The Canucks have a problem. Well, the Canucks have many, many problems pasted all over them like papier-mâché over a balloon that Jim Benning and Trevor Linden refuse to pop.
But one of their biggest problems is the power play. The Canucks have just 14 power play goals, with a 14.3% success rate that is somehow 26th in the NHL rather than last. Over their last 10 games, they’re 4-for-31, a 12.9% success rate, but even that makes it sound better than it really is.
The Canucks have struggled to get shots with the man advantage, managing just one shot on goal on their three power plays against the Jets in their last game. A few games back against the Capitals, they managed just one shot on goal on five power play opportunities
There are some obvious reasons why the Canucks power play is struggling. The injuries to Alex Edler and Philip Larsen have limited their options on the blue line, forcing them to go with four-forward sets. Also, the Sedins are old as balls—literally, they were born the same year the ball was invented.
But what if there was something the Canucks could do right now? Something unorthodox and out-of-the-box? Something so wild and crazy that it just might work?
Here are five insane ideas to help the Canucks power play and why they just might do the trick.
Stay with me here, but take Brandon Sutter off the first power play unit
Brandon Sutter has been a staple on the first power play unit all season. On paper, it’s not hard to see why he’s getting prime power play time: he’s a big body with a right-handed shot that is both hard and accurate. He’s also getting paid like a top six forward, so the Canucks want him to produce like one.
The issue is that he just doesn’t fit. He doesn’t use his big body effectively to battle for the puck along the boards or battle for space in front of the net and his release generally isn’t quick enough to be effective in the slot. Sutter makes best use of his shot off the rush, particularly on 2-on-1s where he has time and space to really lean into his shot.
He’s somewhat effective at gaining the zone on the power play as he has decent speed, but there are other Canucks who can do the same. Once in the offensive zone, he spends most of his time drifting around the slot, waiting for other players to get him the puck. He just doesn’t contribute enough.
The Sedins get criticized for holding onto the puck for too long on the power play instead of getting the puck on net, but how much of that time is spent waiting for Sutter and the other members of the power play to create some movement to open up passing lanes?
Yes, Sutter is second on the Canucks in power play goals, but that is faint praise. At this point, you have to wonder if someone else would be more effective in his spot on the power play. Someone who can’t just score but can help the power play maintain possession and create opportunities for other players.
Maybe Sutter is just holding the spot until another right-handed shot is ready to step in: Anton Rodin. It might seem strange to gift a spot on the top power play unit to an unproven player, but actually that sounds exactly like what this coaching staff would do.
This is way out there, but maybe try Loui Eriksson with the Sedins
I mean, this may sound outlandish, but how about putting the Canucks’ prize free agent signing, who was primarily acquired for his finish around the net, particularly on the power play, and has past chemistry with the Sedins from playing with them in international competition, on the first power play unit?
Crazy right?
Eriksson has 56 career power play goals, third on the team behind the Sedins, and had 10 power play goals last season with Boston. He’s fantastic around the crease, where he scores the majority of his goals, and is an intelligent player who cycles the puck well. If he’s not going to play with the Sedins at even-strength, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t play with them on the power play.
Literally, no reason.
Call me crazy, but how about Jannik Hansen on the first unit?
Or heck, give him any powerplay time at all. Despite scoring a career-high 22 goals last season in just 67 games, Hansen just can’t seem to find his way onto the power play.
Now, to be fair, the power play really isn’t Hansen’s thing; he has just two power play goals in his career. But part of that has to do with a lack of opportunity. Hansen has averaged over a minute per game on the power play just once in his career, in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season when he got some time on the second unit.
Over his career, Hansen has averaged just 26 seconds per game on the power play, because, for a long time, he was seen almost exclusively as a checker. But at this point, he’s one of the Canucks’ best scoring threats thanks to his speed, surprisingly good wrist shot and slap shot, and ability to join the Sedins on the cycle.
With the way the Canucks are struggling to score goals, why not try him on the top unit with the Sedins? He could play at the left point, where his right-handedness would help on backdoor plays, or in the slot where Sutter currently plays, ready with a one-timer. What do the Canucks have to lose?
Maybe, just maybe, Jayson Megna isn’t the answer?
I’m still baffled that Megna is getting regular time with the man advantage while Jannik Hansen sits on the bench. Heck, against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, Jack Skille and Michael Chaput each got 21 seconds of time on the power play, while Hansen had none, though that was just a shift as the power play expired.
I don’t mind the Canucks trying Megna on the power play—they had to try something—but keeping him there this long while the power play struggles just doesn’t make any sense.
Why is Hansen on the bench and Megna on the power play? Why doesn’t Alex Burrows get a chance to create some havoc in front of the net? Remember when the Canucks were trying to spark Chris Tanev’s latent offensive ability? Why not get Tanev out there with Ben Hutton on the second unit?
This may sound unorthodox, but why not Nikita Tryamkin as net-front presence?
I mean, why not?
This is a role Zdeno Chara occasionally played for the Boston Bruins, using his massive frame to battle in front of the net on the power play rather than using his big shot from the point. With his size, he’s hard to move, and he has the hands to finish in front.
Can Tryamkin do the same for the Canucks? Well, he already has for his KHL team. His lone point from the KHL playoffs was an assist while playing in front of the net on the power play.
#Canucks prospect Tryamkin's (#88) assist from today - playing the net front presence on PP pic.twitter.com/ucgcuAHRKK
— Ryan Biech (@ryanbiech) March 3, 2016
He even had a game or two last season for the Canucks where he was the net-front presence. Why not try him there again?
Seriously, the Canucks have one of the worst power plays in the league? What could it possibly hurt to try something different? Why not, for once, go with the obvious?
