George Richards, FHN Publisher
The Florida Panthers had a chance to put their new look top power play unit on the ice for the first time Friday night against the Dallas Stars.
Coach Joel Quenneville decided against it.
Honestly, it was the humane thing to do.
Florida, you see, got that first power play chance less than a minute after it took a 4-0 lead on a Dallas team dressing many players who will start for the AHL Texas Stars in a few weeks.
The Panthers had scored three goals in the span of six minutes and throwing out a power play which features the fire power Florida possesses would not have been fair.
Instead, the Panthers threw everyone they had (save for the two goalies) out there.
“I want you to check the stat sheet, it might be a record: All 18 skaters on only one power play got time on it,” Quenneville said with a humorous tone Friday night.
“I bet you it’s a record. It wasn’t on purpose, we just didn’t run the power play.”
If Florida had another power play chance, Quenneville said, the two main teams would have rolled out there.
At this moment, however, he just didn’t think it was right.
“We were just rolling lines at the time,” Quenneville said when asked if the scoreboard and the situation Friday dictated his decision.
After watching how much fun his talented power play unit was having a few hours earlier at the morning skate, Quenneville probably would have felt as if he was piling on the young Stars had he rolled them out Friday.
In practice, the Panthers’ top power play unit was absolutely humming with Sasha Barkov scoring a goal so filthy, Sam Bennett was seen going up to Sergei Bobrovsky with some kind words.
Or some good-natured ribbing.
“It’s a really talented group out there,’’ Bennett said Friday. “The way we move the puck around was good. … We have been moving the puck around pretty well at practice and I think we’re going to be able to make some plays early. I don’t expect it to take too long.”
Florida’s power play has gone through some distinct changes over the past few years — although one constant has been Keith Yandle handling the quarterbacking duties.
With Yandle bought out and playing in Philadelphia, Aaron Ekblad takes over at the point after running it throughout camp last season before Yandle returned just in time for the opener.
“I feel comfortable,” Ekblad said. “It’s a different position than I played last year on the power play, but at the end of the day, you just adjust and learn how to do it.”
Since the start of last season, the Panthers have added Bennett and Sam Reinhart (who had 10 power play goals for the Sabres last season) to go with Ekblad the QB, Jonathan Huberdeau and Barkov.
On paper, it is a very dangerous looking power play.
On the ice, as we saw in practice Friday morning, it looks very scary.
“It’s a fairly easy job for me,” Ekblad said. “I just have to get it to the flanks and let them shoot. Obviously Huby can make plays, Barky can make plays, Reino. It’s fun to watch the show from up top. I have a front-row seat. I like to also keep them honest, shoot a few pucks and make sure they’re honoring me.”
Everyone in hockey knows how important special teams are, and taking advantage of having an extra skater on the ice is imperative to success.
Florida certainly saw that firsthand last season.
While the Panthers’ power play was really good at times — and not-so-hot for stretches — they watched the talent Carolina and Tampa Bay roll out beat them time and again.
In eight games against the Hurricanes last season, Carolina went 23-for-53 (43 percent) on the power play as Florida was 15-for-50 (30 percent).
Carolina won six of the eight games, getting points in all of them. The Panthers finished one point back of the Hurricanes in the Central Division.
Tampa Bay knocked the Panthers out of the playoffs and did a lot of damage — especially in Game 1 — when with the advantage.
The Lightning scored on eight of 20 tries, Florida going 6-for-22.
The Panthers were better on the power play against the Lightning than they were during the regular season but it wasn’t enough.
“We tried a lot of different things over the course of last season,” Quenneville said. “We know we have so many capable of playing and sometimes it’s deserving and sometimes you’re not deserving to come off of it. It’s a healthy position to be in as a coach and the competitiveness can be healthy as well.”
Florida ended last season ranked 15th in the league in power play proficiency, scoring on 39 of 190 chances (20.5 percent) and increased that in the postseason (6/22 27 percent).
With Reinhart coming on — and Ekblad healthy and taking over QB duties — it should be a lot better this season.
At least that’s the plan.
Oh, and when the top power play unit goes off, Florida will bring out a group that includes Brandon Montour, Patric Hornqvist, Carter Verhaeghe, Owen Tippett and either Frank Vatrano or Joe Thornton.
Not too shabby.
“The options these guys have as where to go and what they can do with their imagination … when they get some more comfortable with each other, the predicability is going to enhance the power play,’’ Quenneville said.
“There is a lot of upside and we expect them to be a big part of our offense and our scoring as well. We’ll see how it goes.”