By: Tim Burke | Follow me on Twitter / X @timsports3
The Boston Bruins’ Power Play has been abysmal since the start of the season. They score on just 11.4% of their opportunities, the worst in the NHL. To make matters worse, their 70 Power Plays are 11 more than any other team in the league. The Bruins have six goals on their last 61 attempts on the man advantage. Bruins Head Coach Jim Montgomery needs to address and fix this to turn the season around.
“Our lack of execution on the Power Play was not good enough to generate any kind of scoring chances.” Jim Montgomery told reporters following Saturday’s 3-2 OT loss to the Ottawa Senators.
The 8-8-2 Boston Bruins are searching for answers on why they are underachieving. The lack of Power Play production is a big reason behind their struggles.
On Monday morning, the Boston Bruins held practice at Warrior Ice Arena before departing for St. Louis for Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Blues. At that practice, Jim Montgomery made a significant change to Boston’s first Power Play unit, replacing Charlie McAvoy for Hampus Lindholm.
” I think he’s a person on our team who has some offensive confidence right now. We find our Power Play has been slow, so we just want him shooting pucks or moving pucks quickly,” Jim Montgomery told reporters following Monday’s practice.
Unfortunately, Lindholm suffered a lower-body injury after blocking a shot in the first period of Tuesday’s 3-2 win against the Blues.
Boston turned to Charlie McAvoy, their regular power-play quarterback for the past several seasons. An ultra-talented player and competitor, McAvoy has yet to play like himself during the 2024-2025 season.
“The guy to me, and I think he is a great player, but he really has not been himself, and I do not have an answer for this is McAvoy. He just has not looked right; I just don’t have a good answer for it.” Elliotte Friedman stated this in his 32 Thoughts Podcast.
The former Boston University Terrier leads NHL defensemen in Power Play minutes with 72. At five-on-four, the former first-round pick is tied for ninth in shot attempts with 2, his 0.4 Expected Goals is tied for 20th, and his two points are tied for 26th. Simply put, Charlie McAvoy needs to be better if he wants to quarterback Boston’s first unit Power Play once Lindholm returns from injury.
In theory, Hampus Lindholm helps solve Boston’s lack of shot production on the man advantage. The 30-year-old Swedish Defenseman’s 82 shot attempts rank third on the Boston Bruins roster behind only David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. Lindholm is highly effective at getting shots from the point through traffic and on net.
The Six Foot Four defender has three goals to start the season, all at five-on-five play, which is tied for fourth among all NHL defensemen. His shot-first mentality is paying off. He makes decisions quicker; he moves the puck quicker than he has previously.
Lindholm’s simple and effective offensive mindset and shot-first mentality could provide the spark the Bruins desperately need on the Power Play. By prioritizing quick puck movement and frequent shot attempts, he has the potential to achieve his goal and enhance the offensive contribution of his teammates. “I want to be a guy when I am on the ice; I want to improve all four guys on the ice. I want them to play their best game when they are with me on the ice,” Lindholm stated in a NESN interview last year.
Can he be more of a difference-maker on the Power Play than Charlie McAvoy? The results speak for themselves.
Hampus Lindholm has earned the role of power-play quarterback. As the Bruins look to turn their season around, Lindholm’s shot-first mentality and consistent performances may be the spark they desperately need. Can he be the leader the Bruins need for a resurgence on the Power Play and elevate their offensive game? He deserves the opportunity once he returns to game action.
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