Detroit Red Wings Power Play Struggles Through NHL's First Week

Detroit Red Wings Power Play Struggles Through First Week of NHL Season

The Detroit Red Wings were eliminated from Stanley Cup playoff contention on the last day of the 2023-24 NHL season. This was despite defeating the Montreal Canadiens in a shootout. The Washington Capitals needed a win on the last day against the Philadelphia Flyers to make it to the playoffs, something that they did in overtime. The Red Wings finished the 2023-24 season with a power play percentage of 23.08%. This 23.08% was the ninth-best power play percentage during this season.

Veteran defenseman Erik Gustafsson has been the “quarterback” of the Red Wings’ power play so far this season. The 32-year-old from Nynashamn, Sweden, played in 76 games for the New York Rangers during the 2023-24 season, scoring six goals and adding 25 assists. In 15 seasons, Gustafsson has scored 222 points in 455 games played. The Rangers reached the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three years, losing to the Florida Panthers, who would eventually win the Stanley Cup.

Now in his third season as the head coach of the Red Wings, Derek Lalonde has brought his power play philosophy that he employed as an assistant coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning to Detroit. There are three things that Lalonde laid out when discussing the power play at The Coaches Site Live in 2023. These three things are being face-off ready, executing proper breakouts, and having healthy in-zone habits.

Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin, and Patrick Kane have been doing everything right when it comes to power play zone entries. Kane has used his excellent skating ability to carve through the opposing teams’ penalty killers. This has allowed the Red Wings’ to cycle the puck in the offensive zone. The Red Wings will lean on Kane to continue his stellar play after his hip-resurfacing surgery prior to him joining the team in June of 2023.

The Red Wings lost many players in free agency after the end of the previous season. This is the main reason that some have suggested that they will take a step back during the 2024-25 season. One member of the 2023-24 Red Wings’ roster who was important to the power play was left-winger David Perron. Perron had seven power-play goals for the Red Wings last season which was the third most on the team for this season. According to HockeyViz, Perron had 6.6 expected goals on the power play.

Shayne Gostisbehere, Perron, Robby Fabbri, and Daniel Sprong are also no longer with the team. Despite these players’ defensive warts, the four combined for 27 percent of Detroit’s power play goals last season. Through the first five games of the 2023-24 season, the Red Wings only scored three power play goals. Through six games this year, the Red Wings have only scored three power play goals on 20 opportunities. Their current 15 percent conversion rate is a far cry from last season’s output.

Lalonde did not seem worried about the look of the Red Wings power play. He did understand the ultimate problem with the team. “We’ve averaged almost five and a half chances a game on the power play, so at least we’re getting those looks,” . “But we got to start putting those in the back of the net.” That the roster is lacking shooting talent may be the reason for this lack of scoring.

It was an up-and-down first week regarding the goalie position during the first week of the 2024-25 season. After starting the opening night game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a game that the Red Wings would lose 6-3, Ville Husso was placed on waivers. This was seen as a tactic to send a message to the team by general manager Steve Yzerman. The Red Wings would shut out the Nashville Predators in their next game by a score of 3-0.