Miro Heiskanen and Jamie Benn are wreaking havoc. On Dallas' top power play unit.

Figuring out what's working and what's not on Dallas' much-discussed power play.

We get it. The power play is not good. At a clip of 18.9 percent, Dallas is converting on their man advantage opportunities less frequently than the spiraling New York Rangers.

This is unfortunate, and it’s obviously a big deal. And I’ve analyzed it in different ways on this site. But I’m willing to sit back for a minute. There are only so many ways to repeat “the power play has to be better.” I’m not eager to be white noise in the echo chamber. If there’s something new to add to the discussion, that’s where I like being.

Beyond that, change can be gradual. Jason Robertson is getting better. What kind of knock-on effect does that have on the PP? Wyatt Johnston is getting better. Et cetera. This is not to suppress criticisms from well-meaning but anxious fans. On the contrary. I thought fan anxieties were a little hasty in October; now that we’re in January, it’s viciously clear that they weren’t. But we’ve got a long way to go until the final word is said on Pete DeBoer and Steve Spott’s power play.

Today I want to focus on two players who, as I’ve argued, are the top unit’s weakest links. Just to be clear, I am not calling Miro Heiskanen and Jamie Benn weak players. As a matter of fact, I think Heiskanen is a top-five defender. Benn, who was supposed to be a regression victim after the Bennaisance, continues his unlikely run of quality middle-six play. These are excellent players for who they are, and it’s important that doesn’t get lost. My argument is that they have (IMO) weak chemistry with the top unit. The fact that the top unit has scored the last three power play goals, and only Heiskanen accounted for a point out of those—a secondary assist no less—is proof.

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