The Montreal Canadiens ranked 27e power play ranks across the NHL last season and if the team wants to “be in the mix” until late this spring, they will need to find more success in that phase of the game.
Defenseman Mike Matheson pointed out Friday that power play hasn’t really been a priority for the Habs since the arrival of head coach Martin St-Louis.
Without wanting to make it a priority this season, St-Louis nevertheless admitted that it was going to put a little more emphasis on the work of the special teams.
“I’m not saying it’s not a priority either,” St-Louis said of the power play. It’s important. But the five-on-five game is very, very important. You can’t just rely on the power play. But the numerical advantage must improve and it must help us win matches. Our numerical inferiority must help us win matches. But I think neither is going to make a difference if the five-on-five game isn’t in a good place. »
The Canadiens players spent more than 30 minutes on the ice working on the game on special teams on Friday. Kirby Dach joined last season’s regular quartet – Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Mike Matheson – on the first unit.
The second unit included Lane Hutson, Patrik Laine, Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook and Joshua Roy.
You could see a lot of position permutations, especially with the first unit.
“I was part of a unit with the Winnipeg Jets that scored a lot and no one moved and there are units like the Edmonton Oilers where there is constant movement and that’s one of the best teams in the league in this phase of play, mentioned Laine. You need to find what works for your group. That’s what we’re trying to do. »
St. Louis noted that special teams were a constant game of cat and mouse. He recalled that the last major evolution in the power play was the 1-3-1 deployment by the Tampa Bay Lightning before the 2010s.
Since then, the penalty kill units have learned to counter this formation, notably by forcing the player along the ramp to move towards the corner of the ice. So they switched the wingers to the side so they would have more options to deal with this pressure.
“You have to understand what beats what,” St-Louis said. It doesn’t guarantee a goal, but you need to know how to beat the opponent’s shorthanded unit.
“We teach players what to do depending on the situation in front of them. Everyone needs to be on the same page and recognize the signs. Eventually, you will see the opening before it is even created. It takes time and I’m glad we can work on this. »
The Canadian players will need repetitions to develop automatisms. This is especially true for players like Dach and Laine, who are back in action after absences of nine and 11 months respectively.
Laine also seemed frustrated a few times on Friday.
“I know what I am capable of and what my mandate is here,” said the 26-year-old Finn. When things don’t turn out the way I hope, I’m hard on myself. I am demanding of myself and of my teammates because I want to win. »
Laine still said he was aware that he will have to be patient, while he still seeks to shake off rust and develop cohesion with his new teammates.
He said he would like to play each of the Canadian’s last three preparatory games. Asked about this possibility for Laine and Dach, St-Louis simply replied that “anything is possible”.
The Canadian will play a fourth preseason game on Saturday, when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre.