Inside the Sabres' revamped power play

Ralph Krueger spoke to the rarity of the Sabres' depth on the power play Tuesday, after both units scored for the second straight game during a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers
"We have two units firing right now," Krueger said. "That really is lethal. Very few teams have that kind of productivity from both units."
The numbers back that claim. The Sabres are one of three teams with 10 different players who have tallied a point on the power play. Only the Toronto Maple Leafs, with 12, have more.
Buffalo has five goals on its last nine power-play attempts, raising its season conversion rate to 30.8 percent. That number ranked eighth in the NHL entering play on Wednesday.
Part of it is new personalities, with Eric Staal, Dylan Cozens, and Taylor Hall among the newcomers who have already made impacts. But the other key to its success is the increased unpredictability of a top unit that features four returning players from last season.
Sabres.com spoke with assistant coach Don Granato on Wednesday for an inside look at how the team revamped its power play for 2021.

Willingness to improvise

Buffalo's top unit had also been red-hot to start last season as players settled into natural positions. Jack Eichel and Victor Olofsson proved to be lethal shooting one-timers from the left and right flanks, respectively. Sam Reinhart facilitated from down low while Rasmus Dahlin played quarterback at that point.
It grew stale as opposing penalty kills became more aware of where the threats were coming from. Buffalo finished 20th on the power play at 18.9 percent.
"I do believe we got to a point where we were predictable," Granato said. "That's part of why we want to be more versatile."
The Sabres saw some success experimenting with players in different positions at the end of the season, from placing Rasmus Ristolainen at the net-front to dropping Dahlin to the flank. They have taken that creativity to another level in the early part of 2021.
In its basic structure, Buffalo's top unit still has the same four players in their traditional spots - Eichel and Olofsson on the flanks, Reinhart down low, and Dahlin at the point - with Hall joining in the bumper position in the slot.
But the goals are coming from everywhere. Eichel scored his first of the season Tuesday on a one-time shot taken from the slot. Reinhart scored in Philadelphia from the left flank position typically occupied by Eichel. Any of the five players could be in any spot at any time.

"We are advocating that," Granato said. "We are pushing for that and we believe that falls in line with the creativity that they actually desire. The skill that they have is suited for that. It's suited for multiple positions and movements. So, they've embraced it."
The unit features two No. 1 overall picks in Dahlin and Hall and two No. 2 selections in Eichel and Reinhart, plus one of the game's most lethal shots in Olofsson. Making it work not only requires skill, but an ability to read off another.
The addition of Hall has been one of the key's to unlocking the unit's creativity. Hall had never played the bumper position at any point in his career, yet he embraced the opportunity from early on. He challenged himself to play the way he would want a teammate to in that position, having spent time at both flank positions in the past.
Hall scored from that spot in his Sabres debut, pouncing on a pass from Olofsson that seemed headed toward Reinhart at the back door.

"He's as intense a competitor as there is," Granato said. "So, when he knew that was his spot … he took it upon himself as he does after practice and through meetings to try to figure out the best way to develop or the best way to attack that as an opportunity.
"He sees things as an opportunity. … 'Jeeze, I've played there, I've played there, I've never played here before. But I want to figure this out and I want to maximize this.' That's what I've seen from him and that's why he's been able to exploit, take advantage of opportunities there. He's hungry for it."

High expectations

Granato credits the second unit's success to the leadership of two individuals in particular: Staal and Ristolainen. Both players, he says, have high expectations that show in the way they communicate with teammates.
"It's in lots of different manners," Granato said. "It is coming off (after power plays). It's before the puck drops. It's in our meetings or right after our meetings, they'll follow up with the personnel. It's in practice. Their initiative is prevalent in any form."
They also provide depth, with both players carrying the resumes and skills to suggest they could capably jump to the top unit if the situation demanded it. For now, they anchor a group that features defenseman Colin Miller on the left flank, Jeff Skinner down low, and Cozens at the bumper position.
Granato compares Cozens' versatility in the middle to that of Hall's, with the ability to support high and low and left to right along with the constant threat to shoot. Cozens buried a one-time shot Tuesday that began with a quick succession of passes from Ristolainen and Staal.

That fact that Staal has been situated next to Cozens both on the bench and in the dressing room makes things that much easier.
"Eric does a tremendous job communicating with him," Granato said. "Not only a great job communicating, but the messaging is great as well. He's a very experienced guy by virtue of games, but (also) success. He just knows what intricacies matter and he's really conveyed that. It certainly makes our job as coaches a lot easier."

Different looks

The two units present varying challenges for opposing penalty kills. Where Eichel and Olofsson demand respect as shooters on the flanks, Staal's first inclination may be as a playmaker. Dahlin offers a left shot at the point; Ristolainen shoots right.
Past looks remain in the toolbox, even if only for one game based on the demands of a specific opponent. That means you could see Ristolainen back in front of the net or Dahlin back on the half wall.
"Obviously it's been going good recently, but we're always looking to say, 'What might be next for us as teams figure us out?'" Granato said. "What might be the next adjustment or tweak? So, yes, we keep all of those things in mind."