New York Islanders Round Table: Power Play Setup

Brian Wagner

PP1: Bailey – Barzal – Lee – Beauvillier – Leddy

Put your most talented players on the PP1 in a more fluid unit. The first unit is the same setup as last year, minus Tavares, so my recommendation would be to slide playmaker Josh Bailey into the slot he left open and fill Bailey’s spot on the right faceoff dot with Anthony Beauvillier.

Beau is young and less experienced, but he’s highly talented and he actually shoots. Keeping Leddy on the top unit maintains a group of players that are fluid skaters to enter the zone and playmakers revolving around Lee camped at the net.

PP2: Nelson – Eberle – Filppula – Pulock – Hickey

The second unit is all about utilizing players’ key talents in a more structured environment. Nelson and Eberle are shooters, so put them in shooting positions.

The more traditional two defenseman grouping allows for pucks to stay in the zone, with Fippula playing the part of the smart puck moving center who simply finds the open shooter. There’s some risk in overplaying Hickey and Filppula since they take on key defensive and penalty kill assignments, but the PP2 unit is not going to rack up considerable ice time.

I considered Pulock on PP1, but when he’s there the unit seems to become far too focused on getting him his slapshot, which inevitably goes wide.

I also toyed with the idea of a Ho-Sang on the second unit, but I’d like to play in reality, and the reality of this management team is that prospects don’t often get extended chances. If possible I’d stick him between Eberle and Nelson on the second unit.

Not considered – Cal Clutterbuck. If they need a righty that badly on the second unit, give Filppula one of Eberle’s sticks.