How will Knights’ power play be different under Cassidy?

The Golden Knights’ power play, even if it doesn’t improve this season, certainly won’t suffer from a lack of ideas.

New coach Bruce Cassidy spent more than a minute and 40 seconds Friday explaining why he constructed the first unit the way he did based on stick position. It followed a 2-minute, 40-second answer to a question about his power-play philosophies at his opening news conference June 16.

The former puck-moving defenseman loves to break it down. “For me, it’s always been something I’ve just gravitated toward,” Cassidy said.

History says he’s also good at coaching it. Cassidy’s Boston teams ranked third in the NHL on the power play his five full seasons there. The Bruins were in the top five three times and never finished lower than 14th.

He could be just what the Knights need after they scored the sixth-fewest power-play goals in the NHL last year. Cassidy isn’t completely overhauling the team’s setup. But he is bringing new concepts within it.

“I don’t know if it’s different,” center Chandler Stephenson said. “It’s trying more things. … It’s just having more options than it being different, I guess.”

With all their offensive talent, the power play hasn’t helped the Knights like it should have in recent years.

An 0-for-15 showing against the Montreal Canadiens cost them a trip to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. A 25th-place finish last season helped keep them out of the playoffs.

It didn’t help that they got few opportunities. The Knights were dead last in penalties drawn.

Cassidy’s goal is to breathe more life into things. That starts with the personnel for the 1-3-1 formation the team also used under former coach Pete DeBoer.

The Knights have center Jack Eichel manning the left half wall from the jump this season. Captain Mark Stone is on the goal line again after missing 45 games last year with a back injury. Left wing Max Pacioretty is gone following his trade to Carolina, but left wing Reilly Smith has taken his spot opposite Eichel.

Smith is expected to be more of a shooter in his new role. Eichel and Stone have looked to set up his one-timer in practice and the preseason.

“If I can just get it to the net quickly, Stone’s great in front of the net to be able to pick up rebounds and tip pucks,” Smith said. “Just trying to have a shot mentality over there.”

The group is set up to maximize passing options. Cassidy likes how righties Eichel and Stone can play off lefties Stephenson (in the middle) and Smith (out wide).

The same goes for lefty defenseman Shea Theodore up top when he skates with that unit. He and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo will rotate with both groups depending on the situation, like who was on the ice last.

“The sticks align when you have a righty (in Eichel) passing like that,” Cassidy said. “Right now, it’s been good that way. We’re finding some good looks from there.”

The arrangement also leaves the Knights plenty of weapons on the second unit. Last year’s leading scorer, Jonathan Marchessault, is there. So is free-agent signing Phil Kessel, who has 117 career power-play goals and 207 career power-play assists.

Cassidy’s goal for both groups is faster puck movement that can break down a defense and open up seams. It’s a plan that had plenty of success in Boston with star forwards Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak.

Whether it works for the Knights remains to be seen. But the team hopes shaking things up gets it off to a much-needed strong start.

“It’s a good time to be able to cash (in) on teams,” Smith said. “To even come out with a hot power play for the first 10 games of the season, it can really help you.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.