Blackhawks need more from power play to take next step

The Chicago Blackhawks are off to a bit of a so-so start. Their 3-6-0 record is consistent with the team’s identity as a rebuilding club.

But that’s not really what fans would have hoped for this season. The expectation was that the team could take a step forward, potentially hanging around the fringes of the playoff race this season.

And if there’s one factor that needs to improve in order for the Blackhawks to really take the next step, it’s the power play.

As it stands, the Blackhawks have the 30th-ranked power play in the league, clocking in at 12.5%. That’s actually good compared to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who come in at 8.7% this season.

This discussion, however, isn’t about the Blue Jackets. It’s about the Blackhawks. And their power play needs to find some sort of bump if the team is to have any real chance of succeeding this season.

The question then becomes: What do the Blackhawks need to do to improve their power play? That’s a bit of a complex question. The answer may not necessarily lie in one thing or another. It’s a question of a holistic solution.

Blackhawks have to experiment until the right setup comes to light

The best power play teams usually experiment with various setups and looks until they find the right one.

For Chicago, the current setup on the top unit is more the result of necessity than actual design. The Blackhawks are rolling with a five-forward setup, something that works with teams that can actually deploy a solid two-way forward.

The Toronto Maple Leafs tried that setup for a while with Mitch Marner playing the point. Marner is one of the best two-way forwards in the league and can actually play defense in a pinch.

That’s not something the Blackhawks actually have at the moment. And even if they did, the setup lacks someone who can really quarterback the power play. But that’s only because Bowen Byram is currently on the shelf.

When Byram returns to action, he has to be the guy to run the entire setup from the blueline. That seems obvious, but there is another thing to keep in mind: The Blackhawks don’t have a credible shot threat from the point.

While the Blackhawks do have Connor Bedard firing one-timers, that’s actually pretty predictable.

It’s sort of what happens to the Colorado Avalanche. That’s a team loaded with talent. But the reason why their power play struggles so much is that all teams have to do is keep them to the outside. Without a powerful point shot, even though Cale Makar has it, and no one in front of the net to vacuum up rebounds, it’s almost as if the power play didn’t exist.

All told, the first and second units will need to figure out if a powerful point shot like the one Darren Raddysh unloaded last season or if just getting pucks to the net will be enough to create chances.

Whatever the Blackhawks choose to do, things have to change. The current setup is a little too predictable, making it easier to defend. With so much young talent on the team, you have to think that it’s only a matter of time before the team finds its identity with the man advantage.

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