Lastest addition could be key to Canucks power play in 2017-18

Everything that’s old is new again. Or at least, that will be the philosophy behind the Vancouver Canucks power play next season. That’s because the team announced the re-hiring of former assistant coach Newell Brown to run the Canucks’ special team unit once again.

Brown served under former head coach Alain Vigneault during the “glory days” of the Vancouver Canucks and was the architect of a power play that was first in the NHL at over 24% in 2011. While the cast of characters has changed drastically, Brown will still have the patience and creativity of Henrik and Daniel Sedin with which to build a strategy around.

So, what does Brown predict for the Canucks on the PP for 2017-18?

“You have to have a lot of variations, I don’t think you can do just one thing,” said Brown. “I like the drop pass and I like to have three or four different break-outs — including a speed one and a drop-back one. Having unpredictability to your power play with lots of movement and motion is important, but you can never get away from the fundamentals of shooting and having timely net presence.”

Shooting. What a concept. It’s so simple, yet something the Canucks failed at miserably in 2016-17. Here’s to hoping that a blast from the past helps propel them into the future.