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How bad is the Winnipeg Jets Powerplay? Hint: Really Really Bad

Much is being made of the Winnipeg Jets powerplay woes and rightfully so. Their powerplay has been a problem and not just due to lack of goals. The Winnipeg Jets are also allowing a boat load of chances against while they are up a man. There is no doubt that the PP has cost the team games. We all know this, but let's take a look at just how bad they've been.

The below table is sorted by goal differential while the team is up one man – 5 on 3 is excluded:

Team TOI GF/60 GA/60 GD/60 Sh% Sv%
1 Washington Capitals 132.7 10.9 1.81 9.04 18.60% 84.60%
2 Pittsburgh Penguins 149.4 9.24 0.40 8.83 14.70% 94.70%
3 Phoenix Coyotes 131.4 8.22 0.46 7.76 15.50% 94.70%
4 Detroit Red Wings 124.2 8.22 0.48 7.73 14.10% 92.30%
5 Montréal Canadiens 155.7 8.09 0.39 7.71 13.70% 95.20%
6 Toronto Maple Leafs 134.5 8.03 0.45 7.59 13.70% 93.30%
7 St. Louis Blues 131.5 8.67 1.83 6.85 17.30% 75.00%
8 San Jose Sharks 168.8 7.11 0.36 6.75 10.70% 95.70%
9 Minnesota Wild 152.5 7.08 0.39 6.69 12.80% 93.30%
10 Nashville Predators 138.5 6.5 0.00 6.50 14.30% 100.00%
11 Chicago Blackhawks 139.2 7.33 0.86 6.46 12.60% 85.70%
12 Boston Bruins 112.1 6.96 0.54 6.42 11.80% 92.30%
13 Columbus Blue Jackets 141.5 6.78 0.85 5.94 13.80% 80.00%
14 Ottawa Senators 146.8 6.13 0.41 5.72 11.10% 95.80%
15 New Jersey Devils 136.0 5.73 0.44 5.29 15.50% 95.00%
16 Tampa Bay Lightning 149.1 6.04 0.80 5.23 13.90% 86.70%
17 Edmonton Oilers 150.1 6.4 1.20 5.20 11.90% 81.30%
18 New York Rangers 139.0 6.47 1.29 5.18 11.60% 88.90%
19 Colorado Avalanche 117.2 5.63 0.51 5.12 10.50% 88.90%
20 New York Islanders 143.5 5.85 0.84 5.02 11.50% 88.90%
21 Philadelphia Flyers 158.9 5.66 0.76 4.91 10.90% 88.20%
22 Buffalo Sabres 137.7 5.23 0.44 4.79 11.00% 95.20%
23 Los Angeles Kings 162.5 5.17 0.74 4.43 9.70% 86.70%
24 Calgary Flames 136.7 5.27 0.88 4.39 12.80% 90.00%
25 Anaheim Ducks 155.4 5.41 1.16 4.25 9.20% 85.70%
26 Vancouver Canucks 146.9 4.08 0.41 3.68 6.40% 92.90%
27 Carolina Hurricanes 148.8 4.03 0.40 3.63 8.80% 91.70%
28 Dallas Stars 138.4 3.47 0.87 2.60 6.60% 92.60%
29 Florida Panthers 156.8 3.06 0.77 2.30 7.80% 88.90%
30 Winnipeg Jets 151.6 3.17 2.38 0.79 7.30% 79.30%

All numbers are from www.extraskater.com

Notes:

  • It should be no shock to see the Winnipeg Jets at the bottom – their powerplay is terrible.
  • Based on current scoring rates, the Jets could play an entire 60 minute game at 5 on 4 and on average they'd win 3-2.
  • Real numbers: While up a man the Jets have scored 8 goals and allowed 6.
  • The Jets are allowing 2.38 goals against per 60 minutes on the PP and only 2.23 at even strength.
  • Let that sink in. The Jets are allowing more goals per minute while they are up a man that at even strength.

Let's take goals out of the discussion, because we know goals aren't a great predictor of future goals.

Team GP TOI CF/60 CA/60 CD/60 Sh% Sv%
Washington Capitals 27 133 105.4 16.7 88.6 18.60% 84.60%
St. Louis Blues 25 132 99 13.2 85.8 17.30% 75.00%
Phoenix Coyotes 26 131 101.3 11.9 89.5 15.50% 94.70%
New Jersey Devils 27 136 69.3 12.8 56.5 15.50% 95.00%
Pittsburgh Penguins 28 149 112.8 12.5 100.4 14.70% 94.70%
Nashville Predators 27 139 73.7 11.3 62.4 14.30% 100.00%
Detroit Red Wings 28 124 103.4 10.2 93.3 14.10% 92.30%
Tampa Bay Lightning 26 149 84.5 10.1 74.5 13.90% 86.70%
Columbus Blue Jackets 27 142 94.1 7.2 86.9 13.80% 80.00%
Toronto Maple Leafs 27 135 104.9 9.8 95 13.70% 93.30%
Montréal Canadiens 27 156 107.9 14.6 93.3 13.70% 95.20%
Minnesota Wild 28 153 95.6 11 84.6 12.80% 93.30%
Calgary Flames 26 137 84.7 13.2 71.5 12.80% 90.00%
Chicago Blackhawks 28 139 114.6 10.8 103.9 12.60% 85.70%
Edmonton Oilers 28 150 87.1 9.6 77.5 11.90% 81.30%
Boston Bruins 27 112 104.9 9.6 95.3 11.80% 92.30%
New York Rangers 27 139 104.9 19 85.9 11.60% 88.90%
New York Islanders 27 144 94.5 10 84.5 11.50% 88.90%
Ottawa Senators 27 147 104.6 15.1 89.5 11.10% 95.80%
Buffalo Sabres 28 138 85.8 12.2 73.6 11.00% 95.20%
Philadelphia Flyers 26 159 98.6 12.1 86.5 10.90% 88.20%
San Jose Sharks 26 169 123 16 107 10.70% 95.70%
Colorado Avalanche 25 117 86 8.7 77.3 10.50% 88.90%
Los Angeles Kings 27 163 98.2 8.5 89.7 9.70% 86.70%
Anaheim Ducks 29 155 105.4 17 88.4 9.20% 85.70%
Carolina Hurricanes 27 149 89.1 12.1 77 8.80% 91.70%
Florida Panthers 27 157 75 12.2 62.8 7.80% 88.90%
Winnipeg Jets 28 152 97.8 16.2 81.6 7.30% 79.30%
Dallas Stars 25 138 101.5 19.1 82.4 6.60% 92.60%
Vancouver Canucks 29 147 112.3 8.2 104.1 6.40% 92.90%

All numbers are from www.extraskater.com

Notes:

  • The table is sorted by shooting percentage. The Jets are near the bottom at 28th.
  • The Jets are scoring on 7.3% of their shots on the powerplay versus 7.2% at even strength.
  • If you sort by save percentage the Jets would sit 29th.
  • Corsi for (shot attempts including misses and blocks) per 60, the Jets rank 19th – bad, but not horrible.
  • Corsi against per 60 the Jets rank 26th.
  • If you look at actual shots (not tabled) the Jets are 27th in both shots for and against.

All of these numbers are bad, but there is perhaps some reason for optimism in the shooting percentage. The worst PP shooting % last season was 9.5% – the Jets shot at 10.6%. Is there any other reason for optimism? No. Not really.

So, what the hell is wrong with the powerplay?

There is some debate about whether the issue is coaching or personnel. It may be one. It may be both. It surely isn't all talent though. I mean Phoenix, Minnesota and Columbus have top 10 powerplay units (based on %). Nashville ranks in at 11th. These teams score twice as often as the Jets on the powerplay. The Flames and the Bills are scoring more.

It is also worth noting that the powerplay ranked 12th both the first Jets 2.0 season and in their final Atlanta season. The core players are largely the same. Of course, Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff did unload a few mainstays from that first season in Kyle Wellwood, Nik Antropov and Tim Stapleton. That trio combined for 31 PP points in year one and all three were solid passers.

Then again powerplay struggles aren't exactly new to Claude as evidenced by Columbus Blue Jackets fans on HF boards:

Ppdecline_medium

via i31.photobucket.com


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