Yesterday afternoon, the Detroit News’s Ted Kulffan filed an article which discusses the Red Wings’ revamped roster as it applies to the Wings’ hopes of improving on their power play:
Last season, the Wings ranked 17th (of 32 teams), with a 21.1% success rate. It was actually their best season since 2014-15 (23.8%). As the Wings gradually rose in the standings, a better power play helped.
With the opening of training camp in three weeks, the Wings have the potential for a much more dangerous power-play unit. Which in turn, possibly, could help a push toward the playoffs.
General manager Steve Yzerman’s off-season acquisitions have provided the coaching staff with much more depth, different options to look at, and the potential for two equally effective units.
“Potential being the key word,” Yzerman said after he completed his summer acquisitions. “We have more options. We have more left and right shots, a bit better balance. I would hope that both units are a little deeper and we can put both units out there and be a little more effective, and in turn, bump that power-play percentage up a little bit.”
Continued; the Red Wings will theoretically have two capable power play units this upcoming season, and Kulfan spotlights the Wings’ power play point men in Shayne Gostisbehere and Jeff Petry as important parts of a power play which includes defensemen firing bombs at the net from the point.
Kulfan’s right, and I’m a big believer in the concept that pushing the puck back to the point to generate shots and rebound opportunities. The Wings haven’t had many shots on the point other than Moritz Seider, and that’s changing this upcoming season.
