Four radical ideas to fix the Leafs power play

The Leafs battle the Predators of Nashville this evening.

And as The Star's Kevin McGran reports, there is renewed emphasis on special teams, especially the power play that is now 8 for 68 on the season.

"Our power play is not working," said Ron Wilson. "We've got two goals from our defence all year. So we're trying to get a little more offence."

Wilson is putting Kris Versteeg on the blue line. Will this help? Maybe. Hopefully. It seems like a reasonable move. But what if reasonable is not enough at this point?

With this in mind, here are... "Four Radical Ideas To Fix The Sputtering Power Play."

1. Force Tomas Kaberle To Shoot

Financial incentives? Electrodes implanted into his helmet that zap his skull every time he dishes off one too many times? I don't know how you make him shoot more, but that's exactly what needs to happen. On the power play, watch what opposition skaters do now when Kaberle gets the puck. They start drifting to cover Leaf players on the periphery, knowing he's going to pass instead of shoot. And sure enough, that's what he does. But if he just started cranking out a few low and hard drives, the Leafs could create some odd-man havoc. They could bang in a rebound. They could force defenders out of box formation and generate chances for wingers in the high slot. Or, who knows, maybe one of those drives would turn into a lamp-lighter.

2. Plant Mike Brown In Front Of The Net

Look, I know. Mr. Fu Manchu is not a natural goal scorer. So on one hand, wasting a power play spot on him seems idiotic. On the other hand, he's fast, he ventures into corners, he fights for possession and he's one of the only Leafs who's willing to park in front and take the abuse that comes with creating a screen. The key to putting a grinder on the PP is to finesse the quadrant flanks. You want radical? How about a forward line of Brown, Mikhail Grabovski and Phil Kessel? Then on the blue line, instead of Versteeg, you pair Kaberle with Nikolai Kulemin.

3. Drop Phil Kessel To The Point

It's true: the hidden danger of putting a purely offensive forward like Kessel on the back end is you suddenly spike the odds of a short-handed goal. But you know what? Right now, Kessel isn't getting open like he should. Right now, it's easy for penalty killers to shadow him in the bloated ring of bodies churning around the circles. So if you put him on the point, one of two things could happen: 1. The other team will be forced to keep someone up high, which will create more room and chances for the three Leafs down low. Or he'll get a chance to use his big shot without anybody harassing him. Win-win.

4. Set Up Plays From Behind The Net

One of the things the Leafs haven't attempted very much this season, on the power play or at even strength, is getting a forward behind the enemy net. Gretzky, Lemieux, Gilmour – this was a standard play once upon a time. Now it seems radical. But when you have a player behind the net, you're essentially forcing defenders to turn their backs on everyone out front. You create "pivot" chances and disrupt defensive flow. You also make it impossible for the goalie to read the play.

As I say, these are radical (read: asinine) ideas. Sorry. But the Leafs have lost eight games in a row and I'm getting a little desperate over here.

***

Reading the comments from yesterday's post, I was reminded of this.

Come on, people! Look at what's happening to us. Sixteen games into the season and we're already turning on each other and wagging our blue-and-white foam fingers in all directions?

It's the diabolical media that's responsible for the Leafs ongoing woes! If the evil media wasn't always conspiring to manufacture negative consent, if the media wasn't always running people out of town, this team could just relax.

I hate to break this to some of you but there is no media conspiracy. There isn't even a homogeneous "media," but that's another debate. As for the alleged negativity, you know what would happen if the Leafs won the Stanley Cup? The media would benefit from unprecedented interest. A winning hockey team would be good for the media. Period.

No, wait, the fans are to blame! Fans should stop supporting the franchise whey a lousy product is offered. Fans should exhibit patience and stop panicking.

Well, which one is it? Aren't these ideas mutually exclusive?

Leaving all of this aside, let me state something for the record: I want the Leafs to win. I am biased in their favour. I would like nothing more than to wake up each morning, throw on my Kordic jersey and write a super-positive post that's brimming with gushing praise about the team I have loved for as long as I can remember.

You think I enjoy beating up on these poor bastards when they're already down? I don't. I hate it. It makes me queasier than green tea and, trust me, that's really saying something.

But here's the thing: The Leafs are now 5-8-3. They are in 27th place. If they lose tonight, that futility streak will extend to nine games in a row, something that hasn't happened since the 1985-86 season.

At what point is blind love just blind?

Apologies for this extended soap box lecture. I guess what I'm really trying to say is this: Can we all just get along?

PHOTO: COLIN MCCONNELL/TORONTO STAR

Comments

[tmlfanforlife]

Love your posts! They are honest and original.

How about this for radical, more one-timers on the power play. The Leafs are really good at passing the puck around, they just don't use it to their advantage.

When Tomas Kaberle passes the puck (and he will) the receiver should be prepared to one-time the puck towards the net. Accuracy won't matter, just get the puck to the net and create chaos around the net. My 2 cents.

[leafland'r]

SHOOT da' puck, eh.
Leafs best penalty killing is when THEY have the power play. They spend so much time relaying the puck 'til it's lost. Less time would be wasted retrieving and iced puck than playing something similar to a Harlem Globetrotter's warmup. SHOOT the %@#& puck !

[Nik Culoman]

Vinay, If you hate beating on people who are already down...WHY DO IT??? You can't sit here and say you hate it, than continue to bash these young kids down......Why don't you try lacing them up and playing a shift...Maybe than you will understand just how hard it is for these kids out there when their fans boo them, and the media rips them apart...BECAUSE YES, SOME IF NOT ALL THE PLAYERS do know what is said about them.

Yes, the media and Fans are to blame.....All you have to do is ask yourself why Nash and Cammy after him not want to sign in Toronto when everyone assumed they would....Only in Toronto do the fans/ Media complain after a win, and complain after a loss....

Getting to your improved special teams, What they need to do is dump and chase....than forecheck hard....What separates this team from the one that won four in a row?? A hard forecheck, fast skating...Teams were having fits when the leafs were on them in the offensive zone.

They need to stop passing the puck around, I will give you that....They need to shoot more, pass less....Get some big body infront of the net and distract the goalie.

Find positivity even in the struggle, and encourage them through this difficult time..Because as kids all they need is time, patience, and fans behind them.

[Juleehockey]

I hate the Leafs but I love this column: it is smart, funny and engaging...so I guess it proves not all Leafs fans are hopeless fools.
But I do believe you should become a Habs fan. It's a lot more rewarding, a lot more fun, and the hockey is infinitely more fun to watch.
Come to the dark side....we have Stanley cups.....

VM Replies: God, this made me laugh. Don't be tempting me with your Stanley Cups! That's just cruel.

[Hoofheartz]

Good one Julie, the Habs have cups, 23 or 24 I believe, but they haven't won one since 93 and you'd be amazed at how fast 20 then 30 then 40 years go by. Even though I choose not to watch the Leafs right now, I'd rather not cheer for the Habs, thank you very much.

[joe canada]

have you ever tried coaching vinay? some bang-on ideas which i doubt wilson will read, nor less try...

[johnnyk]

True, the Habs haven't hoisted the mug since '93. The Leafs' streak was still in its infancy at 26 years.

[Pyramid Power]

Pathetic coverage all the way around on the Dumont goal.
I am utterly stunned to see Giggy in nets again.
Gus should be starting once and for all for a bunch of games.
1-0 Preds. See what the Leafs can do about scoring a few goals.

[Pyramid Power]

Two giveaways by Grabovski with the second being just egregious.
Number two by Tootoo blown by Grabovski, but did not get any help from MacArthur or Aulie or Giggy.
Second goal on another horrendous giveaway by Grabbo totally Grabovski's fault. That puck has to go behind the net.
Two goals in ten seconds. OUCH!
Just horrendous. I can't watch, but I will.
It's like watching a series of car wrecks happen in an F-1 race.
3-0 Predators and no hope in sight. Not with the Nashville defensive system and the superb coaching of Trotz as good as it is. And The Rinne Factor.
Very surprised the ACC not booing the players badly. A smattering of jeers but not much more.
Wilson a stubborn man, and a loyal man apparently.
Why not pull Giggy at this point?

[Pyramid Power]

Nice faceoff win by Kessel, and then Schenn made like Gaborik with that move and snipe! Outstanding to see the kid score his first of the year.
There is life!
3-1 after one.
GO LEAFS GO! Let's see a stunning comeback tonight. Giggy has to shut the door the rest of the way.

[Pyramid Power]

I like the PP ideas Vinay, and especially getting Brown in front of the net. Wilson was working on getting Caputi to do that during PP's, but that didn't work out.
Will see what happens during the second period as there were no penalties in the first.
Remember Beauchemin scoring on a low drive against the Pens in a win in what seems like years ago? I would like to see all of our defencemen and not only Kabby doing that.
Phaneuf was trying, but he is not creative enough or seemingly good enough to get his shots to the net and on net. That said, I hope he will be back very soon along with Army.
And, yes, as Rodney King famously said, "Why can't we all just get along?"

[Pyramid Power]

Let's see what we can do with our first PP opportunity of the game.
Grabovski owes his team at least one goal, see if he can get one here.

[Pyramid Power]

Lebda, Lebda, Lebda. I am really beginning to hate this free agent acquisition. The guy is now at least -8 for the Leafs 'leading' the team. Horrific giveaway on the PP. And he takes too many penalties.
Wings fans said we would regret signing him, and he would do nothing to help us. It appears so far that they were sadly right.

[Pyramid Power]

Versteeg with a bullet and a goal. 4-2. Crazy hockey game.
GO LEAFS GO! Get another one quickly and get right back into this.
Another PP chance with Suter going to the box.

[Pyramid Power]

ANOTHER PP goal by VERSTEEG! Still on the PP. Let's tie it! 4-3. Just missed a glorious chance to tie it.
GO LEAFS GO!

[Pyramid Power]

Horrible call denying the Leafs a tie. Karmic payback for the non-call on Orr against Miami I suppose.
Keep up the pressure Toronto, and tie this up.
GO LEAFS GO!

[Pyramid Power]

YES! YES! YES! YES!
GRABBO TIES IT!
Another PP goal for the Leafs.
GO LEAFS GO!

[Pyramid Power]

Nice play by Kulemin to draw yet another PP.
Let's go score another PP goal and get the lead and keep it.
GO LEAFS GO!
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLL!
KULEMIN! AWESOME! FOUR POWER PLAY GOALS! WOW!
5-4 TORONTO. No goals please Giggy. Shut the door!

[Pyramid Power]

What a wild, bizarre, awesome hockey game. That second period has to one of the strangest I have ever seen, and of course one of the most exciting.
Got thru the end of that period with my health intact, and ready to see the Leafs completely shut the Preds down in the third and win this one.
Nice to see MacArthur with three assists, and showing some serious playmaking skills to go along with his sniping skills that he has shown Leafs fans so far this year.
End the streak tonight Toronto!
GO LEAFS GO!

[80s Leafs]

This column was perfectly timed. Some sort of karma, Kramer!
Was that 4 PP goals in the 2nd?

[Pyramid Power]

VICTORY! AWESOME!
Great job by Gus in relief. Great work on the PK in the third.
Turning points of the game were three fold imo.
1) Stop by Giggy on the Sullivan breakway when it was 3-0.
2) Goal by Schenn to make it 3-1 and give the Leafs life.
3) An unbelievable barrage of PP goals, and some sort of weird karma indeed as 80s Leafs noted by Mr. Vinay Menon, and this wildly timed blog!
THE LOSING STREAK IS OVER THANK THE GODS!
Let's make it two in a row on Thursday night against the Devils!
GO LEAFS GO!

[Ron]

I wonder how many NHL players have an 'any team but the Leafs' trade clause in their contract.

[Lionel]

It was the "officiating" that won the game. Period !

Lionel

[Hoofheartz]

"Leafs can't score on the PP, they suck. Leafs score 4 PP goals and officiating won the game.

[Moe Green]

Excellent suggestions for the power play VM,

Don't you wonder why Ron Wilson hasn't already tried this. How hard can it be? Like Earl Weaver ordering his players to take two strikes after the pitcher's walked the bases loaded; can't Wilson force Kabby to pull the trigger, say, at least every third pass, on average. I'm sure he can calculate averages. Or maybe Kabby has a mental block of some ridiculous sort. That's why they miss Phaneuf on the powerplay: Even if you know what he's gonna do you're never quite sure where it's going to end up. Kinda like Nuke Lalouche's fastball. We can put a man on the moon (reportedly) but we can't get Kabby to shoot on the power play? Preposterous! You tell him plain and simple: "No shooty, no power-play-ey."

I watched last season when Kessel was struggling and wondered why they didn't at least try him with Grabovski. So finally, in the midst of a near-record losing skid, the next season, they try it for a period and a half. Nice. Still Kessel gets a goal and an assist, his first points in like 7 games. Now Kessel is off the line again. Wilson is funny.