Wild West: Power Play Units by Team Part 1

Grant Campbell

2021-08-30

In going through each team of the 2021-22 Dobber's Fantasy Guide, I thought I would focus on the first and second power-play units of each team in the West. We will look at any changes from last season in terms of new players, new coaches and see how the teams and players did last year.

Most teams deploy four forwards and one defender, but we have broken down how each team deploys below and how much power-play time each player had last season.

Anaheim Ducks (31st in the NHL last year at 8.9 percent/net 4.9) (30th in opportunities)

The Ducks deployed four forwards and one defenceman 62.4 percent of the time while producing seven (63.6 percent) of their 11 PP goals while being responsible for three of the five SH goals against.

First Unit:

Rickard Rakell (53.1 percent on PP last year); no PPG and four PPP last season

Trevor Zegras (56.8); no PPP in 24 games last year

Ryan Getzlaf (48.3); led the team with three PPG

Kevin Shattenkirk (53.0); led the team with five PPP

Jamie Drysdale (52.2); one PPP in 24 games

Second Unit:

Max Comtois (44.7); four PPP

Adam Henrique (45.9); two PPP

Jakob Silfverberg (45.3); three PPP

Sonny Milano (26.8); no PPP in six games

Cam Fowler (45.8); four PPP

Troy Terry (45.7); no PPP in 48 games

The Ducks haven't made any significant roster changes and barely did anything with the man advantage last season with a net percentage of 4.9. The status quo is not working so expect some changes and more reliance on Trevor Zegras and/or Jamie Drysdale to get significant time. The units will still need Getzlaf or Henrique to take faceoffs until Zegras has improved significantly. The only change I could see from the projected units above is for Shattenkirk or Drysdale to be replaced by one of Comtois, Henrique, Silfverberg, Milano or Terry.

Arizona Coyotes: (13th – 20.8/18.5) (5th)

The Coyotes deployed four and one 65.1 percent of the time but only scored 18 (51.43 percent) of their 35 PP goals but gave up all four SH goals against. Jakob Chychrun was on the ice for three of the SH goals against.

First Unit:

Clayton Keller (51.0); four PPG and 10 PPP in 56 games

Christian Dvorak (52.9); eight PPG and 11 PPP in 56 games

Phil Kessel (53.4); four PPG and 13 PPP in 56 games

Jakob Chychrun (51.2); five PPG and 14 PPP in 56 games

Shayne Gostisbehere (new) (51.2); five PPG and nine PPP in 41 games with Philadelphia

Second Unit:

Dmitrij Jaskin (new); had 38 goals last year in the KHL of which 17 were PPG

Nick Schmaltz (49.9); three PPG and seven PPP in 52 games

Ryan Dzingel (new) (36.2); two PPG and three PPP in 40 games with Ottawa/Carolina

Loui Eriksson (new) (0); no PPP in seven games with Vancouver

Kyle Capobianco (29.8); no PPP in two games

Victor Soderstrom (30.6); no PPP in four games

Conor Timmins (new) (3.0); no PPP in 31 games with Colorado

Arizona's power play was fairly good last season but they have lost Oliver Ekman-Larsson (14 PPP), Conor Garland (10 PPP), Alex Goligoski (seven PPP) and Derick Brassard (six PPP). I'd expect Jaskin to get a good long look on the first unit over Gostisbehere or Chychrun with Schmaltz the next in line. Andre Tourigny is the new coach in Arizona next season and one would think this would only help Clayton Keller and Jaskin get opportunities if deserved.

Calgary Flames (21st – 18.3/14.3) (7th)

Calgary deployed four and one 75.8 percent of the time while scoring 27 (87.1 percent) of the 31 PP goals as well as surrendering five of the seven SH goals against. Mark Giordano was on the ice for three of the SH goals.

First Unit:

Johnny Gaudreau (65.1); seven PPG and 19 PPP in 56 games

Elias Lindholm (60.4); six PPG and 16 PPP in 56 games

Sean Monahan (62.5); four PPG and nine PPP in 50 games

Matthew Tkachuk (61.1); four PPG and 15 PPP in 56 games

Rasmus Andersson (52.2); one PPG and six PPP in 56 games

Second Unit:

Andrew Mangiapane (34.5); two PPG and five PPP in 56 games

Milan Lucic (28.4); two PPG and PPP in 56 games

Mikael Backlund (31.1); no PPG and six PPP in 54 games

Matthew Phillips (60.8); no PPP in one game

Noah Hanifin (14.8); three PPP in 47 games

Johannes Kinnvall (new); three PPG in 32 games last year with HV71 in the SHL and eight PPG in 2018-19 over 51 games.

With the talent this team has with the man advantage, they should be much better than 21st in the NHL. The team lost Mark Giordano to Seattle along with his four PPG and eight PPP in 56 games. I'd expect the same top unit next season, with a shorter leash on Rasmus Andersson. Kinnvall could get a look if Andersson doesn't increase his production.

Chicago Blackhawks (11th – 21.7/17.7) (6th)

Chicago deployed four and one 89.8 percent of the time producing 34 (94.44 percent) of the 36 PP goals but was responsible for all seven SH goals against. Adam Boqvist was on the ice for four of the SH goals.

First Unit:

Alex DeBrincat (70.3); nine PPG and 18 PPP in 52 games

Dominik Kubalik (45.1); four PPG and 14 PPP in 56 games

Jonathan Toews (inj.) (63.8 prior year); one PPG and eight PPP in 70 games in 2019-20

Patrick Kane (73.3); three PPG and 22 PPP in 56 games

Seth Jones (new) (56.4); two PPG and eight PPP in 56 games with Columbus

Second Unit:

Kirby Dach (57.5); one PPG and PPP in 18 games

Dylan Strome (55.0); four PPG and seven PPP in 40 games

Tyler Johnson (new) (30.9); two PPG and three PPP in 55 games with Tampa Bay

Alex Nylander (inj.) (22.4 prior year); two PPP in 65 games in 2019-20

Brandon Hagel (10.8); three PPP in 52 games

Jake McCabe (new) (1.7); five PPP in 353 career games with Buffalo

Wyatt Kalynuk (19.2); no PPP in 21 games with Buffalo

Chicago has a dangerous power play anytime Patrick Kane is out there. The team lost Adam Boqvist 8 PPP), Pius Suter (3 PPP), Mattias Janmark (7 PPP) and Duncan Keith (6 PPP), but with Toews and Nylander back from injury and newcomers Jones and Johnson the Blackhawks will be fine.

Colorado Avalanche (8th – 22.7/21.3) (1st)

Colorado deployed four and one 76.5 percent of the time and produced 39 (84.78 percent) of their 46 PP goals and was responsible for both of the SH goals against.

First Unit:

Gabriel Landeskog (69.0); nine PPG and 15 PPP in 54 games

Andrei Burakovsky (37.7); four PPG and 14 PPP in 53 games

Nathan MacKinnon (67.4); eight PPG and 25 PPP in 48 games

Mikko Rantanen (68.5); nine PPG and 24 PPP in 52 games

Cale Makar (68.3); four PPG and 22 PPP in 44 games

Second Unit:

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Valeri Nichushkin (15.0); one PPP in 55 games

Nazem Kadri (51.1); three PPG and nine PPP in 56 games

Tyson Jost (5.0); no PPP in 54 games

Alex Newhook (22.0); no PPP in six games

Devon Toews (29.9); two PPG and six PPP in 53 games

Samuel Girard (36.8); no PPG and nine PPP in 48 games

This team led the league in penalties drawn and were 8th overall last year after being first overall in 2019-20. The team has lost Joonas Donskoi (8 PPP) and Brandon Saad (3 PPP) but should be easily in the top eight next season as well. The question marks are Kadri, Burakovsky and Newhook, as the other four spots are locked in tight.

Dallas Stars (5th – 23.6/21.0) (18th)

Dallas deployed four and one 52.8 percent of the time and was responsible for 19 (51.35 percent) of the 37 PP goals and two of the four SH goals against.

First Unit:

Jamie Benn (56.2); three PPG and nine PPP in 52 games

Jason Robertson (48.9); one PPG and six PPP in 51 games

Tyler Seguin (39.8); no PPP in three games

Miro Heiskanen (57.9); three PPG and 11 PPP in 55 games

John Klingberg (64.0); two PPG and 17 PPP in 53 games

Second Unit:

Roope Hintz (56.2); six PPG and 18 PPP in 41 games

Alex Radulov (58.3); one PPG and six PPP in 11 games

Joe Pavelski (65.7); 13 PPG and 21 PPP in 56 games

Denis Gurianov (46.0); four PPG and eight PPP in 55 games

Ryan Suter (new) (45.2); one PPG and six PPP in 56 games with Minnesota

The Stars were fifth overall in the NHL last year and what makes that even more impressive is the fact that Seguin and Radulov were out most of the season with an injury. They are still one of the few clubs that deploy two defenders with the man advantage and have no reason to change as much as other teams have done. If Jason Robertson gets more power-play time, his numbers will only get better, but he will need to go through Seguin, Radulov and Pavelski to get it. The Stars have one of the deeper second units in the league.

Edmonton Oilers (1st – 27.6/25.3) (9th)

Edmonton deployed four and one 83.3 percent of the time which was responsible for 46 (95.83 percent) of the 48 PP goals and all four of the SH goals against. Tyson Barrie was on the ice for all four of the SH goals.

First Unit:

Zach Hyman (new) (34.1); three PPG and five PPP in 43 games with Toronto

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (87.1); nine PPG and 20 PPP in 52 games

Connor McDavid (86.8); nine PPG and 37 PPP in 56 games

Leon Draisaitl (87.6); 15 PPG and 32 PPP in 56 games

Tyson Barrie (72.3); four PPG and 23 PPP in 56 games

Second Unit:

Warren Foegele (new) (1.9); no PPP in 200 career games with Carolina

Jesse Puljujarvi (23.0); two PPG and four PPP in 55 games

Kailer Yamamoto (12.8); one PPG and two PPP in 52 games

Darnell Nurse (28.5); one PPG and seven PPP in 56 games

Duncan Keith (new) (45.6); one PPG and six PPP in 54 games with Chicago

Evan Bouchard (12.4); one PPG and PPP in 14 games

It is tempting to assume that the addition of Hyman will allow him to break his career-high of six PPP, but we need to remember that he had the luxury of Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner in Toronto and still didn't have success on the power play. What makes me think he will break through is the fact that Alex Chiasson had 35 PPP over the past three seasons in Edmonton. He can play the role that Chiasson did and perhaps better.

Los Angeles Kings (19th – 18.9/17.2) (11th)

Los Angeles deployed four and one 92.1 percent of the time and was responsible for 30 (96.77 percent) of the 31 PP goals and all three of the SH goals against.

First Unit:

Adrian Kempe (57.6); four PPG and 14 PPP in 56 games

Anze Kopitar (63.8); three PPG and 23 PPP in 56 games

Viktor Arvidsson (new) (46.9); two PPG and three PPP in 50 games with Nashville

Drew Doughty (65.1); six PPG and 17 PPP in 56 games

Alexander Edler (new) (6.0); no PPP in 52 games with Vancouver

Second Unit:

Alex Iafallo (56.8); four PPG and eight PPP in 55 games

Phillip Danault (new) (7.2); no PPP in 53 games with Montreal

Gabriel Vilardi (37.4); three PPG and four PPP in 54 games

Dustin Brown (58.2); nine PPG and 11 PPP in 49 games

Andreas Athanasiou (37.4); one PPP in 47 games

Sean Walker (30.3); one PPP in 47 games

I think Dustin Brown will be on the first unit for sure next season to start and Alexander Edler will be lucky to even see the second unit. Kempe, Kopitar and Doughty are locked for the first unit, but Iafallo could see his spot lost to Vilardi or another youngster coming up.

Minnesota Wild (24th – 17.6/15.8) (13th)

Minnesota deployed four and one 41.5 percent of the time which was responsible for 15 (50 percent) of the 30 PP goals and all three of the SH goals against. Jared Spurgeon was the lone defender on all three SH goals.

First Unit:

Kirill Kaprizov (61.8); eight PPG and 13 PPP in 55 games

Marco Rossi (new); played seven games last year before his Covid diagnosis with Switzerland in the WJC.

Kevin Fiala (58.8); six PPG and 14 PPP in 50 games

Mats Zuccarello (49.9); three PPG and six PPP in 42 games

Jared Spurgeon (54.1); three PPG and nine PPP in 54 games

Second Unit:

Jordan Greenway (9.6); one PPP in 56 games

Matt Boldy (new); 18 points in 14 games with Iowa of the AHL last year after 31 points in 22 games for Boston College.

Joel Eriksson Ek (22.8); two PPP in 56 games

Victor Rask (38.2); one PPG and six PPP in 54 games

Matt Dumba (38.5); one PPG and five PPP in 51 games

Calen Addison (44.6); on PPP in three games

Minnesota's power play struggled last season, which might make it easier for the coaching staff to change to four forwards on the power play more than just 41 percent of the time. Until the team re-signs Kaprizov, the first unit is wide open to change. Zuccarello should be on the bubble for the first unit and might be pushed by Boldy, Rask or Eriksson Ek. The team lost Nick Bonino, Ryan Suter and Marcus Johansson.

Look for Part 2 later today

Thank you very much for reading and if you have any comments or suggestions please message me or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15.

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Nov 14 - 19:11 NYR vs S.J
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Nov 14 - 20:11 MIN vs MTL
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