One goal in 27 attempts. The stats aren’t glorious, but they perfectly illustrate the Canadian’s setbacks on the power play. In the last seven games, CH has produced just one meager goal five against four.
• Also read: The beginning of a long journey
If there’s been a slump in the standings over the past few days, so has this important facet of the game: The Habs now have the NHL’s worst power play record at 14.0%.
To make the numbers speak better, it should be noted that the Canadian has only managed 14 goals on the power play this season. That’s half the production of eight NHL teams.
The Oilers with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl lead with 38 goals. The Sabers (36), Senators (34), Bruins (33), Lightning (31), Kings (28), Canucks (28) and Avalanche (28) follow.
Zero Quarterbacks
A few hours before a duel against the Coyotes at their small, 5,000-seat amphitheater in Tempe, Arizona, Martin St-Louis and Alex Burrows may return to the drawing board to come up with solutions.
For several games, CH has relied on a first wave with five attackers. This choice on the part of the coaches means the lack of a real quarterback on the blue line, an offensive defender who is likely to animate the game from the point. There is no Rasmus Dahlin, Thomas Chabot, Charlie McAvoy, Mikhail Sergachev, Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar in Montreal.
Mike Matheson has an attacking profile, but he’s never played the pivotal role in the power play. Chris Wideman had that reputation at the KHL level. However, there is a world of difference between ice hockey in Russia and that of the NHL. At 32, Wideman is a good veteran to guide the team’s youngsters, he accepts his role as the seventh defender but he doesn’t represent the team’s future.
Around the youth
In a season where there are no expectations in the standings, the Canadians would do well to offer auditions to their young defenders.
With Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield there are already two large pieces of an interesting powerplay puzzle. Suzuki (5 goals) and Caufield (4 goals) scored nine of the team’s 14 goals on the power play. St-Louis, however, reminded him more than once that building a dangerous unit takes time. And you have to bet on five players who know each other well.
Based on the premise of the time, the head coach could turn to Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris and Arber Xhekaj. There would be nothing wrong with giving them rotations in the first wave.
After 31 games, CH conceded just one goal from a defender on the power play. And it came from Xhekaj’s staff.
Of the three, Guhle is probably the one with the greatest potential on offense. In his final season in the Western Junior League, he averaged 40 points (7 goals, 33 assists) in 42 games at Prince Albert and Edmonton, and in the playoffs he averaged even higher with 16 points (8 goals, 8 assists) in an Oil Kings uniform.
Harris, who is second at Glorieux defenders with ten points, has a good view of the game but he doesn’t have a sharp shot. In the case of Xhekaj, his shot regularly hits the blue line target. However, number 72 is the most vulnerable full-back among the three young guns.
And in Lavall…
The Justin Barron name could resurface among Laval Rocket defenders in the event of a recall. He leads his team with seven goals. In his own territory, Barron still needs to improve many aspects of his game.
Nicolas Beaudin, who was acquired in a small trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 7, recently got his season back on track with the Rocket. The Hawks’ 2018 first-round pick now has 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) in 16 games. Jean-François Houle has been using it in his first wave of power play for a few games.
Look to the future
The Canadian is in a period of rebuilding and is full of young hope in Laval, in Canada’s youth circles, in the American university network and in Europe. Each week, Le Journal will publish a review of some of them.
With the World Junior Championships in Moncton and Halifax just around the corner and NCAA-level activity suspended, this week’s column takes on a slightly different format.
AHL: Justin Barron
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
Cut off at the end of the CH camp, Barron was on a mission to become a more complete defender with the missile. Still brittle on his turf, the former Colorado Avalanche 1st-round pick is dangerous offensively. He has 16 points (7 goals, 9 assists) in 25 games. He dominates all defenders in the American League with 5 power play goals.
AHL: Rafael Harvey-Pinard
Photo archive, Martin Alarie
Harvey-Pinard is driving the Rocket slower than last year. In 28 games, the number 11 scored 17 points (9 goals, 8 assists). Offensive numbers aside, Harvey-Pinard is a reliable defensive winger and always brings a good dose of energy.
OHL: Owen Beck
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
Beck experienced the disappointment of not getting a spot on Canada’s World Junior Championship team. He didn’t shy away from his return with the Mississauga Steelheads, however, and racked up six assists in his first two games after camp at Moncton. He leads his team with 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in 27 games.
WHL: Jared Davidson
Photo archive, Pierre-Paul Poulin
Davidson, a 5th-round pick in the 2022 draft, is the offensive powerhouse for the Seattle Thunderbirds. In his final season in Junior League West at the age of 20, Davidson led the team with 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in 25 games. In his last game, he had four assists in a 5-1 win over the Everett Silvertips.
OHL: Logan Mailloux
Photo archive QMI Agency, Joël Lemay
Tragedy shook the world of the London Knights this week with the death of 18-year-old forward Abakar Kazbekov. According to multiple reports, the Ontarian fatally fell from his London home. The Knights did not play Saturday due to the tragedy. Mailloux, on the other hand, continues his good season with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 24 games.
OHL: Cedrick Guindon
Photo archive QMI Agency, Joël Lemay
Guindon remains among the top 20 scorers in the Ontario Junior League. He has 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 31 games this season with the Owen Sound Attack. The 2022 4th Round pick scored and added an assist in a 5-4 loss to the Windsor Spitfires on Saturday at Owen Sound.