Canes’ power-play still a work in progress

Justin Faulk has the big, heavy shot. Kris Versteeg and Victor Rask are sound passers and good playmakers, and Eric Staal and Elias Lindholm can snipe and finish around the net.

On paper, in theory, those five players should make up a potent power-play unit for the Carolina Hurricanes.

A second unit has forwards Jeff Skinner, Nathan Gerbe and Jordan Staal with defensemen James Wisniewski and John-Michael Liles. Again, very capable.

But during the Canes’ preseason schedule, nothing worked very well. Carolina’s power play scored once, and that was a 5-on-3 goal by Gerbe.

Nor were there many power-play opportunities – 15 in the six exhibition games.

“We have to address the issue why we’re only getting on the power play one or two times a night,” Canes coach Bill Peters said.

Is the power play a major concern heading into the regular season? Should it be?

Peters said he doesn’t think so. Canes assistant coach Rod Brind’Amour, who oversees the power play, agrees.

“I don’t panic too much about it,” Brind’Amour said. “I focus on the good things and looking at last year’s group, compared to now, we’re so far ahead now. Last year it was like we were starting from scratch and it was a big learning curve. The guys who were here know what we’re trying to accomplish.

“We didn’t execute (in preseason) but as far as describing what we want, I think we’re way ahead. Now we’ve got to get the units set, right?”

Peters hinted Friday the power-play units might change and they still may before the season opener Thursday against the Nashville Predators. But in Monday’s practice, the units remained the same as Peters stressed a need for continuity.

Eric Staal and Faulk each had seven power-play goals last season. The Canes tied for 13th in the NHL (18.8) percent despite going 5-for-41 in the final 17 games.

“The details of a good power play are good puck movement, making sure your entries are good with control, establishing your shot, attacking the net and good net presence,” Staal said. “It’s pretty obvious. It’s about executing all those things.”

In a 2-1 preseason win Friday over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Canes had one power play, after a roughing call against the Pens’ Sidney Crosby in the second period. Versteeg, Faulk, Wisniewski and Skinner all had shots on net during the power play, but Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made the stops. The Pens also won two draws in their zone.

Versteeg, traded to the Canes on Sept. 11 from the Chicago Blackhawks, is new to the Canes power play. So, too, is Wisneiwski, obtained in a June trade with the Anaheim Ducks.

“With Versteeg, we didn’t know much about him, so where does he fit?” Brind’Amour said. “We have a pretty good skill set, so where does he belong? That’s what preseason’s for.”

Wisneiewski had seven-power play goals last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets before a March 2 trade to the Ducks. Like Faulk, he has a big shot from the point.

“We’ve got the assets,” Brind’Amour said. “But you’ve got to figure out how it works.”

Wisniewski said from his experience, the best power plays come with good net presence and “understanding where the power play works.”

“A lot of people think the power play works from the half wall,” he said. “If you think about it, if you play it from the half wall you’re playing four on four. You don’t have to cover the guy on the half wall. You can let that guy sit there all day.”

Wisneiwski said working from the middle of the ice up high brings the defensive forwards up toward the shooter – say, Faulk looking to blast one.

“Establish the shot at the middle top and break them down from there,” Wisniewski said. “Then the seam passes and pretty plays open up.”

That’s what everyone wants to see – crisp passes, pretty plays, big shots, pucks in the net. But gritty goals and deflections count, as well.

“There are different elements that produce a good power play,” Eric Staal said. “There are enough good players in this room to do that. It’s about outworking the other four guys on the ice. It’s about everyone executing their job properly.”

This story was originally published October 5, 2015 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Canes’ power-play still a work in progress."