Red Wings Turn to Talbot for Power Play Help

With his power play searching for answers, Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan is pulling out all the stops in search of a solution. He’s even seeking out advice from the club’s stoppers.

During the club’s practice this week in preparation for Thursday’s home date against the Anaheim Ducks, McLellan had netminder Cam Talbot offering consultation to the struggling unit.

#RedWings changes to power play units that are 1 for 20 in past five games:
1. Finnie (net front), Larkin (bumper), Raymond-Danielson (flanks), Seider (point).
2. Rasmussen (net front), Kasper (bumper), DeBrincat-Kane (flanks), ASP (point).
Berggren also getting reps on No. 1. pic.twitter.com/LK85M3En0n

— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) November 12, 2025

Detroit is 0-for-11 with the man advantage during the club’s current three-game losing streak. Over the past five games, the Red Wings are 1-for-20 on the power play.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. And that even includes consulting the goalies on how to score goals.

“It isn’t always the coaching staff that can teach or bring up situations,” McLellan said. “Sometimes we ask the players that are actually playing.

“We were in a situation there where let’s ask Talbs what causes problems for goaltenders. And I think what Talbs had to say was very helpful.

“They’re the guys who wear the pads. They’re the ones that have to fight through screens and reads and that type of stuff.

“Why wouldn’t we ask them what causes problems?”

Red Wings Coach Has Seen Similar Scenario Help In The Past

It wasn’t a power play, but when McLellan was coaching the San Jose Sharks, he witnessed goaltender Evgeni Nabokov help teammate Joe Pavelski improve his results on wraparound attempts.

“Nabokov was the goaltender and (Pavelski) was having trouble on wraps and jams,” McLellan said. “He was getting a lot of them, but not scoring. And he went to Nabi, and Nabi just told him, ‘You aren’t getting to the right spot. If you get to this spot, it changes everything.’ So the player, the skater, went to the goaltender and asked him what causes problems.”

Berggren on the power play. pic.twitter.com/WxAhYjTLDi

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 26, 2025

That’s not uncommon in the history of the game. Back in the 1950s, New York Rangers goalie Charlie Rayner would gather shooters on the team like Andy Bathgate after practice and offer them tips on where to shoot the puck to give the goaltender the most trouble.

During a February 9, 1972, game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Syl Apps Jr. was awarded a penalty shot. Before attempting his free shot, Apps skated back to Penguins’ netminder Jim Rutherford and asked him what he’d least like a shooter to do on a penalty shot.

Apps heeded Rutherford’s advice and beat Toronto goalie Bernie Parent on his penalty-shot attempt in Pittsburgh’s 4-1 victory over Toronto.