How the Bruins can fix their struggling power play

Have you ever sat in front of your television, watching a different team other than your favorite, and wondered why your team can't make a powerplay look half as easy? If you're a Boston Bruins fan, you've probably felt that a lot, dating back to last season, and I felt the same way watching the Nashville Predators move the puck around on a powerplay goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.

The Predators, much like the Bruins, don't have a ton of high-end skill, but one glaring thing with their powerplay is that the skill they do have is all out there together at once. With Marco Sturm changing the powerplay units and moving JJ Peterka down to the second group, it takes some high-level skill away from the first line.

I understand the reasoning, as he tries to even out the lines. But the good thing about a powerplay is that if your first group is good enough to score in the first half of the man advantage, you don't really need to worry about how good the second unit is.

Charlie McAvoy not being at the top of the umbrella hurts the team's chemistry, regardless of whether you think the Bruins should get a better quarterback. At one point, Hampus Lindholm seemed like the better fit, but the Swedish defenseman is slowing down a bit, and his giveaway that led to a Tim Stutzle goal Monday night suggests he might not be the answer either.

It wasn't recorded as the team's second shorthanded goal allowed, but Stutzle's goal came just seconds after the penalty had expired, so in reality it was. Sturm saw the same thing, as Frederic Brunet took over PP1 quarterback duties, which didn't work out well either, but it was also a tough spot to put the young defenseman in during his first game of the season and second of his career.

Bruins must change lines and idealogy of powerplay

Powerplay coach Steve Spott sees the man advantage as a very rigid plan. Another thing I noticed with that impressive Nashville powerplay was how much they moved around the zone to open up passing lanes and confuse the Leafs' defenders, but it seems like the Bruins go to their spots on the powerplay and stay there, which is also what led to the Lindholm turnover and Stutzle goal, as he tried to force a pass to the flank to James Hagens.

Penalty killers are getting too good at game planning, and when Boston attempts the same plays every game, it becomes as easy as a football coach getting their rival's playbook. If the Bruins want to improve, they'll need to become a lot more flexible.

It seems like another reason that Peterka moved down is so that Pastrnak can return to the right flank and Morgan Geekie to the left flank. It is fine to go back to what works, but you don't need to plan the entire line around that happening. Put all three on the ice and start Geekie in the bumper with Pastrnak and Peterka on their one-time flanks; contrary to popular belief, they can move to create confusion and eventually end up in a spot where Geekie can one-time a puck.

If moving Peterka up there isn't enough, try Hagens as well. Pastrnak, Peterka, Hagens, Geekie, and eventually McAvoy are more than enough skill that they'll figure it out. It lacks a great net-front presence, but it can't get much worse than how it looks right now.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow