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Producer and Analyst Makes Wise Suggestion to Improve the Maple Leafs' Struggling Power Play
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs have had a tough time producing on the power play thus far, and one Sportsnet producer and analyst has a suggestion on how they can improve.
The Maple Leafs are currently 2-2-0 to begin the 2025-26 season, but one has to wonder whether their record would be above .500 if they could convert on the power play with any sort of regularity.
The departure of Mitch Marner has created a bit of a conundrum for the Leafs, in that he was the team's power play quarterback, and all plays essentially ran through him.
If you're an NFL follower, it's essentially like the Baltimore Ravens offense without Lamar Jackson.
The Leafs are currently running a top PP unit that consists of Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Matthew Knies, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly. On paper, you'd think this was one of the top PP units in the league. The reality, though, couldn't be further from the truth.
Per NHL.com's official records, the Maple Leafs are one of 3 teams without a single power play goal this season. The other two are the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks. Of course, it doesn't help when you receive the fewest power play opportunities in the league, as highlighted by The Athletic's Kevin Papetti.
On Tuesday afternoon, during a segment on Sportsnet's "The Real Kyper & Bourne Show", producer Sam McKee made an interesting suggestion that could really help the team's top power play unit. He suggested putting Max Domi or Matias Maccelli on that top PP unit.
Photo by David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Can I ask you guys... Can they [the Leafs] put somebody on [the top unit] that can pass? Like, it's every guy wants to shoot. Look at the top unit: it's Rielly, who's not the greatest passer, wants to shoot it from the point. Auston wants to shoot. Willy wants to shoot. Knies goes to the side of the net. They're setting up the bumper fallaway jumper for John Tavares... they need to get Maccelli or Domi in there... no one can pass. They're just outside, outside, outside -- nothing's in the middle. I'm no expert, but get a guy who passes it.
Nick Kypreos also admitted that he doesn't see who the clear playmaker is on that top power play unit for the Leafs. Justin Bourne identified Max Domi and Matias Maccelli as the two clear playmakers, also indicating that Easton Cowan is more of a playmaker than he is a goal scorer.
With none of these players on the top PP unit, it's a pretty clear solution here: change up the units and put a playmaker on the top unit.
If I was in control of the Leafs' power play, call me crazy, but I'm having John Tavares center the second unit and putting Max Domi or Matias Maccelli on the top unit -- not because Tavares is not an effective power play producer, but because you already have Matthew Knies to bulldog the puck along the wall and then get to the front of the net.
My two units, if I'm head coach Craig Berube, would be:
PP1: Knies, Matthews, Domi, Rielly, Nylander
PP2: Maccelli, Tavares, Robertson, Ekman-Larsson, McMann/Cowan
The Leafs are back in action on Thursday when they play host to the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena. If the team is serious about wanting to solve the PP issues, they'll make some adjustments and try some different things out to see if they can get the ball rolling in the right direction.
Related articles to check out at mapleleafsdaily.com:
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 15 | 767 ANSWERS Producer and Analyst Makes Wise Suggestion to Improve the Maple Leafs' Struggling Power Play Do you think the Leafs should put Max Domi or Matias Maccelli on the top PP unit? | ||
| Yes, Domi | 204 | 26.6 % |
| Yes, Maccelli | 265 | 34.6 % |
| No, keep the top unit as is | 298 | 38.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
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