In the last weeks of the previous season, the Flames’ powerplay began to gain momentum.

Under Cail MacLean’s leadership, it is fully prepared to reach its peak in the upcoming fall season.

The upcoming campaign sees the Calgary assistant coach expanding his role to include powerplay responsibilities. With a focus on developing a strategic approach for the team’s playmakers, he aims to establish a strong foundation that will enable the Flames to maximize their opportunities during the man-advantage.

MacLean expressed his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to work with the powerplay, emphasizing the trust shown in him by Head Coach Ryan Huska and General Manager Craig Conroy. He mentioned the team’s impressive powerplay performance towards the end of the previous year and expressed a desire to build on that success. MacLean also acknowledged the team’s talented shooters and skill, emphasizing the importance of starting on a strong note.

Having completed three seasons as a Calgary assistant coach, it is evident that the 47-year-old has developed a deep understanding of the strengths and weaknesses possessed by opposing special teams units.

Nevertheless, MacLean remains diligent as he meticulously examines videos, meticulously documenting trends and innovations occurring throughout the league.

“This summer has mainly revolved around closely observing NHL powerplays, analyzing patterns, and truly comprehending our strengths while also keeping a close eye on the overall landscape of penalty-kills in the league. Our goal is to prepare our players to seize opportunities by understanding various penalty-kill strategies and equipping them with the necessary skills. We aim to maintain our distinctive style while also being adaptable and capable of making plays against any penalty-kill formation.”

MacLean and Huska have built a strong working relationship, having worked together for three seasons in the NHL and also during a joint campaign at AHL Stockton in 2017-18.

Huska acknowledges that spending time together fosters a shared mindset, and he also believes that closely observing the accomplishments of other NHL teams can inspire innovation and ideas within our own organization.

“You see what other teams do really well around the NHL, and if you can take some of those things and kind of make them your own, then we’re going to look at it,” Huska told Flames TV’s Brendan Parker earlier this week. “That’s kind of what these (meetings) are all about, is finding those areas that might give us an advantage with our team as we move forward.”

MacLean takes over a team that experienced significant improvement during the last part of the previous season. Notably, in the final six weeks of the 2023-24 season, the Flames showcased a remarkable powerplay performance, ranking fifth in the NHL with a conversion rate of 27.1%.

During that period, Nazem Kadri managed to net six out of his total of 10 powerplay goals. Additionally, the collective efforts of Kadri, Andrei Kuzmenko, Yegor Sharangovich, and Jonathan Huberdeau resulted in a remarkable tally of 41 powerplay points.

MacLean is fully aware of the abundant talent and is excited to witness his man-advantage specialists unleash their creativity during the winter season.

MacLean explained that when you have a skilled player like Kuzmenko positioned near the net, who understands his choices, he tends to be deliberate in selecting the correct one and executing it exceptionally well. The same can be said for our sharpshooters like Sharangovich and the defensemen positioned at the top.

Definitely, our powerplay has the necessary skills and talent demonstrated consistently in the past few years. We have players who excel in making strategic moves, so our main focus is providing them with the necessary support and creating an environment of predictability. This will enable them to confidently choose the most suitable option from the numerous possibilities that arise.

According to MacLean, the support provided takes the shape of a framework, comprising guiding principles that aim to maintain a consistent and multifaceted powerplay formation for Calgary.

Throughout the season, MacLean will instill a mindset in his players as they devise strategies.

He stated that the most important thing is to adopt a 5-on-5 mindset when it comes to work ethic and competitiveness. Despite having an advantage with an extra player, we must ensure that our intensity exceeds that of the opposing team’s penalty-killing efforts, as they are highly motivated.

After surpassing the basic work ethic, our focus shifts towards establishing a solid framework. This framework is not about following a rigid script, but rather about cultivating a comprehensive understanding of our actions and reactions. We aim to become predictable in terms of recognizing and initiating certain activities and attacks. By doing so, we strive to ensure that all five team members are synchronized, operating on the same wavelength, and adopting a fast-paced, aggressive approach.

“It is crucial to develop a clear and easily understandable plan, one that encompasses the non-negotiable aspects such as the breakout and the O-zone play.”

The planning and strategizing are already in full swing, and although training camp may seem far off in the scorching summer heat, it won’t be long before MacLean and his powerplay experts are back on the ice, implementing their game plan.

September can’t come soon enough.

MacLean emphasized that our team possesses highly skilled and top-notch players. While it’s important to provide them with a structure, we must also allow them to rely on their natural instincts for playing the game as that is where their true strengths lie.

“We must ensure that we provide them the necessary space to feel and create plays, as they possess the ability to do so.”