NHL Playoffs 2011: Power Ranking the Playoff Power Plays

The playoffs are a time where the best players need to step up, a time where teams need to work together as a well oiled machine and a time where you have to take advantage of every single scoring opportunity that you get.

There are a lot of different reasons that teams are able to succeed in the playoffs, and success on the power play is one of the most telling statistics there is.

Here is a power ranking of power play units in the playoffs.

16. Nashville Predators

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NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 02: Shea Weber #6 and Martin Erat #10 of the Nashville Predators celebrate after a goal against the Detroit Red Wings on April 2, 2011 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

Regular Season PP%: 15.3

NHL Rank: 26th

PP Goals Scored: 41

NHL Rank: 28th

Nashville's power play has really been strange this year. This team has a lot of talent, and even went out to add Mike Fisher (aka Mr. Carrie Underwood) to the roster who is a legitimate top six forward for any team. 

Plus, they have Shea Weber, who has an absolute cannon of a shot that goalies are almost totally incapable of controlling. 

They have a second power play unit that is still decent, but nowhere near as potent as their first line, which may account for some of their struggles. 

Nonetheless, if Nashville wants to get deep into the playoffs this year, their power play is going to have to step their game up a great deal.

15. Pittsburgh Penguins

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UNIONDALE, NY - APRIL 08: Chris Kunitz #14 and the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate his shootout goal against the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum on April 8, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. The Penguins defeated the Islanders 4-3 in the shoot out. (Ph

Regular Season PP%: 15.6

NHL Rank: 25th

PP Goals: 48

NHL Rank: 19th

Pittsburgh has been bitten by the injury bug pretty badly this year, but you'd never know it based off of the fact that they are still winning games and have more than 100 points as a team.

The place where the injuries are very telling is on the power play. No Sidney Crosby and no Evgeni Malkin definitely is going to add up to some problems on the power play.

Pittsburgh may be the one team that can overcome the fact that they don't have a big time power play presence because they've had to deal without one for the majority of the season. 

But it would definitely go a long ways towards helping them if their power play was able to ignite in the playoffs.

14. Los Angeles Kings

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ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 8: Ryan Smyth #94 and Dustin Brown #23 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrate Smyth's fisrt period goal against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on April 8, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Regular Season PP%: 16.2

NHL Rank: T20th

PP Goals: 46

NHL Rank: T21st

The loss of Anze Kopitar is one that is not only felt five on five, it definitely hurts on the power play. Kopitar is definitely the best player on the team, and now lots of people are going to have to step up to make up for his loss.

Players like Dustin Brown and Ryan Smyth are going to be charged with finding a way to keep the offense up. They are definitely capable of doing this, but teams have been known to crumble when they lose their best player. Will L.A. be able to overcome? We shall see.

One thing is for sure, if the Kings want to beat the Sharks in the first round, they are absolutely going to have to take advantage of their power plays.

13. New York Rangers

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 09: Chris Drury #23 of the New York Rangers scores a first period goal and is joined by Bryan McCabe #28 and Mats Zuccarello #36 in their game against the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden on April 9, 2011 in New York City.

Regular Season PP%: 16.9

NHL Rank: T17th

PP Goals: 49

NHL Rank: 17th

The biggest issue with the Rangers is consistency. They have so much trouble maintaining their play that it really comes back to bite them. 

The just barely managed to squeak into the playoffs, clinching by beating New Jersey and being gifted a loss by Carolina in the final game of the season. 

The Rangers have a lot of talent, but are somewhat one dimensional. If they are going to have any hope at defeating a number one seed, then they are going to need to have a secondary level of scoring show up, and they will absolutely have to take advantage of every single power play that they get.

12. Philadelphia Flyers

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BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 08: Daniel Briere #48 (2nd from left) of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates scoring Philadelphia's third goal against the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena on April 8, 2011 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Regular Season PP%: 16.5

NHL Rank: 19th

PP Goals: 48

NHL Rank: T18th

The Flyers have struggled a lot in the second half of the season. It's hard to say that, as they are still towards the top of the Eastern Conference in the standings. But while second place is nothing to sneeze at, the fact that they fell to second was astonishing considering it looked as if they were going to run away with the East, and possibly challenge Vancouver for the President's Trophy. 

Part of that fall has to be attributed to the power play. If you aren't scoring on your power play, it's going to be very hard to win games.

While they have struggled, the start of the playoffs may be just the thing that they need to get things started again. Sometimes, just that knowledge of the fact that you're now playing in the playoffs is enough to spark something that wasn't there previously.

One of the reasons that they won the East last year was because their power play absolutely took off in the playoffs. If that happens again, they could find themselves back in the finals again, but they will need to find the magic on their power play again.

11. Phoenix Coyotes

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GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 01: Keith Yandle #3 of the Phoenix Coyotes celebrates with teammates during the NHL game against the Colorado Avalanche at Jobing.com Arena on April 1, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Avalanche defeated the Coyotes 4-3 in an overtime

Regular Season PP%: 16.1

NHL Rank: 23rd

PP Goals: 46

NHL Rank: T21st

The Coyotes are a team that really should be better on the power play, but haven't been. They have the talent, but just seem to be a better five on five team than a power play team.

That is evidenced by the fact that they are fifth in the conference with such a low ranked power play. 

They also have a lot of good size and ability. They have a bunch of players that can just go into the dirty areas and can't be removed because of how big and strong they are. Shane Doan is absolutely one of the best at that, and he has a pretty good one-timer as well.

The Yotes have a lot to play for, not the least of which is trying to prove that Phoenix can support a playoff team, as the ownership battle continues to rage out west.

Winning does a lot to solve those issues, and a good power play goes a lot towards winning. Though they play a team very similar to them in Nashville, so they will have to improve their power play.

10. Boston Bruins

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: Zdeno Chara #33 of the Boston Bruins skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2011 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Bruins 5-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Regular Season PP%: 16.2

NHL Rank: T20th

PP Goals: 42

NHL Rank: 26th

Boston has been very inconsistent on the power play this year, but they have the capability of scoring on the power play at any moment because of a certain giant they have on their blue line.

Zdeno Chara's gigantic shot and great passing ability makes them a very dangerous power play, even if they aren't scoring a lot.

They really don't score a lot of power play goals, but they can still use it to build momentum. They'll wear a team down on the power play and then bang one home five on five. 

Still, teams that don't score power play goals generally don't win the Stanley Cup. If Boston wants to get themselves over their own playoff disappointments, their power play is going to have to come up big this post-season.

9. Washington Capitals

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SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 9: Goaltender Tomas Vokoun #29 of the Florida Panthers defends the net against Alex Ovechkin #8 and Eric Fehr #16 of the Washington Capitals on April 9, 2011 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty

Regular Season PP%: 17.6

NHL Rank: T14th

PP Goals: 46

NHL Rank: T21st

It is astonishing that the Capitals are not way higher on this list. They have been so mystifying in their lack of scoring this year. 

Even so, they have still managed to reach the top of the Eastern Conference again. The big question is whether or not they will be able to do anything with it, or will they once again make a premature exit and further their current reputation of being a good regular season team that chokes in the playoffs.

Still, you can't deny that the very presence of Alex Ovechkin makes them more dynamic a power play than most other teams in the NHL. They are also in possession of one of the better offensive defenseman in the league in Mike Greene. 

If this team is able to get their power play running, it could be seriously bad news for the rest of the teams in the playoffs.

8. Buffalo Sabres

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BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 08: Sergei Bobrovsky #35 of the Philadelphia Flyers defends against Thomas Vanek #26 of the Buffalo Sabres at HSBC Arena on April 8, 2011 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

Regular Season PP%: 18.9

NHL Rank: Ninth

PP Goals: 52

NHL Rank: T10th

The Sabres have been red hot coming down the stretch. They went from being out of the playoffs to the seventh seed. 

Their power play has been a large part of that process. They don't bother trying to make any of the pretty plays, they just get the puck to the net and crash. No style points for them, but it sure looks the same on the score board.

The Sabres could be the huge "bracket buster" this year, since they have been in playoff mode for so long. They don't need to do too much to up their intensity level, so their opponents had better be ready to match their energy, or the Sabres might be one of the first teams to advance.

7. Anaheim Ducks

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ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 06: Ryan Getzlaf (L) #15 and Corey Perry#10 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrate Cam Fowler's second period goal against the San Jose Sharks at Honda Center on April 6, 2011 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Regular Season PP%: 23.1

NHL Rank: Third

PP Goals:  65

NHL Rank: Fifth

The Ducks have a great power play. They are so skilled, but the thing that they have that a lot of other teams don't have: size. They are so big that you just can't get them out of the scoring spots, no matter how hard you try without taking another penalty.

With that size, they still have such insane skill. Nobody shows that better than Corey Perry. 

Perry has 50 goals this year, and can get the ugly ones that a big time power forward can get. But he is also capable of stick-handling like some of the smaller players, and has the hands to get shots off in places he has no business getting a shot off.

Then you add in Cam Fowler, who has been fantastic for the Ducks. He brings the same kind of game that Scott Niedermayer did for so long. He's got a good shot that finds its way on net and makes great passes. He is also capable of sneaking in from the point and surprising everybody.

With their size and pure ability, the Ducks may surprise a lot of teams this year.

6. Montreal Canadiens

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MONTREAL, CANADA - APRIL 5: Members of the Montreal Canadiens wave to fans after defeating the Chicago Blackhawks and clinching a playoff position during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on April 5, 2011 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Canadiens defeate

Regular Season PP%:  19.2%

NHL Rank: Eighth

PP Goals:  55

NHL Rank: Eighth

Montreal has played very steadily this season, and a solid power play definitely has helped their cause. 

You don't really hear a lot about Montreal's power play, but they have a lot of really talented players.  Gomez, Gionta, Cammalleri, Suban and Markov are a good unit with the potential to put up a lot of points.

Eighth in the NHL as a power play, but they are second in the Eastern Conference. If they continue that success, they might be able to put together a repeat performance of their great playoff run from a year ago, and maybe do one better.

5. Chicago Blackhawks

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MONTREAL, CANADA - APRIL 5: Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates his second-period goal with teammates during the NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on April 5, 2011 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Richard

Regular Season PP%:  23.4%

NHL Rank: Second

PP Goals:  64

NHL Rank: Sixth

The Blackhawks are going to be very fortunate to get one of their best goal scorers back for the playoffs. Patrick Sharp came back just in time to help them squeeze into the playoffs at the eighth seed.

Even though the Blackhawks are just the eighth seed in the playoffs this year, this team still has a killer power play. Hossa, Toews, Sharp and Kane can do damage in a variety of ways.

The Blackhawks are going to have their work cut out for them in the first round, playing the best team in the NHL, but the Hawks know how to play Vancouver, and they know that they have to take advantage of their power play in order to win.

4. San Jose Sharks

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GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 26: Joe Thornton #19 of the San Jose Sharks skates with the puck during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on March 26, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Sharks defeated the Coyotes 4-1. (Photo by Christian Pe

Regular season PP% 23.1

NHL Rank: Fourth

PP Goals: 66

NHL Rank: Fourth

San Jose has been a team that has had a loaded roster for a long time, yet they have never gotten over the hump, largely because their big scorers have inexplicably disappeared in the playoffs. Will that happen again this year? 

Too early to tell, but their power play has continued to be good. With players like Thornton, Marleau, Heatley, Pavelski, Boyle and Setoguchi, you expect a lot of scoring.

This is another team that has an amazing second unit that can catch a penalty kill unit napping. If they can overcome their past inconsistencies, the Sharks may be able to ride their power play to their first ever Stanley Cup.

3. Detroit Red Wings

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NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 02: Nicklas Lidstrom #5 and Brad Stuart #23 of the Detroit Red Wings congratulate Jonathan Ericsson #52 on scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators on April 2, 2011 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by

Regular Season PP%: 22.3

NHL Rank: Fifth

PP Goals: 67

NHL  Rank: Fifth

One of the things that has made the Detroit Red Wings such a consistently good team is their ability to capitalize on special teams. They are so well balanced on the power play, you can't just focus on stopping one player and figure that that will stop it.

They have great scoring forwards with Datsyuk and Zetterberg leading the way, and have one of the best scoring defensemen of all time in Niklaus Lidstrom. The thing that really sets Detroit's power play apart from others is the fact that they have always had somebody who is able to stand right in front of the net and put home rebounds and deflect pucks by goalies. They've had that for years.

Detroit is a savvy veteran team that knows how to take advantage of their opportunities. Count on that making them very dangerous on the power play.

In order for them to be upset early in the playoffs, their opponent must shut down the power play.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning

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NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 02: Steven Stamkos #91 of the Tampa Bay Lightning leaps to try to tip in a shot as he crashes into goalie Martin Brodeur #30 of the New Jersey Devils and receives a goaltender interference penalty during the second period of an NHL hoc

Regular Season PP%: 20.6

NHL Rank: Sixth

PP Goals Scored:  69

NHL Rank: Second

Tampa Bay has an incredibly potent power play unit, and three of the best power play players in the NHL.

Martin St. Louis can play down low or up at the point, and provides a unique ability to create scoring chances with his passing, and also get shots on goal from anywhere on the ice.

Vincent Lecavalier is one of the great snipers in the NHL today, and Steven Stamkos has a slap shot that is nearly impossible to see, let alone stop, when he gets it off cleanly. 

Tampa had the top power play in the Eastern Conference, and it was one of the things that helped propel them to another playoff appearance this year. 

If their playoff opponents get in penalty trouble, then the Bolts will be able to ride their killer power play deep into the playoffs.

1. Vancouver Canucks

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - APRIL 7: Ryan Kesler #17 of the Vancouver Canucks is congratulated by teammates Chris Higgins #20, Sami Salo #6 and Mikael Samuelsson #26 after scoring his third goal of the game against the Minnesota Wild during the third period in NH

Regular Season PP%:  24.2% 

NHL Rank: First

Number of Power Play Goals:  71

NHL Rank: First

The Vancouver Canucks have little to no weaknesses across their roster, and their power play is no different. As you can see, this is the best power play in the entire league.

Their power play primarily works because of two guys with one brain: the Sedin twins. These guys just find the scoring areas, and then the puck finds them. If they have a good shot, count on seeing it up on the score board. Even if they don't have a good opportunity, somehow things end up in the back of the net.

Plus, their second unit is equally potent. You can't take a shift off, and as soon as they start to wear you down, and they will, suddenly their ability to move the puck will cause the PK to just stand and watch.  After that, it's only a matter of time.

They were the most potent in the regular season, and I would count on them being the most potent in the playoffs as well.