The Montreal Canadiens struggled with their power play at the tail end of the regular season, scoring once on 20 opportunities in their last nine games. In game one of their playoff series against the Washington Capitals, it took three lucky deflections for Cole Caufield to collect the puck in the slot and score.

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While it may be a bit late to make changes to the power play, one has to wonder if the current deployment is optimal. Martin St-Louis admitted that Caufield had to score his goals differently this season, which was caused by Patrik Laine's being given his spot on the first wave of the man advantage.

There’s no denying Laine is efficient in his spot, but Caufield was in the past. Given how physical the series has been, it won’t be easy for the five-foot-eight sniper to stand his ground in the slot.

Cole Caufield - Montreal Canadiens (30)
Power Play Goal pic.twitter.com/6CpzUAAVkm

— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) March 4, 2025

Since St-Louis seems to want to keep using captain Nick Suzuki on both waves of the power play, moving Caufield to the second wave could make sense, where he could get his spot back.

Furthermore, on more than one occasion on Monday night, Mike Matheson, who quarterbacks the second unit, refused to pass the puck to Ivan Demidov, who was in space. The 19-year-old has plenty of offensive acumen, but cannot show it if he doesn’t get the puck. This is not without reminding us of how Matheson initially reacted to Caufield’s arrival.

PATRIK LAINE GETS THE HAT TRICK WITH HIS THIRD POWER-PLAY ONE-TIMER!! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xGpmX6S60G

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 18, 2024

If he was moved to the first wave, Lane Hutson wouldn’t think twice about feeding him the puck, and at six-foot-one and 192 pounds, Demidov could be better suited to roaming the net front. Although the game is more physical than in the KHL, he still needs to get used to that, especially since the game’s physicality has gone up a notch in the postseason.

Ultimately, making the most of the few power play opportunities one gets in a playoff game is a must, and it would make sense to put every player in the best position possible to succeed.

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