Winnipeg Jets Power Play: Dissected

Winnipeg Jets Power Play Dissection from the Illegal Curve show on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg

This past Saturday I had the opportunity to be a guest again on the Illegal Curve show on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg. If you haven’t listened to the show before, and you’re a Jets fan, check it out here: http://illegalcurve.com/

The topic I covered on Saturday will be useful to any coach, whether you’re a Jets fan or not. I also made a video dissection of the Jets power play after the fact, illustrating a few of the things I mentioned on the show. So, Check out my segment in the audio below, then watch the vid!

1. Not getting a lot of power plays in the first place (especially last week)
   1. Only two against Boston
   2. Only one against Buffalo
   3. Against the Rangers and Devils they started using their speed, and Drew more penalties those game
2. Puck movement is pretty good once they actually get the set-up
3. Problems with breakout and moving through the neutral zone
   1. Forcing passes to covered players in NZ (in my opinion, it’s ok for the defenseman to carry it all the way on a PP if the other team lets him walk)
   2. Against Rangers and Devils, they improved on this a lot – and were able to get the puck deep and set up
   3. Not driving deep enough
4. Problems with the initial attack
   1. taking the shot before getting the set up (I usually say don’t shoot on the initial attack on a PP unless you have a 2 on 1 or better, because if you miss, you’re not in position to rebound and the other team can ice it and waste time)
   2. Forcing passes – the whole idea of the PP is to isolate a man, then beat him with a pass. If you pass too soon, or force a pass, you’re not going to open up opportunities
   3. They never really got the set-up in last week’s games… this week was better on that front.
5. Against the Rangers & Devils they started fixing these problems
   1. Used speed more to draw penalties
   2. Didn’t force passes in the neutral zone (defenseman started walking it more)
   3. Drove the puck deep then looked for the set up, or sometimes dumped it in to the open man
   4. Great puck movement within the zone
   5. Still not pulling the trigger enough, and getting sticks on rebounds
6. MY SUGGESTIONS: Assuming they continue to improve on the breakout and puck movement through the NZ, and assuming their puck movement on the set-up stays solid like it was this past week, my main observation would be that the men in front might be a little too low. There are two approaches to screening a goalie, both have pros and cons:
   1. Right on top of him – better screen, more annoying, but tips don’t have as much room to change the trajectory of the shot, and rebounds usually bounce past you (which happens a lot to the Jets)
   2. Further out (7 or 8 feet in front of the goalie) – not as good for screens, not as annoying/distracting for the goalie, but much more effective for tips, and way better for jumping on rebounds

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Jim Fox on the Red Carpet at Luc Robitaille’s Celebrity Shootout 2013

Michael Vartan on the Red Carpet at Luc Robitaille’s Celebrity Shootout 2013

Steven R_ McQueen on the Red Carpet at Luc Robitaille’s Celebrity Shootout 2013

Ken Baker on the Red Carpet at Luc Robitaille’s Celebrity Shootout 2013

Bob Kudelski on the Red Carpet at Luc Robitaille’s Celebrity Shootout 2013

Hockey Sense

Here is an excerpt from an online article I contributed to about hockey sense. To read the entire article click here

One that I tell my players all the time is to use your speed and stay outside instead of always trying to go between defenders legs. Too many players try that same move over and over and don’t realize how much better it is to go hard to the outside and open up the ice for your teammates. Every season if I can get just one of my players to change their game away from that deke to a hard outside rush I feel like I accomplished something.

Another one I drill into their heads is on the penalty kill. Too many players are trying to score a shorthanded goal instead of just trying to prevent one against us. I tell my players to concentrate on clearing the zone first and don’t blow the zone defensively until the puck is out of the defensive zone. Too often a five on four becomes a five on three because a player blows the zone looking for the breakaway pass instead of playing his position.

Don’t be afraid to change out of the offensive zone. Too many players want to play when the puck is in the offensive zone and then are too tired to backcheck and cause the team to play against odd man rushes. I work on my guys to understand how long a shift should be and when they should exit the ice no matter what area of the ice they are in.

Don’t be shy; make sure you talk on the ice. All players need to talk while on the ice. Goaltenders need to let defenseman know what’s happening. Forwards need to talk to the defensemen when looking for a pass breaking out of the zone. Defensemen need to talk to each other and the forwards to know who to pick up on the zone entries by the opponent. Too many players are too quiet and don’t let their teammates know what’s going on behind them and around them.

Play without the puck. A good player understands open ice concepts and passing lanes. Don’t stand still when you don’t have the puck. Keep your feet moving and look for open areas on the ice where your teammate can get you the puck. Be aware of the passing lanes that your teammate needs to use to get you the puck. Don’t stand behind a defender and think you are going to get the puck. Move to open ice and keep moving until you find the right spot to receive a pass.

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Anson Carter on the Red Carpet at Luc Robitaille’s Celebrity Shootout 2013

Bobby Farrelly on the Red Carpet at Luc Robitaille’s Celebrity Shootout 2013

Greg Graffin on the Red Carpet at Luc Robitaille’s Celebrity Shootout 2013