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Inside the NHL
Posted: Wednesday January 22, 2003 9:45 AM
Something Extra
Hard-shooting defenseman Andy Delmore gives the Predators an even bigger advantage on the power play By
Daniel G. Habib 
There are specialists, and then there's Predators defenseman Andy Delmore. Because his primary gifts are speed and a hard, quick righthanded shot, he has become one of the most potent power-play weapons in the league. Through Sunday, Delmore was second in the NHL with 12 man-advantage goals (no other defenseman had more than seven), had averaged a league-high 7:17 on the power play per game and had played 41.4% of his total minutes with the man advantage, also an NHL high. "We're a bit challenged on offense so we need Andy," says coach Barry Trotz. "He's the triggerman on the back end."
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Delmore led all blueliners with 12 power-play goals. Robert Beck |
On the power play, Delmore works between the left point and the left face-off circle. Because penalty-killing forwards often defend him by expanding the box to contest his shot, Delmore has been instructed to avoid having his shots blocked (which can lead to odd-man rushes) either by dishing to an open man or using his speed to generate an alternative shooting lane.
Delmore made a splash with the Flyers during the 2000 playoffs when he became the first rookie defenseman to score a postseason hat trick. But he was plagued by inconsistent defensive positioning and in his second season was frequently left on the bench. Then, in July 2001, he was traded to Nashville.
"It was a positive move for us and Andy," Trotz says of the deal. "We improved our power play, and Andy got a fresh start. Being a regular in the lineup helps his confidence and helps him develop as a player."
Issue date: January 27, 2003
For more Inside the NHL see this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands Wednesday, January 22. Click here to subscribe to SI.
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