Despite having elite offensive skill, the Toronto Maple Leafs power play is one of the worst in the NHL.
This has been one of the strangest Toronto Maple Leafs seasons in a while. We've seen multiple injuries, cries for a Mitch Marner return, then all of a sudden a shutdown defensive style of hockey led by waiver-wire pick-up Troy Stecher. Three weeks ago this team seemed destined for a high draft pick, now suddenly they look unstoppable.
It's been a crazy ride and although the first 20 games were rough, these last few games have shown what this team should be, in the regular season. They're a veteran bunch who have made the playoffs for the past nine years, so there's really no reason why they shouldn't be buying into the coaches structure and winning these low-scoring games.
In fact, this is exactly the type of hockey that will win during the playoffs, so this is great news for the future, especially as they continue to win without full health.
Although there are positives to this style of hockey, there is one aspect of their game that desperately needs help or they won't win in the playoffs. Although the Leafs are averaging 3.34 goals per game (5th in the NHL), they have the second worst power play at 13.7 percent.
To compare this to previous seasons, it wasn't that long ago during the 2021-22 season where the Leafs had the best power play, scoring at 27.3 percent. Although that was four years ago, four of the five same players were on that roster playing the most power-play minutes. Auston Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly are still on this roster, yet their power-play is scoring 11 percent less.
Leafs need to change their power play ASAP
Mitch Marner is the obvious person who's missing from this team who registered 19 power-play assists and six power-play goals that year, but Matthew Knies as his replacement this year shouldn't make this team that much worse.
Marner really helped with the creativity on the power play, so they clearly need another playmaker to improve thier chances. Matthews only has one power-play goal thus far, which is unacceptable, but if they can improve that element of their game, the Leafs could be deadly.
So what do they need to do to improve that? You're not going to find a player as creative as Marner via trade right now, but one player who could be up for the challenge is Easton Cowan. Asking him to be the horse of the power play at his age could be a tall task, but he's the Leafs best option.
In 21 games thus far, he's really coming into his own and could be that missing piece to improve. He's been playing second-line power-play minutes, but he could be a replacement to John Tavares. Although Tavares plays well in the middle of the ice as the bumper, Cowan's creativity could be better utilized beside Knies, Matthews, Nylander and Rielly.
Thankfully the team has been winning depsite their lack of power-play success, but Cowan's emergence on the top-line could be what turns this team from a wild-card playoff team to a contender.