The Dying Breed of the Power Forward
While looking through the NHL’s top scorers this season, you need to go a ways down the list in order to find a true power forward. This season, the only players who are performing as true power forwards while also frequently finding the back of the net are Flyers pest Wayne Simmonds and Patrick Maroon of the Oilers. While there are several players such as Alexander Ovechkin and Jamie Benn who have a physical component to their all-around game, the role of the true power forward has consistently decreased over the last several years. So, what has happened in the game that has caused this role to diminish?
Speed and youth immediately come to mind when approaching this issue. Every year we are seeing more and more capable veterans get cut, and often find themselves unable to make a new team because the league is trending toward younger, faster, less experienced players who require a far lower salary cap hit. When you think about the rationale, it makes perfect sense; would you rather have a guy in his early 30s who was an all-star two to three years ago on your team, or a young, fast kid who is on the verge of taking the next step? NHL teams are saying yes to the second option. However, the dying role of the power forward has caused teams to risk leaving their star players unprotected. The power forward role is important because they put the puck in the back of the net and protect the team at the same time. The power forward plays a valuable role in the NHL, yet power forwards are few and far between on NHL rosters. So, I want to look at a few of the top power forwards this season who are still best embodying the role in the current NHL.
The first player I’ll talk about is Oilers power forward Patrick Maroon. Maroon has never scored more than 34 points in his five NHL seasons, but so far this year he has 18 goals and 25 points in 46 games. Maroon plays his power forward role well, skating on the top line alongside one of the best players in the league in Connor McDavid. At 6’ 3” 230 pounds, Maroon uses his size to position himself in front of the net and create space for McDavid. Clearly Maroon is playing his role effectively — he is on pace for career high scoring numbers, and McDavid is currently the NHL’s points leader.
Wayne Simmonds has established himself as one of the league’s top pests since he broke into the NHL during the 2008–09 season. Simmonds is willing to stand up for any of his teammates at any time and is known for putting opponents in their place. With 18 goals and 16 assists on the year, he was a key piece to the Philadelphia Flyers’ 10 game winning streak earlier this season. In addition to his team-leading 18 goals, Simmonds also leads the team in penalty minutes, and has played a big part in the team’s success.
Two other players who deserve a shoutout are Jamie Benn and Alexander Ovechkin. These are not prototypical power forwards, but they possess a physical element in their game that they both have had their whole careers. While their reputations are as proven elite scorers, both have the size, speed, and strength to put you on your ass real quick. Benn is currently having an underwhelming season thus far by his standards, but will still probably finish the season with around 60 points. Ovechkin has proven himself as a truly one of a kind player, and recently scored his 1000th NHL point. This season, Ovechkin is up to his usual production with 21 goals and 18 assists in 44 games. Over the years his game has gotten cleaner, resulting in fewer penalties, but Ovechkin still throws his body around with the best of them. These two deserved to be mentioned because, while they may be known more as pure scorers than power forwards, both are doing their part to keep the power forward role alive.
There are still a few more power forwards hanging around the NHL — like the trio of Ducks Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Ryan Kesler, as well as Chris Stewart and Ryan Reaves to name a few. While the NHL is getting faster and more skilled every year, the power forward is always a fun player to watch, and plays an extremely valuable role for the teams that still possess one. While it’s hard to be optimistic, I truly hope teams continue to utilize the power forward — even though current league trends point in the opposite direction.
