Oilers, Canucks, Maple Leafs have top power plays, numbers show

NHL.com goes Behind the Numbers to identify key statistics for the Stanley Cup Qualifiers. The NHL season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Under the Return to Play Plan, 24 teams will compete for the Stanley Cup -- 12 in the Eastern Conference, in Toronto, 12 in the Western Conference, in Edmonton -- starting Saturday.

Today, a look at the three teams that can expect the biggest boost from their power play in the Qualifiers.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers had the top-ranked power play in the NHL this season at 29.5 percent, the best in the League since the New York Islanders in 1978-79 (31.2 percent). Edmonton forwards Leon Draisaitl (44) and Connor McDavid (43) were first and second in the NHL in power-play points, and forward James Neal was tied for sixth with 12 power-play goals. The Oilers, the No. 5 seed in the West, likely will need their power play to continue to produce at an elite rate to have the advantage against the Chicago Blackhawks, the No. 12 seed, during their best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifier series, which starts at Rogers Place on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; NBC, SN). Chicago's penalty kill was ninth in the NHL at 82.1 percent. One potential point of concern for the Blackhawks is that goalie Corey Crawford had an .852 save percentage when facing opposing power plays, 38th among goalies to play at least 20 games this season.

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks were fourth on the power play at 24.2 percent after finishing 22nd (17.1 percent) in 2018-19. Much of that improvement can be credited to the addition of forward J.T. Miller, who was acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 22, 2019, and the impact of rookie defenseman Quinn Hughes. Miller and Hughes tied for the team lead with 25 power-play points, followed by center Elias Pettersson with 24. Forward Bo Horvat led the Canucks with 12 power-play goals. The Canucks also should have a healthy Brock Boeser in the lineup for the start of their qualifier series against the Minnesota Wild. Boeser scored five power-play goals in 57 games; the forward missed 12 of the Canucks' final 13 games before the season was paused because of a rib injury but is healthy now. The Canucks, the No. 7 seed in the West, will play the Wild, the No. 10 seed, in a best-of-5 Cup Qualifier series at Rogers Place beginning Sunday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, NHL.TV, SN, FS-N, FS-WI). The Wild were 25th on the penalty kill this season at 77.2 percent, and their ability to defend against Vancouver's power play could be affected by which goalie plays. Alex Stalock had an .865 save percentage against opposing power plays, which was 33rd in the NHL among goalies to play at least 20 games, and Devan Dubnyk had an .844 save percentage, which was 45th. Rookie Kaapo Kahkonen, who played five games, had a .706 save percentage against opposing power plays.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs were sixth on the power play at 23.1 percent. Center Auston Matthews led Toronto with 25 power-play points in 70 games and forward Mitchell Marner was second with 24 in 59 games. The Maple Leafs, the No. 8 seed in the East, will play the Columbus Blue Jackets, the No. 9 seed, in a best-of-5 Cup Qualifier series that starts at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS, FS-O). One way the Maple Leafs could maximize their success on the power play is to start defenseman Tyson Barrie on the No. 1 unit rather than defenseman Morgan Rielly. Barrie scored 12 power-play points in 70 games, which led Maple Leafs defensemen. Rielly scored seven power-play points in 47 games; he missed 23 of the Maple Leafs' final 24 games before the season pause with a foot injury but is expected to be in the lineup against the Blue Jackets. Barrie averaged 3.86 power-play points per 60 minutes this season compared to Rielly's 3.82, so a top unit of Barrie along with forwards Matthews, Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander could be Toronto's most effective group. The Maple Leafs will need to be at their best on the power play against the Blue Jackets, who were 12th on the penalty kill (81.7 percent) and should have defenseman Seth Jones in the lineup. Jones, who led the Blue Jackets in total shorthanded ice time (135:23), hasn't played since having ankle surgery Feb. 11. He missed the final 14 games before the season pause, and without him the Blue Jackets' penalty kill was 73.9 percent, 26th in the NHL.