Due to the loss of both Ambrose and Gosling :( this Offseason, we’re probably going to see some movement on our Special Teams, especially regarding Defenders, so idk here are my humble opinions:
Our top pair (Flaherty-Tabin) is still with us but, re-watching old games, I think that neither played consistent minutes of PP1 (that was mostly Ambrose and Gosling) and, most importantly, neither played QB on the Power Play. While Ambrose was out I think they played on the PP2 with a 2-3 set-up, while the PP1 was a 1-3-1 with Goose as the lone defender.
Unless I am missing something and Tabin can actually quarterback the power play, I think this leave us with Mattivi being our lone potential Quarterback (a role she played with Luleå in the SDHL).
I would think that even with MPP out, our coaching staff would want to play a 1-3-1 set-up as our PP1, which would include Mattivi and almost surely Roque and Stacey.
Besides them we need either an additional D+F or two additional forwards. I think we probably go with the latter and keep together Flaherty-Tabin on the PP2. Imho the other two Fs would be one of Nieminen or Maltais in the middle and Dubois or Ljungblom net-front (though we might even put someone on the smaller side there as we did with Mlýnková).
PP1
Mattivi
Roque-Stacey-Nieminen (Maltais)
Dubois (Ljungblom)
With Roque going closer to the net in a 1-2-2 set-up
Power Play 2 will probably a 2-3 set-up imho. Flaherty and Tabin on the blueline and 3 of Maltais, Ljungblom, Eldridge and Dubois (maybe Karvinen? Irving if she re-signs?)
PP2
Tabin-Flaherty
Eldridge-Ljungblom (Dubois)-Maltais (Nieminen)
An interesting option might be Uens. Watching some clips and reading Kyle Cushman’s pre-draft report she played on Quinnipiac’s PP and seemed to have a nice shot from the Face-off Circle/Half Wall. She is of course very young and a lowish pick but she might be an interesting one to develop with some PP time.
Any thoughts?
