financially, firing Kitchen is one way to save money and not waste it on something that doesn't work.

 

[the canadian dream]

Thing is the PK is gold. Couldn't ask for a better PK really so if Kitchen is coaching the special teams we can't fully slam him because as far as special teams go the PK is outstanding.



There is something else there besides coaching in my opinion. Not sure what it is. The right players are being used on the PP for the most part. I do think Kitch does have to form a new play though rather than this predictable drop pass in the neutral zone to gain the zone. I really do think a little crash and bang dump and chase could do this team some good.

 

[PatrickSharpRules]

There is a lot of things wrong with our PP. First off Sharp cannot be bringing the puck in the zone, we have arguably the best guy in the league for getting the puck into the offensive zone yet as the season has gone on so far he has done less and less of it.



Also we do not know how to collapse the D and get it to the point where we get the easy goals like a dominant PP team does. Perimeter passing should be something that is a given with the man advantage, and especially when everyone out there is an All-Star. Last night we had good possession for our first full PP in the third period, but the 2 shots ending up coming from Keith out past the circles. Not sure who to blame that on cause it was Hossa, Kane, Toews, Sharp and Keith out there, but for the love of god, when we have the puck in there zone for a minute and a half with a man advantage THATS the best we get?

 

[R K]

The Wings use a play that is a thing of beauty. Basically they pass it QUICKLY between the left half boards to Lidstrom on the left point to Kronwall on the right point back to Lidstrom and they do that several times with Lidstrom is the middle piece then after Lidstrom passes to the left half boards again he drives straight toward the net taking the PK right forward with him while at the same time Kronwall comes across to the left point and takes getts the pass for a one timer which whizzes past Lidstrom who is screening and distracting the goalie. It's like the wheel play in baseball where all the infielders are moving in choreographed precision.



I've seen Detroit use that play twice this season and they scored both times. It's a beautiful thing ... except it's the Wings doing it.

Not sure how much Detroit you have watched but their PP has pretty much blown ass to start the year as well. They are 14th. Not quite a good example to use. Until three games ago they were right down near the Hawks.



It's still a tad early to be complaining about anything just yet.



I mean look at the top five teams ranked in PP. Avs, Sens, Panthers.... Yea.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Not sure how much Detroit you have watched but their PP has pretty much blown ass to start the year as well. They are 14th. Not quite a good example to use. Until three games ago they were right down near the Hawks.



It's still a tad early to be complaining about anything just yet.



I mean look at the top five teams ranked in PP. Avs, Sens, Panthers.... Yea.

Well they are 4/32 (Hawks) on the PP. Every year people say "its still early" but things never change.



ESPECIALLY on the 2 man advantage.



It's a complete joke really.



Luckily they have a 91.3% PK.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Not sure how much Detroit you have watched but their PP has pretty much blown ass to start the year as well. They are 14th. Not quite a good example to use. Until three games ago they were right down near the Hawks.



It's still a tad early to be complaining about anything just yet.



I mean look at the top five teams ranked in PP. Avs, Sens, Panthers.... Yea.

TCD was wondering what could be done to make the PP more effective. I saw Detroit use the play I described twice and, as I stated, they scored both times. I didn't state Detroit was the standard to follow. I just thought that specific play worked pretty well and could be added to the Hawk's repertoire. Sheesh!

 

[howcho]

They have simply become too predictable. I agree with TCD that they need to mix up the entry strategies. I think that the passing suddenly goes for shit as well somehow. Do you remember from the Cup season how Keith would skate backward along the blue line with the puck in a shooting position until he found a seam to let it fly. I have not seen that at all this year. He is mostly at a stand still.

 

[R K]

TCD was wondering what could be done to make the PP more effective. I saw Detroit use the play I described twice and, as I stated, they scored both times. I didn't state Detroit was the standard to follow. I just thought that specific play worked pretty well and could be added to the Hawk's repertoire. Sheesh!

Defensive lately? LOL!

 

[R K]

Well they are 4/32 (Hawks) on the PP. Every year people say "its still early" but things never change.



ESPECIALLY on the 2 man advantage.



It's a complete joke really.



Luckily they have a 91.3% PK.

They've had two of those and scored on one right?



And 3-4 of those PP's were for like 10 seconds or less. Especially the 2.5 seconds the other night where Hossa hit the post on the face off.



We'll see where they are after 20 games before I start thinking about it.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

They've had two of those and scored on one right?



And 3-4 of those PP's were for like 10 seconds or less. Especially the 2.5 seconds the other night where Hossa hit the post on the face off.



We'll see where they are after 20 games before I start thinking about it.

Not sure... but you know how pitiful the Hawks 5 on 3 play has been the last couple years. The Hawks PP % was actually very good last year... from what I remember, it looked a lot worse than that, LOL.

 

[R K]

Not sure... but you know how pitiful the Hawks 5 on 3 play has been the last couple years. The Hawks PP % was actually very good last year... from what I remember, it looked a lot worse than that, LOL.

PP was very good on the road, not so good at home. Everyone blames Kitchen but Q is ultimately responsible for it and has ultimate decision making. He does not take suggestions from ANYONE well from what I've heard. It's Q's way.



I'm not defending the PP either, just going with the fact it's 9 games into an 82 game season.

 

[winos5]

Get Brunette parked in front of the net on the 1st unit. Bickell in front of the net on the 2nd unit. Simple is better IMO, get shots on net and deflect them in or knock in the rebounds. Quite trying the highlight reel stuff every single time we come up the ice.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Defensive lately? LOL!

Yes, I'll admit.



But really, employ a little more reading comprehension so there's no need for defense of something not said.



One more idea for the PP (mine - not Detroit's) is use Leddy as one of the point men. He seems to be the only Dman that might have at least an average long range shot in terms of getting it off quickly with accuracy and velocity. Part B would be to tell Keith to never again shoot the puck from the blue line - he takes too long to get the shot off and even on the rare times it doesn't get blocked it is not on net and most often ends up in a turnover (when blocked) or a clear.

 

[R K]

Yes, I'll admit.



But really, employ a little more reading comprehension so there's no need for defense of something not said.



One more idea for the PP (mine - not Detroit's) is use Leddy as one of the point men. He seems to be the only Dman that might have at least an average long range shot in terms of getting it off quickly with accuracy and velocity. Part B would be to tell Keith to never again shoot the puck from the blue line - he takes too long to get the shot off and even on the rare times it doesn't get blocked it is not on net and most often ends up in a turnover (when blocked) or a clear.

Blow me.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Blow me.

See ... there you go. I knew if you gave a little more effort you were capable of reading comprehension, I'm proud of you - keep up the good work.

 

[R K]

LOL! Yea. +1 for blowing me!

 

[puckjim]

The power play is an embarrassing pile of dog shit.



No reason to wait....Rip away.