Letter to: Mr. Marc Bergevin

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

Good morning Mr. Bergevin

This letter is in regards to the successful progression of our Montreal Canadiens towards re-capturing the Stanley Cup. Our recent success up to and including the start of this season, shows that we are in good hands with you and Michel at the helm and I'd like to thank, as well as congratulate you for our success thus far.

Moving forward, while carefully studying the Montreal Canadiens play so far, as well as envisioning what to do on the ice, in order to continue to take advanced steps towards elite play. Id like to focus on the power play man advantage as a part of play that we must focus on for improved performance. Outlined below these steps can help lead us in the right direction to a success rate of more then 23%.

1) Andrei Markov needs to QB from the left point and not continuously flip flop with PK in order to get PK's shot open... to much time is wasted on the PP just to get his shot off. this can be accomplished by replacing Subban's right handed shot on the point.

2) Nathan Beaulieu at the right point instead will offer the type of play needed to promote success on the PP. For one, the ever dangerous "one timer" from the point will come much quicker and with more gaps to the net! (the space between PK and Andrei on the point is to large because Andrei needs to square up to make the pass unless he is using the backhand. Most importantly there will be stability on the point with less movement and more presence along the line!

3) a left handed shooter/ playmaker (Galchenyuk) on the right half boards

4) right handed shooter/ shooter (Semin) on the left half boards

5) a left handed C (Eller)

PP1

R Semin - left half boards (right handed one timer and can crash the crease)

L Galchenyuk- right half boards (left handed one timer and crash the crease)

L Eller - center (net presence and puck possession in corners/behind net)

L Markov - Left Defence (THE QB from the left point and back door )

L Beaulieu- Right Defence ("the Left Handed" One Timer and hold the point)

PP2

R Gallagher -left half boards

L Pacioretty -right half boards

L Plekanec -Center

L Markov -left D

L Beaulieau -right D

In this scenario the OFF lines are intact creating a fluent transition from power play back to 5on5 play. the defensive pairings however are broken during the power play but not so much, if and when Nathan is moved up the defensive pairings and Emelin is moved down.

With markov being your QB and the play funnelled through him you'll see that Nathan and his left handed one timer will be much more easier to get off effectively because of the shorter distance between the pass. This pass is ideal and this setup will help in not giving the defensive 4 man box time to shift into position. If the penalty killer is playing high in the box to take the point shot away from Beaulieu, it will open up the gap to get the pass over to Alex/ Max on the right half board for a one timer or cross crease back door play. This initial pass can only be made effectively with a lefty on the left point (Andrei). Eller paying the price in front of the net would be essential in disrupting the netminder by creating screens as well as creating lanes for the shot. The puck will be easier to cycle around the zone as well, while allowing the back door play to become effective as evidenced by Markov stepping up from the point to set up Deharnais in the crease for the "tap in" game 1. Semin and or Gallagher will also be an option on the backside of the net down low for pacioretty and or beaulieu because of them both being left handed shots lined up on the right side. Also the center coming out from the right corner would be extremely dangerous passing to the one timers off the right boards or markov stepping up from the point. We can go on and on about plays derived from this setup, however i know your time is valuable and the set plays in this set up are vast and easily articulated.

As I'm aware, this tactic has been brought up before as witnessed late last year when Mr. Therrien went with Jeff Petry and PK Subban in the playoffs. The problem was and continues to be that they are both right handed shooters and the puck will not move fluently unless the forwards are switched to 2 right handed shooters and 1 left handed shooter.

an ideal line would then be

PP3

L Galchenyuk - Right half boards

R Semin- Left half boards

R Mitchell- Center (only right handed C)

R Subban

R Petry

Petry - being the QB and back door

Subban and Semin - being the key one timers on the left

Galchenyuk - backside post and net crash

Mitchell - coming out from left corner

The one liability to this setup in open play would be the ability to hold the puck in on the right point because of the left handed sticks, but with alex or max squeezing the boards and nathans agility at the point, i can't see that being to much of an issue.

We can all agree that offensive zone entry is a whole other topic on this power play and at this point, step 1 should be getting the right guys in the right positions to succeed. I am under firm belief that 4(four) left handed sticks and 1(one) right handed stick on the PP is the answer we are looking for and we have all the right personal to do it. If given ample time, history shows of its rate of success. The only true question now is if Mr. Therrien is ready or willing to promote Nathan Beaulieu to the first wave of the PP with Markov and demote PK Subban to the 2nd wave with the risk of disrupting one of our most important players moral.

Another option could always be to move of PK Subban to the left half boards in order to keep him on the first wave but that would disrupt the transition back to 5on5 lines when using 3 defenders at once.

Recommondation:

• implementation of PP1
• promotion of Nathan Beaulieu to 2nd DEF pairing to help with 5on5 transition. (after PP time, the 3rd pairing D plays)

Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Regards,

Anthony

"In The Hearts of Men"

Sr. Hockey Expert of the Montreal Canadiens

[DON]

I wouldn't even have Subban on the 3rd PP unit...for now at least.

[BlueKross]

I am not sure what you just said, but good for you. I find it ironic that the Canadiens have let the power play slip for the better part of two seasons and finally they bring in new players and coaches with the powerplay production in mind and after three games there is a BIG panic. Where was all this urgency a year ago? Give the new group a fair shake.

[BCHabnut]

He's saying that having a lefty qb the power play on the right side and your sniper on the right side as well is way too easy to defend against. One because the lefty has to take a second to adjust his body to set up the one time at the point, and two because the cross seam pass to the sniper ain't gonna happen when the whole right side of the ice is covered. They can't use the whole offensive zone. The left corner of the ice is almost never used on our power play, so defenders just bottle up the right side and make sure Subban is covered in the middle.

[DON]

Sorry, just seems the same ineffective group beating head against the wall, as have been for going on 3 years now and simply outside the box ideas must be considered...and they cant get any worse than 1PP goal and giving up 1 SH goal in bout 20 opportunities, even 5 on 3 was frickin fugly.

[Meller93]

What about using subby in a forward position? Is puck control down low, vision, passing and shot seem like to much of an asset NOT to use. The only reason they are working now is because everyone knows how he's going to be used.

He could be used instead of Semin on the first wave.

I still think one of MTL's biggest problems on the pp is simply establishing possession in the zone. We attempt to break in and lose it more often than not. Once we have possession we are generally dangerous. It's the repeated unsuccessful zone entries that really make me hate the powerplay.

[RobRock]

So you want to take PK off the 1st PP unit powerplay, and double-shift Markov - your oldest d-man - and Beaulieu - who's still trying to solidify himself as a top-4 blueliner. Not sure if that is going to pay off.

I am in agreement that Markov and Subban should/could be split up. For the past couple of seasons, the opposition has done a pretty good job in taking away the point shot from Subban, and he seems to either skate his way into clear ice or try to force a bad shot through. And he never seems to be able to set-up for a proper one-timer from the point, at least not with Markov. He may have to take a page out of Markov's playbook and get a little more creative.

First, if the shot isn't available, you could always try the pass off the backboards. Markov was very good at shooting the puck wide enough and at the right angle that it would come back out to the low winger on the other side, with the goalie out of position.

Second, instead of staying out at the point, or at the very least above the circles, try working the puck to the forward on the other side, and then sliding in on the blind side uncovered. At the very least, it keeps the forward covering Subban from staying high and making him move more, which in turn might allow for a little more open space at the point.

On the whole, there really isn't much movement from any of the blueliners on the powerplay, and Beaulieu is more of a pass-oriented player than he probably could be. If the blueliners moved around a little more, and kept the penalty killers moving with them, it should either open up the middle of the ice for the forwards to get shots or free themselves up.

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

-no i don't want to double shift anyone... just throwing combinations of lines out there.

-yes i want to take PK Subban off the first PP unit... this would be a significant alteration of the make up of the PP, something we desperately need.

12% just won't cut it anymore 2 years running...

if you wanted 2 units i would say

1st wave

galchenyuk

semin

eller

markov

beaulieu

4 lefties 1 righty

2nd wave

gallagher

pacioretty

mitchell

subban

petry

4 righties 1 lefty

[RobRock]

it would be really good if you could get a third forward unit to roll out there, say Desharnais, Plekanec and Weise or Fleischmann. Roll three sets of forwards and two pairs of d-men.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I'm sure the coaches (and Bergevin) have discussed all these issues and possible configurations at some length.

To my mind, the problem is in the players' heads. It's up to them to execute, to play in sync, and - most importantly on any PP - to go to the net and to move the puck around with confidence and aggressiveness. No amount of tweaking by coaches will do anything at this stage, unless it's simply to shake up the bad chemistry. What it often takes to change a toxic PP culture is some big change that blows up the old mentality and lets players start with a clean slate: e.g., firing the coaches, bringing in new players uncontaminated by the PP culture of failure, etc.. Other than that, the players just have to grind their way out of it. (And even if they do, and start having success with the man advantage, there is the standing danger of reverting back to memories of failure at key moments, like a playoff series).

[Commandant]

I'm sure the coaches (and Bergevin) have discussed all these issues and possible configurations at some length.

To my mind, the problem is in the players' heads. It's up to them to execute, to play in sync, and - most importantly on any PP - to go to the net and to move the puck around with confidence and aggressiveness. No amount of tweaking by coaches will do anything at this stage, unless it's simply to shake up the bad chemistry. What it often takes to change a toxic PP culture is some big change that blows up the old mentality and lets players start with a clean slate: e.g., firing the coaches, bringing in new players uncontaminated by the PP culture of failure, etc.. Other than that, the players just have to grind their way out of it. (And even if they do, and start having success with the man advantage, there is the standing danger of reverting back to memories of failure at key moments, like a playoff series).

Exactly... once the forwards start making plays down low, it will re-open Subban's point shot. That requires a lot of things... going to the net... moving their feet (a big issue with the pp on the weekend was that everyone was stationary).... and creating chances that don't rely on the two dmen to finish.

That said, taking a guy with 57 career NHL goals, and replacing him on the first unit of the powerplay with a guy who has 1 goal in 91 career NHL games, is craziness, and clearly not the answer.

[KoRP]

Exactly... once the forwards start making plays down low, it will re-open Subban's point shot.

That said, taking a guy with 57 career NHL goals, and replacing him on the first unit of the powerplay with a guy who has 1 goal in 91 career NHL games, is craziness, and clearly not the answer.

Thank you !!

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Subban - Galchenyuk - Pacioretty

Markov - Petry

Markov has shorter distance to give Subban one timer passes. Petry can feed Chuck and Patches. Patches in the Kovalev zone. Three defencemen should mean less breakaways from penalty killers.

BOOM! GIVE ME THE JOB!

[DON]

Beaulieu-Petry assist on PP goal on 1st PP unit, so worked for one game.

[CWO4LIFE]

I dont agree with the post Markov needs to limit his minutes Bealieu is younger and offensivly more talented at his age. PK i think should play forward on the power play and allow his creativitty to take over. I do agree Markov and PK flip flopping waste time and is to obvoius. I have noticed this year Galchenyuk has been used more often down low they need to attack down low then the point will open up more. When PK plays the point they over compensate by his presence if he is to stay at the point they need to keep stuffing it down low

[Machine of Loving Grace]

On looking at the PP's lack of success, I've noticed five things:

1. PK Subban is often protected against by shot blockers. If the puck comes to the right side of the ice, there's usually two to three players on the opposing team ready to block shots or dig out pucks from the corners. Teams put heavy pressure on Subban because even though he has an excellent pass, the focus is on his slapper. They are more willing to make a risky pick on him as opposed to other players where they could be burned from being out of position.

2. Something that has been worked upon in exhibition and the past few games has been their movement in the zone. For the past two seasons, players just stand in place and make their passes. Finally, players are moving around and making use of the limited space. Markov and Subban started switching positions to confuse defenders which is a good idea but easy for teams to eventually change strategy. What worked the other night was Max Pacioretty moving to the right side and taking shots from the slot on his off-wing. This is the sort of thing that will lead to more goals.

3. The Canadiens are terrible at crashing the net and creating pressure around it. This is more than just a screen. Anyone can screen a goalie. Brendan Gallagher is quite good at screening goalies, as was Brian Gionta. You don't have to be six foot six. The best screeners in NHL history are probably Phil Esposito and Tomas Holmstrom. These are not giants. They had quick hands and great positioning. But what I'm more talking about is forcing the defenders to collapse on their goalie by creating a lot of pressure. The Tampa Bay Lightning have a strategy they employ in almost every game: they purposely shoot the puck wide (but not too wide) to get deflections and rebounds. It's the sort of strategy teams should have been catching on to, and it took the Chicago Blackhawks to realize it. I saw it over and over, Kucherov or Johnson would shoot the puck not at the goalie but the boards, causing the puck to bounce back out right in front of the goalie. By the time it bounced back, there was more than just Johnson at the net and it meant a scramble. These are the kinds of plays the Habs never attempt. They always go towards play around the boards instead of targeting the goaltender directly. The good news is that Semin, Eller and Galchenyuk are starting to focus more on going straight to the goalie, which I feel like Alex Semin deserves a lot of credit for, as it's not what Pacioretty, Plekanec and Gallagher are doing and Galchenyuk may have done a bit but not as effective. Eller is still going straight for the corners with his pucks, which is more learned than something to blame him on.

4. One of the big problems with the Subban cannon is the distance he fires it from. Subban has one of the best shots in the league, forward or defenceman. He shouldn't be always firing from the blueline. He could get far more effectiveness if he moved up. The team should be employing Pacioretty and Subban on opposite PP units with both targeting the Kovalev/Ryder/Cammalleri heat zone to the right or left sides. Both men have great puck control and the ability to protect it from a defender to make a pass and get set up. We'd have a lot less wild pucks if Subban could get closer to the net.

5. For all of the focus on not scoring, there's a bigger problem with how we defend on the powerplay. This is partially due to the team trying to move the puck a little more, but also due to the fact that when a team focuses on defending against our right side, they are also targeting our weakest wing. That's why the team went out and acquired Devante Smith-Pelly, why they got Zack Kassian, why they got Alex Semin and why they got Jeff Petry. Recognize where they all naturally play? The right. Only Fleischmann was a left side guy. If Subban fumbles the puck, Brendan Gallagher is usually too deep to come back. The other issue is that Max Pacioretty is over on the left side, too deep usually, and guys like Andrei Markov, Alex Semin, David Desharnais, etc. are either too slow or not defensively skilled enough to come back and break a play up. Who can? Jeff Petry, as he proved against Curtis Lazar. Nathan Beaulieu is also developing into the type of guy who can as well. Both of these guys have offensive instincts and, if separated but placed on the PP units, could provide the kind of coverage this team needs during a PP mishap. Some of the best PP scoring chances are not created by the players all set up. It actually comes when a team steals the puck, tries to make an offensive play on the penalty kill and the PP team steals the puck back for an odd man rush of their own. That's where the ice is clear in the zone for a play instead of three bodies laying on the ice to block shots with a fourth rushing the man with the puck.

TL: DR

1. Teams are aware of Subban (team is addressing this)

2. Team needs better player/puck movement (team is addressing this)

3. Team needs to cocoon the net better (team is addressing this, but not on both units)

4. Subban needs to come up and be separated from Pacioretty (team is not addressing this, though might have last game)

5. Team doesn't defend enough when coughing up the puck (team is not addressing this)

So basically, I'm suggesting PP units splitting time with something like:

PP1

Semin - Galchenyuk - Pacioretty

Markov - Petry

PP2

Gallagher - Eller - Subban

Beaulieu - Plekanec

PP1 is all about Pacioretty getting to the slot while Petry can recover any slip-ups and Semin/Galchenyuk/Markov have a lot of opportunities to gain puck control, pass and shoot. This also allows the players to instead of setting up, go full attack at a goaltender. All five players are capable of successful zone entries.

PP2 is all about Subban, but utilizing Subban properly. Beaulieu and Plekanec play the point to both distribute and come to defence in case of a mistake. Gallagher and Eller work to dig pucks. Subban can now receive a left handed pass from a tighter position and get into the slot position. At least three of the five can maintain a successful zone entry. It doesn't matter who takes the faceoff, and Gallagher is going to be focused more on revolving around the goalie like a moon. Eller would likely still focus more on the left wall.

(sorry if I hijacked this and repeated any point Hearts)

[habs rule]

On looking at the PP's lack of success, I've noticed five things:

1. PK Subban is often protected against by shot blockers. If the puck comes to the right side of the ice, there's usually two to three players on the opposing team ready to block shots or dig out pucks from the corners. Teams put heavy pressure on Subban because even though he has an excellent pass, the focus is on his slapper. They are more willing to make a risky pick on him as opposed to other players where they could be burned from being out of position.

2. Something that has been worked upon in exhibition and the past few games has been their movement in the zone. For the past two seasons, players just stand in place and make their passes. Finally, players are moving around and making use of the limited space. Markov and Subban started switching positions to confuse defenders which is a good idea but easy for teams to eventually change strategy. What worked the other night was Max Pacioretty moving to the right side and taking shots from the slot on his off-wing. This is the sort of thing that will lead to more goals.

3. The Canadiens are terrible at crashing the net and creating pressure around it. This is more than just a screen. Anyone can screen a goalie. Brendan Gallagher is quite good at screening goalies, as was Brian Gionta. You don't have to be six foot six. The best screeners in NHL history are probably Phil Esposito and Tomas Holmstrom. These are not giants. They had quick hands and great positioning. But what I'm more talking about is forcing the defenders to collapse on their goalie by creating a lot of pressure. The Tampa Bay Lightning have a strategy they employ in almost every game: they purposely shoot the puck wide (but not too wide) to get deflections and rebounds. It's the sort of strategy teams should have been catching on to, and it took the Chicago Blackhawks to realize it. I saw it over and over, Kucherov or Johnson would shoot the puck not at the goalie but the boards, causing the puck to bounce back out right in front of the goalie. By the time it bounced back, there was more than just Johnson at the net and it meant a scramble. These are the kinds of plays the Habs never attempt. They always go towards play around the boards instead of targeting the goaltender directly. The good news is that Semin, Eller and Galchenyuk are starting to focus more on going straight to the goalie, which I feel like Alex Semin deserves a lot of credit for, as it's not what Pacioretty, Plekanec and Gallagher are doing and Galchenyuk may have done a bit but not as effective. Eller is still going straight for the corners with his pucks, which is more learned than something to blame him on.

4. One of the big problems with the Subban cannon is the distance he fires it from. Subban has one of the best shots in the league, forward or defenceman. He shouldn't be always firing from the blueline. He could get far more effectiveness if he moved up. The team should be employing Pacioretty and Subban on opposite PP units with both targeting the Kovalev/Ryder/Cammalleri heat zone to the right or left sides. Both men have great puck control and the ability to protect it from a defender to make a pass and get set up. We'd have a lot less wild pucks if Subban could get closer to the net.

5. For all of the focus on not scoring, there's a bigger problem with how we defend on the powerplay. This is partially due to the team trying to move the puck a little more, but also due to the fact that when a team focuses on defending against our right side, they are also targeting our weakest wing. That's why the team went out and acquired Devante Smith-Pelly, why they got Zack Kassian, why they got Alex Semin and why they got Jeff Petry. Recognize where they all naturally play? The right. Only Fleischmann was a left side guy. If Subban fumbles the puck, Brendan Gallagher is usually too deep to come back. The other issue is that Max Pacioretty is over on the left side, too deep usually, and guys like Andrei Markov, Alex Semin, David Desharnais, etc. are either too slow or not defensively skilled enough to come back and break a play up. Who can? Jeff Petry, as he proved against Curtis Lazar. Nathan Beaulieu is also developing into the type of guy who can as well. Both of these guys have offensive instincts and, if separated but placed on the PP units, could provide the kind of coverage this team needs during a PP mishap. Some of the best PP scoring chances are not created by the players all set up. It actually comes when a team steals the puck, tries to make an offensive play on the penalty kill and the PP team steals the puck back for an odd man rush of their own. That's where the ice is clear in the zone for a play instead of three bodies laying on the ice to block shots with a fourth rushing the man with the puck.

TL: DR

1. Teams are aware of Subban (team is addressing this)

2. Team needs better player/puck movement (team is addressing this)

3. Team needs to cocoon the net better (team is addressing this, but not on both units)

4. Subban needs to come up and be separated from Pacioretty (team is not addressing this, though might have last game)

5. Team doesn't defend enough when coughing up the puck (team is not addressing this)

So basically, I'm suggesting PP units splitting time with something like:

PP1

Semin - Galchenyuk - Pacioretty

Markov - Petry

PP2

Gallagher - Eller - Subban

Beaulieu - Plekanec

PP1 is all about Pacioretty getting to the slot while Petry can recover any slip-ups and Semin/Galchenyuk/Markov have a lot of opportunities to gain puck control, pass and shoot. This also allows the players to instead of setting up, go full attack at a goaltender. All five players are capable of successful zone entries.

PP2 is all about Subban, but utilizing Subban properly. Beaulieu and Plekanec play the point to both distribute and come to defence in case of a mistake. Gallagher and Eller work to dig pucks. Subban can now receive a left handed pass from a tighter position and get into the slot position. At least three of the five can maintain a successful zone entry. It doesn't matter who takes the faceoff, and Gallagher is going to be focused more on revolving around the goalie like a moon. Eller would likely still focus more on the left wall.

(sorry if I hijacked this and repeated any point Hearts)

There is a lot of good thinking in this post. How do we get it to Le Genius? Very insightful, I may not agree with every word but I understand and appreciate the concept and the thought process. It would definitely change the power play and offer more options than we have now.

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

I'm sure the coaches (and Bergevin) have discussed all these issues and possible configurations at some length.

To my mind, the problem is in the players' heads. It's up to them to execute, to play in sync, and - most importantly on any PP - to go to the net and to move the puck around with confidence and aggressiveness. No amount of tweaking by coaches will do anything at this stage, unless it's simply to shake up the bad chemistry. What it often takes to change a toxic PP culture is some big change that blows up the old mentality and lets players start with a clean slate: e.g., firing the coaches, bringing in new players uncontaminated by the PP culture of failure, etc.. Other than that, the players just have to grind their way out of it. (And even if they do, and start having success with the man advantage, there is the standing danger of reverting back to memories of failure at key moments, like a playoff series).

by "some big change" would you consider.... demoting the one player in order to eliminate the one play that this team continues to try and force feed (subban's one timer) at all costs even when the opposite team is laughing out loud because its all we do... even when the other team clearly takes that play away we continue to try and force it. i also believe subban forces this shot most times when its not even there.

to me removing subban from the first wave is a BIG change! we've been grinding for 2 seasons!

Exactly... once the forwards start making plays down low, it will re-open Subban's point shot. That requires a lot of things... going to the net... moving their feet (a big issue with the pp on the weekend was that everyone was stationary).... and creating chances that don't rely on the two dmen to finish.

That said, taking a guy with 57 career NHL goals, and replacing him on the first unit of the powerplay with a guy who has 1 goal in 91 career NHL games, is craziness, and clearly not the answer.

once the forwards start making plays down low??? are we kidding ourselves and delusional here? clearly as good as Markov and Subban are as a defensive pairing they are not compatible on the powerplay. Obviously at times their individual talent trumps all but more often then not our power play is down right horrible!! we waste most of our time entering the zone and once in the O zone we spend the rest trying to get one single players shot off. do we want to change the power play? what haven't we done yet? thats right! take that one option out of the equation and force another look. PK and Markov do not work well on the PP it is clear to see! I'm not crapping on PK not by a long shot. i just think they need to be split up on the Powerplay because they need to switch places on the power play in order for PK's "shot" to be effective and it just doesn't work With his command of the puck on the ice so strong its all we look for!

Markov has shown over many years now that he is one of the best QB of a power play in the league. just let him run the power play consistently from the left and give him a left handed shot on the right point and off wing shooters at both half walls and ill personally;) guarantee this power play will fix itself... and i mean a good 10 games of power play chances of markov running the first unit with nathan and petry running the 2nd with subban.

i get it subban has 57 goals and beaulieu has 1. but keep in mind pk subban has like a million hours of ice time and beaulieau has like none...

[habs rule]

Hey ITHOM, relax it is ok, we are 4 and 0 life is good. But we do have to improve the power play.

[Commandant]

by "some big change" would you consider.... demoting the one player in order to eliminate the one play that this team continues to try and force feed (subban's one timer) at all costs even when the opposite team is laughing out loud because its all we do... even when the other team clearly takes that play away we continue to try and force it. i also believe subban forces this shot most times when its not even there.

to me removing subban from the first wave is a BIG change! we've been grinding for 2 seasons!

once the forwards start making plays down low??? are we kidding ourselves and delusional here? clearly as good as Markov and Subban are as a defensive pairing they are not compatible on the powerplay. Obviously at times their individual talent trumps all but more often then not our power play is down right horrible!! we waste most of our time entering the zone and once in the O zone we spend the rest trying to get one single players shot off. do we want to change the power play? what haven't we done yet? thats right! take that one option out of the equation and force another look. PK and Markov do not work well on the PP it is clear to see! I'm not crapping on PK not by a long shot. i just think they need to be split up on the Powerplay because they need to switch places on the power play in order for PK's "shot" to be effective and it just doesn't work With his command of the puck on the ice so strong its all we look for!

Markov has shown over many years now that he is one of the best QB of a power play in the league. just let him run the power play consistently from the left and give him a left handed shot on the right point and off wing shooters at both half walls and ill personally;) guarantee this power play will fix itself... and i mean a good 10 games of power play chances of markov running the first unit with nathan and petry running the 2nd with subban.

i get it subban has 57 goals and beaulieu has 1. but keep in mind pk subban has like a million hours of ice time and beaulieau has like none...

Beaulieu has played 91 NHL games, and in at least half of those games he's been on the 2nd unit of the powerplay.... I don't buy this lack of opportunity and ice time as a reason for that 1 goal....

I do think Beaulieu will improve in time, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of beaulieu.... but RIGHT NOW... TODAY.... He is not a better option than P.K. Subban.

And yes the team does force the option to P.K. too much, but taking him off the powerplay is cutting off your nose to spite your face IMO. Its up to the coaches to instill in the players on the ice other plays that can be done on the powerplay... Keep him there, and if other teams want to shade towards him and take away his shot... to me that should create opportunities for plays on the right side of the ice... plays down low at the right post and in the right corner should be open... plays exactly like Desharnais powerplay goal against the Bruins. I'd rather have P.K. on the ice, and hope our coaches can use his presence and the extra attention he commands to develop some plays that get away from his shot. Once those plays start to work, his shot will open up again.

This is just like any sport... take basketball, if people double team lebron james, it should leave other players on his team open to get good looks.... if people double team a wide reciever, it will leave the other wide reciever in one on one situations... same thing here... the shading towards subban should open up plays down low, now its up to Galchenyuk, Pacioretty, Gallagher, Semin, Plekanec, etc.... to exploit it. I'd rather leave subban on the ice, so that teams continue to shade towards him and tell our coaches and players to exploit that shift, than to put a different defenceman out there and now have a team playing straight up against us, with us putting less than our best on the ice.

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

I am relaxed... I'm not stressing over the Habs they look great thus far... Minus the PP

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

Beaulieu has played 91 NHL games, and in at least half of those games he's been on the 2nd unit of the powerplay.... I don't buy this lack of opportunity and ice time as a reason for that 1 goal....

I do think Beaulieu will improve in time, don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of beaulieu.... but RIGHT NOW... TODAY.... He is not a better option than P.K. Subban.

And yes the team does force the option to P.K. too much, but taking him off the powerplay is cutting off your nose to spite your face IMO. Its up to the coaches to instill in the players on the ice other plays that can be done on the powerplay... Keep him there, and if other teams want to shade towards him and take away his shot... to me that should create opportunities for plays on the right side of the ice... plays down low at the right post and in the right corner should be open... plays exactly like Desharnais powerplay goal against the Bruins. I'd rather have P.K. on the ice, and hope our coaches can use his presence and the extra attention he commands to develop some plays that get away from his shot. Once those plays start to work, his shot will open up again.

This is just like any sport... take basketball, if people double team lebron james, it should leave other players on his team open to get good looks.... if people double team a wide reciever, it will leave the other wide reciever in one on one situations... same thing here... the shading towards subban should open up plays down low, now its up to Galchenyuk, Pacioretty, Gallagher, Semin, Plekanec, etc.... to exploit it.

DD's goal came from a cross ice pass from galchenyuk( lefty on the right boards) finding Markov a lefty "our QB " in a vintage Markov backdoor play... Something we hardly see anymore because PK is always in that spot.

Of course PK is a better option then beaulieu offensively. That's common sense. But, beaulieu i think will be a better option for the 1st unit with Markov. Some times things just don't work....

I wish someone could spit out post career ice time for beaulieu on the PP it's gotta be peanuts. If any, probably 30 second increments at the tail end of the PP.

we have zero idea of what Nathan offers to the PP in his NHL career thus far. He hasn't got nearly a look at substantial TOI on the PP. But if his time in the OHL is any indication of what he can bring to the table it will probably end up costing large when his contracts up. Let's give him a role of the dice with Markov. It's thinking outside the box... "but not really thinking outside the box"

Subban can dominate with the 2nd wave.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I keep coming back to the belief that endless fandangling with the PP configurations isn't the answer. All it may end up doing is compounding the idea that the PP is a 'problem.' The players have to move the puck more aggressively, not be static, drive the net, be creative, etc.. They all know this, everyone knows it, the coaches know it. And above all they have to believe that they can score on the PP, which they don't, and have not for two years.

I tend, therefore, to see the poor PP as the equivalent of 'slump' mentality. When a team's in a slump, the only answer is to stick to fundamentals, grind it out, and allow the team to rebuild its self-belief and its momentum. It won't be that easy here because this has been such a strong pattern for so long. I'm just skeptical about a magic bullet that will fix this lack of belief. As inane (or circular) as it sounds, the only thing that'll cure this is actually getting some goals 5-on-4. At this point I might just tell them to relax and have fun on the PP. The results couldn't be worse, and some such freewheeling recipe might at least get their heads out of their buttholes when it comes to the man advantage.

[habs rule]

This much talent. Those results. Something is wrong. Team playing great except on the Power Play. Why? I have been screaming about it since Le genius got here. The only reason any body is NOW (or has actually paid attention to me) taking notice is there aren't many other problems. I don't care what anyone says, it is a system thing, the coach decides what they do, he decides who goes out, he tells them where to play, he tells them what they should do. This team has no clue how to play on the power play cause I don't think the head coach has any idea how a power play works. A lot of the ideas expressed here in this forum are really good. I love the creative thinking. Two years (maybe 3 ) ago when I said the p/p is shit because Le Genius has no idea what it is about, everyone told me, yeah but we are so good 5 on 5, and to be honest we were good 5 on 5 then and we are now. So how did that work out in the playoffs? HMMM not so good. We need the p/p to accomplish 2 things, 1 is to score goals. The second is to make teams scared to take penalties against us, you hook, trip, punch, or do anything to our guy, we score a goal. I see no fear in a Montreal Canadiens P/P right now. In the NHL where they call penalties for a push, guys running into each other etc ( I hope you get my drift) power plays can be a very effective weapon. The NHL want refs to be a big part of the game (not what I want) so take advantage of the trend. I know I am going to be told that the stats don't bear out what I am saying, but I am saying it is the trend, forget fancy stats, here is a fact, they are calling more penalties for stupid shit then ever before. The power play is how the NHL wants to increase scoring in the league. Use it or lose it. We have the guys.

[IN THE HEARTS OF MEN]

HR this is evidenced by the amount of habs power play's thus far.. we were like 0 for 7 alone in ottawa.

CC at what point do we say this is not a slump. at what point do we say "2 years and running of the same thing over and over again arguably by the same 5/6 guys is the reality of what they have to offer as a unit on the PP. it isn't working.. these guys are not getting it done. in any real life environment they would of lost there job and the PP is no different

fresh faces is all I'm saying cause its the only way at this point

semin galchenyuk eller and beaulieu are all essentially fresh faces on the PP with no real TOI on the 1st PP. add markov

subban and the first line along with DD "can play their way out of this "long, long, long slump" on the 2nd unit