Take a look at the top power play scorers in the league and you’ll find some familiar names. Alex Ovechkin sits second with 12 goals on the man advantage. Wayne Simmonds is enjoying some success on the power play as he also finds himself with 12 goals. Sidney Crosby is eighth with 10.
Add on another power play goal for @Bschenn_10, who stays on top of the League. #PHIvsVAN https://t.co/WQYZWjoSGs
— NHL (@NHL) February 20, 2017
The player with the most power play goals may be a bit of a surprise to some. Brayden Schenn leads the league with 14 goals on the man advantage. His 23 points on the power play also find him in the top three, behind Phil Kessel and Tyler Seguin.
Brayden Schenn Becoming Power Play Specialist
Schenn has only tallied a total of four goals at even strength this season, but his success on the power play has told the story. His 23 power play points have him tied with Claude Giroux for first among teammates.
Schenn is third on the Flyers in that category since being traded to the team for the 2011-12 season. In 401 games, his 42 goals on the power play sits him behind Giroux (44) and Simmonds (71). His 88 points have him fourth on the team.
The Flyers power play currently sits at 21.3% which sets them as the ninth best in the league. The Flyers also find themselves second in the league this season with 43 goals on the man advantage. A third of those goals belong to Schenn.
The role that Schenn plays isn’t the easiest. Players in the slot often deal with attention from opponents via shoving or frequent swats from a stick. The area also calls for having quick movements when the time comes.
“It’s not easy to play that middle guy because you don’t get as many touches,” Jake Voracek said. “You don’t create a play, you just have to be in the right spot and you get rewarded if you make the right move.”
This role is something that took time for Schenn to perfect. He had never played in the slot on the power play before his time in Philadelphia. In fact, he only had nine games in the league prior to coming to the Flyers.
The success hasn’t started this season either. It has been building during the last few seasons. He is fifth in the league in power play scoring since the 2014-15 season. His 32 goals only puts him behind Jamie Benn (37), Joe Pavelski (37), Simmonds (39), and Ovechkin (56). That’s some exceptional company to find yourself in.
“There’s a lot of top-end talent around the league and a lot of studs that play on the powerplay, so to be in that category as far as powerplay goes, I’m happy,” Schenn said
And the Flyers will continue to be happy if Schenn is able to keep up his success as a power play specialist.
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