Over the last 20 games, the Detroit Red Wings have seen a measurable drop in their power play efficiency. Their success rate of 17.7% over the last 20 games puts them 18th in league efficiency, squarely in the bottom half of the NHL. Five of Detroit's division rivals rank above them in power play percentage. To make matters worse, Detroit's -1 goal differential is the worst among playoff teams and third-lowest in the Atlantic.
In order to ignite the team's anemic power play, the Red Wings have to make some major changes on their special teams. At the top of that list should be taking Patrick Kane off the power play.
The cons outweigh Patrick Kane's power play pros
At 37 years of age, Patrick Kane's best hockey is long behind him. Still, scoring 36 points in 49 games is impressive. 13 of those points have come from the power play. But, in the last 20 games, Kane has managed just four power play points. Kane currently plays on the first power play unit alongside James van Riemsdyk, Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat and Moritz Seider.
There's a lot to love about that power play line -- even moreso when Larkin takes over in van Riemsdyk's place. Unfortunately, Kane just can't keep up with the rest of the unit. Raymond, Seider, DeBrincat and Larkin are fast and wickedly sharp defensively. Kane's downfall on the top unit comes from his lack of speed and poor defensive awareness. With the season as close as it is, the margin for error is smaller than ever.
One of the biggest knocks of the team's power play over the last 20 games have been their poor zone entries. Kane's particularly low zone entry percentage is a red flag for any power play unit. Kane is still a very efficient passer, but, recently, he's been making one pass too many rather than shooting the puck. This has rubbed off on other players, as well: Lucas Raymond seems almost shot-averse over his last few games. Something needs to change -- and fast.
To be fair, Kane is 37. Expecting him to keep up with a roster in their mid-late 20s is a huge ask. But that's precisely why the Red Wings should move Kane out of the power play. Why try to force a player that doesn't fit the power play mold to keep up? Why not move van Riemsdyk to Kane's role and put Kane in a position where he can find success?
A compromise: Kane on Red Wings' PP2
This isn't to say Kane should be buried on the lineup entirely. In fact, he might very well work on the second power play unit with players like Emmitt Finnie and Marco Kasper. Kane can assume a mentor role, helping to get the younger players in position in order to take advantage of their shorthanded competition.
If the Red Wings want to fix their power play woes, they have two options: they can either put Kane on the second power play unit, or they can remove him from the power play entirely. The former seems like the most efficient use of Patrick Kane in the twilight of his career. The latter, whether this offseason or the next, is inevitable.