Maple Leafs Need to Make One Major Change in Power Play – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

There have been some positives for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, but the one thing they have excelled at in the past remains the biggest problem and the reason for the lack of wins and points this season. We’ve all noticed that the Maple Leafs’ power play is the biggest talking point as it has been absolutely terrible this season, with a 7.9% percentage ranking last in the league.

After bringing in Marc Savard To try and improve the men’s advantage that was absolutely cold down the stretch and after the season in 2023-2024, it’s more of the same this season as they haven’t made the connection or gotten the results needed. They have looked good at times, but the battle remains at the forefront. There are plenty of reasons why they have failed to capitalize on the man advantage, but there is one major reason that needs to change in order to be successful.

Be more aggressive with power play

After their power play went cold again against the St. Louis Blues, head coach Craig Berube was very blunt about his assessment of what has hampered the team’s power play.

“We’re not getting enough pucks to the net. We’re on the power play. We need to shoot more pucks. We have to get the pucks to the net and create opportunities around the net on broken plays. But that’s not the case,” Berube said according to David Alter of The Hockey News post-game after their 4-2 loss to the Blues. “There’s no shot mentality right now on the power play.”

The one thing not true for the Maple Leafs that has made them successful in the past is their aggressive mentality as a threat to the man advantage. From entering the zone to getting pucks on net, they remain passive and stuck in their old ways. Whether it’s not attacking with speed, passing the wing at the entrance or staying on the perimeter, all of these have been the downfall of the power play.

With the amount of money on the ice at the Core Four – more than $46 million – you would expect the top unit to be more successful than what the numbers suggest. The Maple Leafs have the second-best danger chances (36) and fourth-best scoring chances (73) on the man advantage, but only three goals overall are concerning. Plus, they’re in the top-15 in low danger odds at 70, which doesn’t help.

The Maple Leafs lack pace and speed to execute early. They are again too passive and not aggressive with their attitude. They always try to pass and establish themselves on the edge, but that clearly doesn’t work. They’re not quick enough with their passes, they try to move the puck through difficult lanes, which leads to breakups, and they don’t do enough to make them quick and get players out of position. Instead, they are the ones nipping at their heels as they are pressured with the puck more often and force them to retreat.

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There is no longer a shooting threat Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Mitch Marner keeps passing instead of shooting when he gets his chance. The one bright spot is the addition of Matthew Knies as a net front presence. A lot needs to change. It starts with finding that aggressive mentality again and putting the players on the ice to change that.

Players need to figure this out

In every game, the lack of intent on the power play remains a talking point. If you look in the game reports of The Hockey Writers will probably include criticizing the power play.

While Savard, who runs the power play, should try to take a different approach, what else can be done? You already had a big commotion by splitting players up in the top unit, you’ve already gone between Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson as quarterbacks, everyone knows the problems with it; what else do you do?

While the team continues to find answers to their power play issues, it ultimately falls on the players as they are the ones who continue to fail in execution with their poor play. Berube has already addressed the reasons why they continue to falter, now it is time for them to act and respond appropriately. Berube can only say what he sees for so long, because it’s time for the players to act it out and ultimately convert.

It’s only a matter of time before the Maple Leafs get out of this slump. Once they do that, the goals will come in droves. It’s something you have to deal with a lot more now than before the playoffs, which has hurt them before. They need to break away from their predictability and change things up with their approach, because after a month nothing has worked on the power play.

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The drive, the fast play, the intent and the pressure must be consistently present on the power play. Until they bring that up, it will remain pretty much the same topics of conversation until they realize that what isn’t working won’t get them far.

Statistics of Natural statistical trick.