How to easily fix the Toronto Maple Leafs power-play

The Toronto Maple Leafs are yet to score a power-play goal, and that in itself is no big deal - it's been three games, they have a new coach, and a new power-play coach as well.

However, when you consider that in last year's first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs scored just once on 21 opportunities on the power-play, a bigger problem starts to emerge.

They also finished last year going 1 for 7 in their last two games of the regular season. All told, they are 2 for their last 37 on the power-play. I don't have to tell you, but that isn't very good.

Especially when you consider the players they have. (stats naturalstattrick.com).

How to easily fix the Toronto Maple Leafs power-play

The answer to the Leafs power-play woes is extremely simple: split up the top unit. Specically, get Matthews away from Marner.

There are a lot of pros and cons on loading up the top unit, but those don't matter for the Leafs. The problem they have is that Auston Matthews is so good that almost everyone else is hesitant to shoot. Marner is subservient to Matthews and this makes him a way less dangerous player.

The answer to the Leafs power-play problems is to split up their two best players, and then copy Tampa's old strategy.

Matthews and Nylander have two of the best shots in the game. They also shoot opposite of each other. Therefore, put one on the left side and one on the right side, and have Rielly (or whoever, it barely matters) at the back, in the middle, working as a kind of a fulcrum, passing to each of them for one-timers.

Tampa used to do this with Kucherov and Stamkos and it was extremely simple and effective. The Leafs simply need to move Marner to the second unit, then alternate shots with their two snipers.

On the second unit, the Leafs should set up the same as they do on the first unit, only this time instead of Matthews and Nylander alternating shots, they use Marner and Robertson to do the same.

Unit one: Nylander and Matthews.

Unit two: Marner and Robertson.

The rest of the players on each unit don't matter. Whatever combo the coach decides on will be fine. But simplifying the power-play, making it a series of alternating one-timers and getting Marner away from Matthews will do wonders.

But with that in mind, let's remember that the Leafs, with this specific group of players, have an extremely long and extremely large sample size of being one of the NHL's best power-play units, and that what is happening recently is nothing more than a blip on the radar - if they literally do nothing, they'll be fine.

However, they should take my advice if for no other reason that to freshen things up. I think whether regular strength or on the power-play, getting Marner away from Matthews is the key to unlocking the highest potential in both their games.