The Flyers’ power play has been bad for so long fans are having trouble remembering when it was good.
One has to go back at least six years to when it was respectable. In recent seasons, they’ve practically taken up permanent residence in the NHL basement when it comes to manpower advantage situations.
For the upcoming season, the Flyers are hoping they can turn things around and some of that optimism centers on defenseman Jamie Drysdale and his positioning on the point.
In a Friday media session at the Flyers Training Center, Drysdale disclosed he spent a great deal of time this past summer working on his shot.
“I worked on it a lot,” he said. “It hasn’t changed. It’s still something that’s been a main focus. Trying to create more chances on the offensive side. I think we’ve got a lot of skill on our team.”
Does he think there is more velocity on his shot?
“Yeah, I do,” he said. “I think velocity as well as just shooting more. Just having more confidence in it. It’s a little bit of a broken record but the more you shoot, the more it opens up. The more chances you’re going to get, the more chances everyone else is going to get.
“It just makes everyone more dangerous.”
Added coach Rick Tocchet: “I do see a harder shot. I do know that he’s worked on it.”
That could work to help the power play.
“We have a good team and if we fix that just a little bit better, it makes us that much better overall,” Drysdale said. “Now you’re talking about a different team in terms of the win column.
“A lot of games are won and lost on special teams. That’s definitely a big focus. I think we’ve got the skill. It’s not an excuse at all.”
Drysdale said the players who are regulars on the power play spent a lot of time viewing video.
“It’s knowing those lanes,” the defenseman said. “It’s just picking the right ones, making the read sooner before you get the puck. It’s finding the spot I know I’m going to be in and working from those spots. Just getting ultra-comfortable with my shooting lanes.”
Drysdale said he’s been working on his footwork to set himself up for better offensive opportunities.
“My skating coach, I was doing a lot of blue line stuff with her,” he said. “I know where I find myself typically. Spots I want to find myself more in.”
>Zegras’ take on power play
The Flyers scored only 37 goals on the power play last season and Trevor Zegras notched 10 of those. Matvei Michkov was second with four. One thing the Flyers need is more balance in that department.
“I guess there are always things you work on in the summer that go hand-in-hand on the power play,” Zegras said. “Obviously you don’t have penalty killers that you run with in the summer. Whether it’s entries, one-timers, you work on them. You hope it translates once the season starts.”
>Sanheim adjusting to short camp
In previous years, training camp usually lasted three weeks or more. This year, with the expanded schedule, a two-round playoff run and an earlier start to the regular season, players have only about 12 days to get ready.
Travis Sanheim said adjustments are necessary.
“Making the playoffs should have excited a lot of us heading into the offseason and fueled us,” he said. “I think everyone took care of their offseason and came in here in great shape. We’re ready to get going.”
>Tocchet discusses Saturday scrimmage
Tocchet sounds like he’s looking forward to Saturday morning’s intrasquad scrimmage at the Flyers Training Center. He wants to see how players will perform in quasi-game action because the Flyers’ first preseason game is Monday night in Hershey against Washington.
“We’re still putting lines together,” Tocchet said. “Figure who to play with who. With these two games (Caps on Monday, Bruins in Boston on Tuesday), we’d like to start getting our team together soon. We’re going to go with 10 forwards, six defense on each team.”
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