It’s no secret the Flyers Power Play has been struggling mightily, so predictability should go out the window. The Flyers Power Play or Power Outage is one major reason the Flyers were eliminated by the New York Islanders in seven games.
The Flyers finished the playoffs 4-52 with the man advantage, which was good for a 7.6% success rate. One major problem for the Flyers with the man advantage were clean zone entries, and this forced the Flyers into a dump and chase type system at times. The hope was to make this Power Play less predictable, well guess what it didn’t happen. Moreover, the Flyers lost the puck battles forechecking wise, thus enabling the Islanders to clear the zone with ease. Jakub Voracek is a force when the puck is on his stick, and he was one of the few Flyers that could enter the zone cleanly.
Chuck Fletcher indicated last week the Power Play was an area of need in the offseason, “It’s obviously a critical sample size,” Fletcher said last Thursday, “We really could have used some power play goals. Then again, you go back certain times this year, you can find ten, fifteen games, where we were clicking. Why that is? That’ll be one of the questions we have to answer and certainly we’ll look hard at.”
There are two players that are available via free agency that could help the Flyers stagnant Power Play, as they also had the 14th best PP in the Regular Season. Jimmy Vesey and Derick Brassard would not only provide help for the bottom six (Fletcher indicated that as an area of need as well this offseason), but they would help immensely on the PP.
Derick Brassard
Brassard stands at 6’1 and weighs 201 pounds. He is a versatile player that can play Center or Wing. The good thing is he could play the 3C role if Nolan Patrick cannot play in the first game of the 2020-21 season. Brassard tallied 10 goals, and registered 22 assists this past season for the New York Islanders. His three goals and seven assists (10 points total) came with the man advantage. Not too shabby by any means.
He isn’t as fast as he once was, however, he is still a good skater nonetheless. Brassard plays a two-way game, but the one knack on him is consistency. However, he has made the most of his minutes in the playoffs tallying two goals, and six assists for eight points in 17 games played. Brassard has found himself scratched at times in the playoffs, but he is still physical enough and talented enough with the man advantage for the Flyers to take a chance on him. He fits within the Flyers salary cap needs, as he is currently under contract with the Islanders for $1.2 million.
Fortunately, Brassard didn’t play himself into a big pay raise, so he still should come very cheap for Chuck Fletcher. Brassard could possibly fetch as deal as high as $1.5 million per year, but nothing more than that. At the end of the day Brassard is versatile and plays well with the man advantage for the Flyers to take a chance on him.
Jimmy Vesey
Vesey stands at 6’2 and weighs 202 pounds. He was coveted by the most of the NHL in August if 2016, as he elected not to sign with the Nashville Predators after graduating from Harvard University. Vesey elected to sign with the New York Rangers, and they traded him to the Buffalo Sabres in 2018-19.
Now 27-years-old, Vesey has tallied seven power play goals, and registered eight assists with the man advantage in his career (15 points total). Vesey tallied just one assist with the man advantage this past season. He could benefit front mna change of scenery as he potted nine goals, and 11 assists this past season, but he was a +12 for his efforts.
This former Hobey Baker Award winner is just too darn talented not put up more points, or succeed on the PP. Vesey, a Left-Winger, has good size and plays a solid two-way game. This would bode well in Alain Vigneault’s system, as he can board battle with the best of them. Here’s Vesey’s scouting report below:
“Has plenty of goal-scoring ability, plus the size and bulk to play in traffic, maintain possession of the puck and grind in the corners. Is also a sound two-way player. Can be an asset on the power play, too.”- 2019-20 The Sports Forecaster.
Vesey skates well and can carry the puck up the ice with confidence. He can play a bottom six role so he fills a need there as well, according to Fletcher as he wants to shore up the bottom six this offseason. Vesey could be another cheap option for Fletcher, as he currently makes $2.275 million. Fletcher could seek a contract worth $1.2-$1.5 million, as he really didn’t play to the value of his current contract this season.
Both Brassard and Vesey could help the Flyers in two of the four needs for the Flyers this offseason, according to Fletcher. One area is shoring up the bottom six, and the other is shoring up the Power Play. Of course, the hope is to reignite the struggling PP, and make it one of the league’s best. The PP is vital for an extended playoff run, and both Brassard and Vesey could help the Flyers immensely.
