{"id":120242,"date":"2021-10-21T14:10:15","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T18:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=120242"},"modified":"2021-10-21T14:10:15","modified_gmt":"2021-10-21T18:10:15","slug":"edmonton-oilers-power-play-break-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/10\/21\/edmonton-oilers-power-play-break-record\/","title":{"rendered":"Edmonton Oilers Power Play Poised To Break Records"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Connor McDavid<\/a> era in Edmonton is in full flight. And with that comes one of the most lethal power plays the NHL has ever seen. Anchored by the dynamic duo of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl<\/a>, and complimented by facilitating artists, Zach Hyman<\/a>, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins<\/a>, and Tyson Barrie<\/a>, the Oilers’ power play is an unstoppable force.<\/p>\n

Power Play Leading the Way<\/h2>\n

The Edmonton Oilers<\/a> have topped the league in power-play efficiency the last two seasons and have done so with relative ease. Last season\u2019s power play struck at a staggering 27.6%, which followed a ridiculous 29.5% in the 2019-2020 season. These numbers are defying the norm and the 29.5% is the highest the league has seen since the 1978-79 season where the Islanders posted 31.2%.<\/p>\n

So the question being asked is, can the Oilers’ power play break the single-season record of 31.9% held by the 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens?<\/p>\n

Edmonton\u2019s power play is so good that some may wonder if they should even bother deploying a second unit. Just run Mcdavid and the boys out there for a full two-minute special.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Okay, maybe that\u2019s a bit much, but people are definitely thinking about it.<\/p>\n

This Seasons’ Approach<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s what assistant coach Glen Gulutzan had to say at the start of the season about his two units.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI can say with some certainty that you\u2019re probably going to see a little bit more of a second unit this year at times. That\u2019s by design,\u201d Gulutzan noted. \u201cTalking with our top guys, we want to make sure we\u2019re spreading everything out a little bit and getting guys a lot of touches on the puck.\u201d<\/p>\n

So that\u2019s what\u2019s being said but that doesn\u2019t mean that\u2019s what will happen. NHL players these days have elite fitness levels. A star player can stay out for a full two minutes of power-play time. And according to dailyfaceoff.com<\/a>, the Oilers will do just that and keep Hopkins, Draisaitl, and McDavid on both the first and second unit.<\/p>\n

Regardless of how Edmonton\u2019s coaches decide to use their stars, the first unit will be getting the bulk of ice-time to generate its scoring chances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So far this season, the Oilers have not been spreading out the power play ice-time. Let\u2019s take a look at how the ice-time has been divided up for their first 12 power plays.<\/p>\n

Power Play Unit 1<\/b><\/h4>\n

Leon Draisaitl 4:13<\/p>\n

Connor McDavid 4:10<\/p>\n

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 3:50<\/p>\n

Tyson Barrie 3:35<\/p>\n

Zach Hyman 2:39<\/p>\n

Everyone else \u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h4>\n

Jesse Puljujarvi<\/a> 1:55<\/p>\n

Darnell Nurse<\/a> 1:23<\/p>\n

Evan Bouchard<\/a> 0:47<\/p>\n

Warren Foegele<\/a> 0:43<\/p>\n

Kyle Turris<\/a> 0:37<\/p>\n

Zack Kassian<\/a> 0:36<\/p>\n

Derek Ryan<\/a> 0:12<\/p>\n

Kailer Yamamoto<\/a> 0:08<\/p>\n

As you can see, the ice-time is clearly lopsided. And, frankly, as it should be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What we\u2019ve seen so far from the Oilers\u2019 man-advantage is that they are rotating players from the \u201csecond unit\u201d into the first one but never fully changing all five skaters.<\/p>\n

This scheme is clearly working as the Oilers have converted on 5 of their 12 power play opportunities thus far. This hot-start has people wondering, can the Oilers be the first team to break the \u201c30 mark\u201d since 1978 and perhaps even break the single-season record.<\/p>\n

So Why Now<\/h3>\n

What makes the Oilers’ power play so efficient\u2014other than the obvious of having the two best players on the planet\u2014is how many different looks it can give you. Edmonton has used the classic method of getting shots from the point to generate traffic in front to create chances. They have used Draisaitl down low in the corner as a \u201cbumper-man\u201d to either pass the puck to the slot or drive the net himself. McDavid has been put on the point and quarterbacked the group. He draws the play to himself and then dishes the puck to an open man for an easy finish. And this year McDavid has added another weapon to his arsenal\u2014a one-timer from the right side.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

McDavid showed off his new trick in a 5-2 win against the Calgary Flames. Setup on the right side of the hash marks, McDavid took a feed from Darnell Nurse<\/a> and blew one (or fluffed one, as Draisaitl would say<\/a>) by the Flames netminder.<\/p>\n

\n

McDavid has mastered the one timer on the power-play. It\u2019s over for the league #LetsGoOilers<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/q6uYHSOfx1<\/a><\/p>\n

— Dyl (@dhockey13) October 17, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n