Canucks reveal new-look top power-play unit with Lindholm
The Vancouver Canucks are showing off new power-play combinations that feature recent acquisition Elias Lindholm.
The right-handed forward was playing the net front on the top unit at today’s practice, per The Athletic’s Thomas Drance. He skated alongside the four players who have been stapled to the top unit: Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Brock Boeser.
#Canucks unveiling their new-look PP1 at practice in Carolina on Monday. Fair bit of movement, but starting point appears to be:
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Lindholm
Boeser-Miller-Pettersson
Hughes pic.twitter.com/spG35fdMvc— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) February 5, 2024
While this is the way that they lined up in practice today, the Canucks have been using a relatively fluid approach so far this year. This means that while the 6-foot-1 forward may start in front of the net, he will likely rotate through a variety of positions.
The Swedish forward has three power-play goals and nine points with the man-advantage this year with the Calgary Flames. He’s scored 10 power-play goals in each of the two previous seasons.
His latest power-play goal came just two games before NHL All-Star Weekend and was from the net front position. Of his three goals with the man-advantage this year, two have come from down low while one was on the rush.
Live. Laugh. Lindy! pic.twitter.com/NpWxj1lWtj
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) January 28, 2024
Lindholm and Pettersson will be sharing the ice a lot as the two are both on the top power-play unit and will likely start on the same line.
Head coach Rick Tocchet and Pettersson shared a long chat during today’s practice and it seems like the new-look power play was one of the topics of discussion.
“It’s about him playing with Lindholm. Some scenarios, some power-play scenarios,” said Tocchet when asked after practice what the conversation was about.
Lindholm is a right-handed shot and one of the best face-off players in the league. He’s winning more than 55% of his draws this year. This means that when the face-off is on the right side of the ice, Lindholm will likely be called upon to take the draw.
The Canucks currently rank eighth across the NHL as they have converted on 25% of their power-play chances. They’ll hope to improve on that mark with their new-look unit.
All five of the players on the Canucks’ top unit were at the NHL All-Star Game. It was a good chance for Lindholm to get introduced.
“Happened a couple days ago and I got to go to Toronto and do all that stuff,” said Lindholm yesterday. “Met a bunch of the guys there.”
The team’s second power-play unit at practice today consisted of Filip Hronek, Pius Suter, Ilya Mikheyev, Sam Lafferty, and Conor Garland.
Lindholm will likely make his debut with his new team tomorrow night against the Carolina Hurricanes, the franchise that drafted him back in 2013.