According to Natural Stat Trick, no power play in recent years has been as prolific as the Edmonton Oilers’. Since 2019, EDM has paced the league by averaging 59.72 shots on net and 10.26 goals per hour on the man advantage.
The Oilers’ unusually good output are made possible by a unique process.
Strong PP1s typically feature two elite offensive forwards as co-quarterbacks. Matthews & Marner (TOR), Crosby & Malkin (PIT) and Kucherov & Stamkos (TBL) are the prime examples in this year’s playoffs.
EDM’s answer, of course, is the duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. EDM97 and EDM29 operate in quite a different manner, however.
Consider Tampa’s highly efficient top unit:
As a lefty playing the right flank, TBL86 Nikita Kucherov is both a shooting threat and a playmaker capable of going cross-seam to TBL91 Steven Stamkos.
Secondary options include TBL21 Brayden Point in the bumper position and TBL17 Alex Killorn at the goal line.
TBL77 Victor Hedman is the last line of defense near the blue line, but also a passing option to relieve pressure against aggressive PKs.
The 1-3-1 structure is standard, with sticks in the middle (lefties on the right side and righties on the left) as much as possible. The five skaters may move around to problem-solve defenders, but they generally will not stray far from their assigned spots.
Most critically, Kucherov and Stamkos, the two main shooting threats, almost never wind up on the same side of the ice, as to maintain the all-important seam pass option.
Unsurprisingly, McDavid and Draisaitl are the most productive individuals on EDM’s PP1 since 2019. However, it is the German (55 goals on 234 shots) who is the primary shooter, not the Canadian (30G, 194S). Due to their contrasting skillsets, Draisaitl often winds as the triggerman on the flank or in the slot, while McDavid settles into a playmaking and puck retrieving role down low.
In Game 2 against LAK, Draisaitl opens the scoring at 5v4 with a one-timer from the right flank. EDM29 doesn’t have the Matthews’ or Kucherov’s flourish when shooting the puck, but he remains one of the world’s best at combining power, accuracy and a quick release.
But there’s one wrinkle.
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