The Wild West – Early Power Play Units in the West

Grant Campbell

2024-10-14

Some teams have only played one or two games, so this is a very early look at what players are on what power play unit on each team in the West. These could change by the next game, but it gives us an idea who the coaches see as the options on their teams right out of the gate in 2024-25.

Anaheim Ducks

First Unit

Frank Vatrano (56.1%), Ryan Strome (55.8), Alex Killorn (55.6), Trevor Zegras (53.3) and Pavel Mintyukov (52.8)

Second Unit

Olen Zellweger (47.2), Leo Carlsson (45.8), Mason McTavish (43.9), Cutter Gauthier (43.8) and Troy Terry (42.6)

It is a little surprising to see Killorn on the first unit ahead of Terry and it looks like the Ducks are interchanging between Mintyukov and Zellweger. By season's end, I imagine Carlsson or McTavish will have replaced Strome on the first unit.

It looks like the coaching staff thinks that they might have two pretty good units and they might be right there.

The team went 0 for 6 with the man advantage after the first two games, so there might be some tweaks to the units before game three.

Zellweger was a healthy scratch in game two in the Duck's 3-1 loss against Vegas on Sunday night. Tristan Luneau saw over half the time on the one power play with Zellweger out of the lineup.

Calgary Flames

First Unit

Andrei Kuzmenko (66.2), Jonathan Huberdeau (66.1), MacKenzie Weegar (63.7), Connor Zary (60.5) and Nazem Kadri (60.3)

Second Unit

Anthony Mantha (34.0), Mikael Backlund (37.7), Blake Coleman (32.4), Rasmus Andersson (32.2) and Samuel Honzek (21.3)

The first unit has already posted three PPGs in their first three games through 11 opportunities, so there will be little reason to change that unit. I like to see Zary be given an opportunity ahead of Mantha or Coleman. We will see what he can do with it.

It is good to see the rookie Honzek getting an opportunity on the second unit, but he didn't see any PP time in game three so keep an eye on that going forward.

Chicago Blackhawks

First Unit

Seth Jones (71.6), Connor Bedard (67.9), Teuvo Teravainen (67.2), Tyler Bertuzzi (62.7), Taylor Hall (41.8), Nick Foligno (32.5)

Second Unit

Craig Smith (42.8), Patrick Maroon (31.3), Philipp Kurashev (28.4), Alec Martinez (28.4), Ryan Donato (26.5), Alex Vlasic (11.0)

After three games, Chicago is three for seven with the man advantage and have already tinkered with their units after going without a goal in their first two games on four opportunities.

Taylor Hall started on the first unit in game one and split time with Craig Smith but didn't play there in the next two games. Smith missed the next two games. Nick Foligno was on the first unit against the Oilers where the Blackhawks PP went three for three.

It is not encouraging to see Andreas Athanasiou held off either unit, while Maroon, Donato and Smith get an opportunity. Kurashev played 65.4% of the time on the PP in 2023-24, but is well down so far in 2024-25.

Colorado Avalanche

First Unit

Mikko Rantanen (93.2), Jonathan Drouin (93.1), Casey Mittelstadt (92.5), Nathan MacKinnon (87.0), Cale Makar (86.5)

Second Unit

Ross Colton (40.3), Devon Toews (14.6), Samuel Girard (10.4), Calum Ritchie (9.5), Ivan Ivan (8.9), Nikolai Kovalenko (6.2)

The first unit is going to play 75-80 percent of the time in 2024-25 and that is completely acceptable when you are three for seven in your first two games and have had the success Colorado has had for the past few years with the man advantage.

Drouin and Mittelstadt are on perhaps borrowed time unless the power play just clicks when Artturi Lehkonen and/or Valeri Nichushkin return to the lineup.

The young rookies Ritchie, Ivan and Kovalenko are being spotted in on the second unit and Ivan was rewarded with his first NHL point while being on the PP.

Dallas Stars

First and Second Units

Miro Heiskanen (67.8), Jason Robertson (57.6), Roope Hintz (53.9), Wyatt Johnston (52.8), Jamie Benn (50.3), Matt Duchene (47.3), Mason Marchment (44.4), Tyler Seguin (41.7), Logan Stankoven (38.4) and Thomas Harley (34.2)

The Stars are and have been a team which splits their two units between 50/50 and 60/40 depending on how each of them are rolling.

With Joe Pavelski retiring a spot opened up and it looks like Stankoven has filled in seamlessly.

Don't expect much more time on the PP for Harley as Heiskanen should maintain 60-70 percent the whole year, while I'd expect Robertson and Hintz to nudge above 60 eventually. There should be another forward in the mix, who could see their time get up above 55 percent.

The Stars are one for nine so far in their first three games so expect some tweaking amongst the units.

Edmonton Oilers

First Unit

Evan Bouchard (93.0), Connor McDavid (87.6), Leon Draisaitl (85.0), Zach Hyman (84.4) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (77.7)

Second Unit

Darnell Nurse (17.9), Corey Perry (15.6), Jeff Skinner (14.9),  Viktor Arvidsson (12.4) and Mattias Ekholm (11.6)

I expect to see the first unit above 75 percent for all of 2024-25 and it was why I was a little hesitant on the production of Skinner and Arvidsson this year in Edmonton as they will both need to produce at even strength unless there is an injury to any of the forwards in that first unit.

The fourth best power play in the NHL in 2023-24 (26.3%) has gone one for five in their first three games.

Los Angeles Kings

First Unit

Kevin Fiala (60.2), Adrian Kempe (59.6), Anze Kopitar (59.3), Alex Laferriere (56.9) and Brandt Clarke (53.5)

Second Unit

Jordan Spence (45.9), Quinton Byfield (43.7), Phillip Danault (37.6), Trevor Moore (37.4) and Alex Turcotte (33.7)

This is after two games where the Kings have gone one for 10 on the PP, things could obviously change very quickly.

Fiala, Kempe and Kopitar won't be going anywhere but it is surprising to see Laferriere on the first unit over Byfield, and Clarke could be up and down between himself and Spence for most of the year depending on how the power play is clicking or not.

Turcotte is getting an opportunity to play with the man advantage but not so much at even strength as he has averaged just 8:16 overall time after two games.

Minnesota Wild

First Unit

Matt Boldy (72.6), Joel Eriksson Ek (89.8), Mats Zuccarello (70.7), Kirill Kaprizov (70.4) and Brock Faber (68.9)

Second Unit

Marcus Johansson (26.5), Jared Spurgeon (10.4), Frederick Gaudreau (26.7), Ryan Hartman (27.7) and Marco Rossi (27.1)

Like a few other teams, the Wild are heavily relying on their big guns to drive the power play in 2024-25 and look to have their first unit on the ice 70-75% of the time or more. In three games, the Wild are two for eight on the PP so far.

Eriksson Ek missed Sunday's game along with Spurgeon and it looked like Rossi (49.7%) and Liam Ohgren (37.5%) got some opportunity in their absence.

Nashville Predators

First Unit

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Steven Stamkos (75.9), Roman Josi (75.6), Filip Forsberg (73.1), Jonathan Marchessault (72.6) and Ryan O'Reilly (71.8)

Second Unit

Luke Evangelista (26.1), Gustav Nyquist (25.2), Tommy Novak (24.9), Brady Skjei (24.6) and Philip Tomasino (23.8)

The Predators have started the year one for nine on their PP after two games, but expect the first unit to be given some rope before they make any changes. If anything, their percentage will come down from 75 to around 60 if they don't produce in the short-term.

It's important to see Evangelista and Tomasino on the second unit as it gives both young players an opportunity to produce outside of even strength.

San Jose Sharks

First Unit

Mikael Granlund (90.3), Fabian Zetterlund (88.3), Tyler Toffoli (85.6), William Eklund (78.8) Jake Walman (77.0) and Macklin Celebrini (68.0)

Second Unit

Daniil Gushchin (32.7), Henry Thrun (23.0), Alexander Wennberg (12.1) and Will Smith (11.7)

After two games, the Sharks are one for five on the PP and have lost Celebrini for one to two weeks. Walman saw his PP% go from 64.1 to 82.5 when Celebrini missed game two and Gushchin got into the lineup in Celebrini's place. Eklund went from 32.0% in game one to 98.6% in game two.

Will Smith will have to bide his time for an opportunity outside of the second unit.

When Celebrini comes back from injury, expect Eklund to go down to the second unit unless the PP does well in Celebrini's absence.

Seattle Kraken

First Unit

Chandler Stephenson (51.7), Jordan Eberle (51.9), Andre Burakovsky (50.9), Jared McCann (51.7) and Vince Dunn (52.7)

Second Unit

Brandon Montour (53.6), Oliver Bjorkstrand (40.5), Shane Wright (44.1), Jaden Schwartz (44.4) and Matty Beniers (48.8)

After three games the Kraken had just seven PP opportunities and scored on one of them. They look like they will be a 50/50 split to start the year between units until one establishes itself as the best.

Beniers and Wright are on the second unit which is good news for Wright and not so good news for Beniers to start, but Beniers did see 57.1% of PP time in game three.

Dunn missed the third game of the season and was replaced by Montour on the top unit, while Ryker Evans saw some time on the second unit (49.2%).

St. Louis Blues

First Unit

Justin Faulk (73.4), Jordan Kyrou (72.9), Robert Thomas (72.5), Jake Neighbours (72.0) and Pavel Buchnevich (71.5)

Second Unit

Zack Bolduc (32.8), Kasperi Kapanen (27.3), Brayden Schenn (26.9), Dylan Holloway (25.8) and Philip Broberg (24.4)

In the first three games, the Blues went two for six on the PP. Neighbours started on the first unit as expected while Bolduc is a surprise (for me) on the second unit. The two offer sheet signees (Holloway and Broberg) are both getting chances on the second unit.

This doesn't look good for Scott Perunovich who brings a power play expertise to his game, but struggles in other areas. He might not be needed in St. Louis.

Utah Hockey Club

First Unit

Dylan Guenther (67.5), Clayton Keller (67.1), Barrett Hayton (66.7), Nick Schmaltz (65.9) and Mikhail Sergachev (65.7)

Second Unit

Sean Durzi (34.3), Matias Maccelli (31.1), Logan Cooley (29.9), Lawson Crouse (29.9) and Josh Doan (29.9)

We can see that Sergachev won out over Durzi to begin as the quarterback on the first unit and Cooley starts the year on the second unit along with fellow youngster Doan. I'd expect Cooley's time on the second unit to be brief and the forwards on the first unit will have him breathing down their necks early on. I'm not sure who could come off of the first unit right now though.

Guenther has started the year with five goals in three games with two of them coming on the PP. He's not going anywhere unless his goal scoring turns to ice.

Vancouver Canucks

First Unit

Quinn Hughes (74.8), Brock Boeser (64.5), J.T. Miller (64.3), Elias Pettersson (64.3) and Jake DeBrusk (53.2)

Second Unit

Conor Garland (45.3), Danton Heinen (37.6), Nils Hoglander (33.0), Daniel Sprong (26.9) and Filip Hronek (26.4)

The first unit of the Canucks will level out between 70 and 75 percent of the time, while DeBrusk should get 15-20 games to establish himself on the top unit. Garland would be the logical replacement for Debrusk if he struggles.

I think Garland and Hronek will anchor the second unit, while Heinen, Hoglander and Sprong could be on the bubble for most of the year on the power play.

Vegas Golden Knights

First Unit

Jack Eichel (83.6), Tomas Hertl (81.8), Shea Theodore (77.6), Victor Olofsson (64.1) and Mark Stone (76.5)

Second Unit

Nicolas Roy (22.3), Alexander Holtz (21.5), Noah Hanifin (22.7), Ivan Barbashev (18.4) and Alex Pietrangelo (30.6)

The surprise on the first unit is Olofsson. He has scored 28 goals and has had seven or more PPGs in four of his five NHL seasons. He already posted his first PPG of 2024-25 for Vegas, so he could be a fixture here.

With six points in three games and all at even strength, it wouldn't surprise me to see Barbashev get a shot on the first unit sooner than later.

What used to be a 50/50 split between Theodore and Pietrangelo will more than likely be 70/30 in favor of Theodore if he is healthy in 2024-25.

Winnipeg Jets

First Unit

Josh Morrissey (61.7), Kyle Connor (57.8), Mark Scheifele (57.5), Gabriel Vilardi (57.5) and Nikolaj Ehlers (56.8)

Second Unit

Alex Iafallo (43.1), Nino Niederreiter (42.5), Cole Perfetti (42.2), Vladislav Namestnikov (28.3) and Neal Pionk (34.7), Colin Miller (14.2)

The Jets have had just seven PP opportunities in their first three games but have scored three PPGs already. The first unit finally sees Ehlers as a fixture on it after so many years of being on the second unit. The PP will need to produce if he wishes to remain on it all year.

I wouldn't be shocked to see Mason Appleton or Adam Lowry get a shot on the second unit sooner than later in favor of some of the forwards getting a spot right now. In Sunday's game, Colin Miller saw power play time over Namestnikov.

Thank you very much for reading and if you have any comments, please leave them below or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15

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