The Free Press’s Helene St. James penned a practice article which, in part, discusses the Wings’ power play issues:
Since operating at 22.7 percent through the first 34 games, their power play has gone into a deep freeze, with four goals on 48 opportunities (8.3 percent) since Dec. 23.
“It’s not good enough,” Blashill said. “I said at the beginning of the year our special teams need to be in the top 10 in order to be a playoff team, and I still think for us to be a playoff team, our specials teams are going to have to be in the top 10. Our PK has looked better the last little bit but our power play hasn’t been good enough.
“We have to eliminate unforced errors and have a better attack mentality. If you get a puck, you have to make sure you talk and you hold on to it until you know where that puck is going — we can’t throw the puck away.”
The Wings are 0-for-8 the past three games.
“We’re not getting what we want out of our power play,” Zetterberg said. “I think we got some momentum lately. It’s been a little bit better than it was a while ago, but we need some goals. We are creating shots and chaos in front of the net, now we just have to get the puck behind the goalie.”
St. James also addresses the frustration the Wings have with the goaltender interference rules, and she discusses Patrice Bergeron’s status as something of a league-wide role model.
“We are getting shots,” an exaggeration from what I have seen
If you get the puck you have to talk and hold onto it until you know where it’s going. OK you first Kronwall. Start talking…
Hmm. OK. I have the puck. We’re on a PP. Look I’m talking. So now I’m going to drop the puck to nobody and hope they score.
Good. You’re next Abby…
Hmm, here comes the puck. Better start talking. OK. It’s on my stick. I’m holding it. Talking. Holding. Don’t know what to do with this puck. Where’s Pav? Oh shot. I gave the puck away. They scored. Another minus for me.
Fatty,
That’s funny. I read that as a list but I can see how someone might be confused if they read it as all the players get together for a sstanding chat at center ice.
I have no idea what to do. Put old farts on #2 Unit and kids on the #1 Unit. In reality this is a coaching, not just Blashill!
Try some new formations , after we figure out how to et out of own end. The PP is worse than bad
The power play was working and then it stopped. I’d like to know what happened? Was it old bad habits creeping back in or did other teams figure out what the Wings were doing? Or both?
Clearly this a coaching problem that the coaches must resolve at the very least to avoid further embarrassment. And yet I’ve never felt this coaching staff cared enough.
But maybe that’s just me still reeling over not hiring Gallant last year when he was unexpectedly made available by the Panthers.