A good power play can make all the difference in the NHL, but also with your fantasy squad. 

A player one year might have 70 points, with 20 of them coming on the power-play. If that same player struggles with the man advantage the following season and finishes with five power-play points, he might drop to a 55-point player. It can make a big difference between a bona fide keeper and one who is almost droppable. 

Below are 10 players who have been performing poorly on the power play this year. The only criteria I have for this list is that I could only use one player per team. If not, this list would be full of Coyotes and Canadiens. 

We’re going to look at players who are disappointing compared to previous years, as well as players who are disappointing compared to their opportunity and what their linemates are doing. 

Before I begin, a quick honourable mention goes to Mark Stone, who had four power-play points in 28 games before going on the IR for potentially the rest of the season. He was on pace for his worst power-play production since joining the NHL full-time, but it didn’t feel right including him if he’s not coming back the rest of the season. 

10. Max Comtois

The Ducks are a bit different than most teams, as the team pretty much gives everyone the same amount of power-play time per game. They have 13 players that average between 1:42 to 2:39 of power-play time per night, although two of those players include Mason McTavish and Vinni Lettieri, who have played a combined 26 games. Comtois, fourth on the team in power-play time per game at 2:14 a night, has just two power-play points, both assists. He’s been off the power play altogether since Jan. 31, while players such as Nicolas Deslauriers and Derek Grant have been getting the time instead. 

9. Jonathan Toews

It’s been a tough season for the Blackhawks captain. A slow start after missing all of last year, Toews hasn’t lost his spot on the top power-play unit. However, all that ice time hasn’t helped, as he has just four power-play points. Meanwhile, teammates Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat have 18 power-play points apiece, and Dylan Strome has 10. He’s had up and down power-play point seasons in the past, but considering he hasn’t been efficient since 2018-19 doesn’t bode well for future success. Now, he’s out with a concussion, although he’s skating, which bodes well for a return. 

8. Victor Olofsson

Two seasons ago, Olofsson had 17 power-play points in 54 games. Last year, he had 15 power-play points in 56 games. This season, he has four power-play points in 41 games, and two of those cane in the first game of the year. Even though we knew Buffalo would struggle without Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel, this is more drastic a setback than we could have anticipated. He started the season on the top unit, but has been seeing a decline in power-play ice time as the year goes on. 

7. Vincent Trocheck

Trocheck is one of only three to play all 49 games for the Hurricanes this season (the other two being Jesper Fast and Brady Skjei), which is kind of amusing considering his status as a Band-Aid boy. However, his power-play production pales in comparison to the other players. Everyone else on the top unit has at least 15 power-play points, while Teuvo Teravainen leads the team with 20. Trocheck has only nine. A year ago, he had 18 in 47 games, so not only is he trailing significantly on his team, but he’s not producing like he once did. 

6. Jeff Petry

Like many others on this list, the power-play production is just one of many disappointments in a player’s season. Big things were expected of Petry, who has scored at least 40 points and 11 power-play points in each of the previous four seasons. This year, he has one power-play point (and is on pace for 19 points overall). The man-advantage issues are frustrating, as he hasn’t been able to reclaim his top spot on the power-play unit that he lost in the middle of November. Petry has been playing much better under new head coach Marty St. Louis, but is still on the second unit. 

5. Jacob Chychrun

A year ago, Chychrun was one of the top surprises in the league, buoyed by his power-play prowess. He finished with 14 man-advantage points in 56 games, which was tied for best on the Coyotes. Everything about Chychrun’s campaign this year has been a disappointment, especially with his power-play production. This year, he has one power-play point in 39 games, tied with Loui Eriksson. With Shayne Gostisbehere being so proficient with the man advantage, Chychrun hasn’t been on the top unit since the start of December. 

4. Brayden Point

Yes, I realize Point missed 14 games with an upper-body injury, but that’s not much of an excuse. Point has eight power-play points in 35 games, tied with Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov. Of course, Kucherov has played 14 games while Killorn isn’t considered elite (and definitely not a late first-/early second-round fantasy draft pick like Point). Point’s 0.23 power-play points per game are his second-lowest in his last four years. Aside from one great season in 2018-19 when he scored 20 power-play goals and 35 power-play points, he’s normally not much of a power-play producer. But he is getting a significant pay increase next season, and if you have him in a cap league, you need him to start producing more soon. 

3. Tyson Barrie

You’re never going to keep up with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, but Barrie isn’t even keeping up with the Barrie of yesteryear. Barrie has 0.23 power-play points per game this season. That’s a substantial drop from 0.41 power-play points per game from a year ago and is the second-lowest of his past five seasons. He also recently lost his spot on the top unit for a week before reclaiming it a week ago. Even with a new coach, he is on a short leash and will be hard-pressed to get back to his lofty power-play totals at this rate. 

2. Ryan Strome

Strome has been one of the more underrated players in the last few years. He rarely misses any games, puts up about a 65-point pace, averages two shots a game and collects quite a few PIM. He’s also usually good for a pro-rated 20 power-play points per season. But this season, his power-play points are down. He has only 10 points with the man advantage, and is on pace for eight fewer power-play points per 82 games this season compared to last year. And those 10 points are dwarfed in comparison with his linemates. Everyone else on the top unit has at least 21 power-play points. His power-play individual points percentage (the percentage of power-play goals scored when he is on the ice and he picks up a goal or an assist) is slightly above 30 per cent. That’s extremely low, and easily the lowest of his career as he normally reaches at least 54 per cent (and has been as high as 70 per cent). 

1. Kevin Fiala

There’s just something about Fiala’s fantasy game I don’t trust, but I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is. Maybe it’s the constant slow starts to the season, or the lining up away from Kirill Kaprizov at even strength, or the fact he hasn’t been able to break a 70-point pace yet. To be even more of a wet blanket, Fiala is behind his teammates when it comes to the man advantage. His 0.17 power-play points per game are a significant decrease from 0.28 per cent the previous two seasons (that’s a pace of nine fewer power-play points over an 82-game season). So far, he has eight power-play points, which are 10 fewer than Ryan Hartman (who has played six fewer games), and only two ahead of Matt Boldy (who has played 31 fewer games).