The Vancouver Canucks’ power play spent October looking like the unit that helped the club to back-to-back Presidents’ Trophies in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Energetic. Dynamic. Effective, to the tune of nine goals in 10 games.
So far in November, however, it’s looked like the unit that finished 26th in the NHL last season.
Flat. Static. Ineffective, to the tune of two goals in eight games.
“I thought our power play had been good earlier in the year,” said coach Willie Desjardins, “but we’re not generating the chances that we need.”
And so changes appear coming for tonight’s contest in Edmonton. Forward Linden Vey is off the first unit (and possibly a healthy scratch, for Bo Horvat), replaced by Yannick Weber’s right shot. The Sedins, Radim Vrbata, and Alex Edler remain.
The addition of Weber, alongside Edler, gives the Canucks two hard shots from the point, as opposed to just one that the opposition can focus on.
“It’s just not going in right now,” Vrbata said. “Early on it was easier because teams didn’t know how to defend it, I guess. Now everybody is watching video and they figured out how to play against us. We have to find different ways.”