The Calgary Flames are back in the playoff picture after an impressive run in the month of November. The Flames have clawed their way back into a wild card spot after a 7–3–2 run in their past 12 games, almost fully erasing a horrid 2–7–1 start to the season. However, this has largely come off very solid—and at times dominant—5v5 play, with very little help from special teams.
The Flames’ biggest worry right now is their power play. Currently operating at just 11.3%, the Flames own the worst power play in the Pacific Division, third worst in the Western Conference, and sixth worst in the entire league.
Many have commented on how this is a very troubling sign for a team already devoid of high-end offensive talent, and that the lacklustre power play is not indicative of a team slated for playoff success.
However, that’s not necessarily the case.
Worst power plays of playoff teams this decade
Over the past 10 years, we have seen a team with a power play ranked 24th or worse make the playoffs. In six of those 10 years, a team with a power play 27th or worse, where the Flames sit right now, has made the playoffs. Here are the playoff teams with the least efficient power plays and their league ranks.
| Season | Team | Reg. Season PP% | League Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | New York Islanders | 15.8 | 30 |
| 2021–22 | Los Angeles Kings | 16.1 | 27 |
| 2020–21 | Minnesota Wild | 17.6 | 24 |
| 2019–20 | Chicago Blackhawks | 15.2 | 28 |
| 2018–19 | Nashville Predators | 12.9 | 31 |
| 2017–18 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 17.2 | 25 |
| 2016–17 | San Jose Sharks | 16.7 | 25 |
| 2015–16 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 15.8 | 28 |
| 2014–15 | Anaheim Ducks | 15.7 | 28 |
| 2013–14 | Los Angeles Kings | 15.1 | 27 |
Just last year, the Islanders qualified for the playoffs as the first wild card in the Eastern Conference, and finished the regular season with the 30th-ranked power play in the NHL. Every single year there seems to be at least one team (usually it’s more) that qualifies for the playoffs with an objectively bad power play. Carried by elite 5v5 play, these teams made it to the dance.
There is a caveat to this list, however. Of these teams, every single one since 2016 has lost in the first round of the playoffs. It would appear that solid 5v5 play can only get you so far. Or does it?
Conference finalists with the worst regular season power play
If we look at all the conference finalists from the past 10 years—teams that finished among the top-four in the league after the playoffs—we see that there are several examples of teams with bad power plays making it far into the postseason.
| Season | Conference Finalist | Reg. Season PP% | Reg. Season PP% Rank | Playoffs PP% | Playoffs PP% Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Carolina Hurricanes | 19.8 | 20 | 17.7 | 12 |
| 2021–22 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 23.4 | 8 | 19.8 | 9 |
| 2020–21 | Vegas Golden Knights | 17.8 | 22 | 9.3 | 16 |
| 2019–20 | New York Islanders | 17.3 | 24 | 15.4 | 16 |
| 2018–19 | Carolina Hurricanes | 17.8 | 20 | 9.6 | 14 |
| 2017–18 | Vegas Golden Knights | 21.4 | 11 | 18.5 | 10 |
| 2016–17 | Ottawa Senators | 16.9 | 24 | 11.5 | 14 |
| 2015–16 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 15.8 | 28 | 16.1 | 9 |
| 2014–15 | Anaheim Ducks | 15.7 | 28 | 26.7 | 3 |
| 2013–14 | Los Angeles Kings | 15.1 | 27 | 23.5 | 6 |
Over the past 10 seasons, 80% of the time we’ve seen a team make it all the way to the conference finals with a 20th or worse ranked power play in the regular season. In almost every case, though, these teams improved their power play in the playoffs by a significant margin. The exception would be the Golden Knights, who had the 22nd-ranked power play heading into the playoffs in 2021, made it all the way to the conference finals with a 9.3%, 16th-ranked power play in the playoffs.
Let the team figure out their power play
At the end of the day, it’s obviously better to have a better power play than not. That much is simple. However, it’s not a requirement to make the playoffs or do well in them either. The Flames have good personnel who are building noticeable chemistry under a new head coach with new systems. If the last 12 games are any indication, this is a team on the rise, and their power play is part of that equation.
Give them time to figure it out. And, if they don’t, they can still make noise in the playoffs with elite 5v5 play—something they’ve been trained to do for years. An underachieving power play isn’t the end of the world, and it’s bound to improve as the season wears on.
