The Detroit Red Wings went 1 for 4 on the power play during Saturday's bout against the Boston Bruins. This inconsistency is a microcosm of a bigger issue: since the Olympic break, the Red Wings have gone just 15 for 34 on the power play, putting them near the bottom of the NHL's power play rankings. Months ago, the Red Wings were praised for their wickedly efficient power play, which accounted for a large percentage of their offense.
Now that it's dried up, the team is left floundering for even-strength scoring and a power play that desperately needs to get going.
The remainder of the season will hinge entirely upon the efficiency of the power play. Whether it finds its footing or not will determine the rest of the season's outcome.
Why the power play isn't working
The biggest issue with the power play, as reported by Octopus Thrower writer Anthony Ibanez, is simple: it's too predictable. The power play runs through 37-year-old Patrick Kane, who, while having an effective season in his own right, is not the Hart-caliber player he once was. Kane is best served as a complementary piece on a lethal offense instead of his role as the catalyst. That said, however, another player needs to step into those big shoes (skates?) in order for the power play to work again.
Many of the power play schemes are just too simplistic, often involving a small handful of passes and a one-timer from someone like Alex DeBrincat or Moritz Seider. There isn't enough variety in the power play. As such, the five-on-four makeup is just too derivative and often leads to collapses and inconsistencies. If the Red Wings hope to right the special teams ship, they need to start switching up the schema.
Do or die for Red Wings
With just 12 games left in the season, the margin of error is razor-thin. Anything less than .500 hockey will almost certainly doom Detroit's postseason hopes. This is why it's imperative that the Red Wings fix their power play. Without that extra boost in scoring, the playoffs are nothing more than a dream. It certainly doesn't help that other organizations like the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets are getting hot at the right time.
As of right now, the Red Wings are on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs. The next few games against the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers should test Detroit's resolve. Should they find a way to exorcise their power play demons, they should, at the very least, be able to escape this next leg with a handful of points.
Everything hinges on power play coach Alex Tanguay's ability to adapt under pressure.