'We're all about the good ideas': how the Vienna Capitals are achieving their sensational powerplay ratio

The Vienna Capitals have established a dominant position in the ICE Hockey League through their exceptional power play efficiency. After eleven games, the team has converted fifteen of its thirty-six opportunities into goals, resulting in a success rate of 41.67 percent. This performance places them fifth in the league standings, a result head coach Mike Stewart attributes directly to their superior man advantage tactics. Stewart noted that achieving such figures requires all five players in the formation to function cohesively. Stewart emphasized that the team relies on hockey intelligence and intuition rather than artificial intelligence tools for their strategic analysis. Assistant coach Fabian Scholz plays a key role in this process, dedicating significant time to studying power play dynamics. The Capitals employ a classic one-three-one formation consisting of four forwards and one defenseman. Nick Bailen, aged thirty-six, serves as the defenseman, bringing extensive experience from eight seasons in the Russian KHL, two in Germany, and two with the Graz 99ers. Captain Linden Vey, thirty-five, and Konstantin Komarek, thirty-three, act as the primary decision-makers in the zone. Jakob Lilja, also thirty-three, positions himself as the shooter in the slot area. Jeremy Gregoire, thirty-one, provides net front presence by creating traffic, deflecting shots, and capitalizing on rebounds. Video study forms a central part of the team’s daily routine. Coaches review highlights from recent matches and analyze upcoming opponents to understand their specific strategies during power plays and penalty kills. Before traveling to Linz for a Wednesday match, the staff examined how the opposition operates in special situations. Training days in Vienna Kagran often begin with coaches reviewing NHL highlights over coffee. They share relevant clips with the squad, recently focusing on effective power play sequences by the Anaheim Ducks. Stewart stated that the current generation of players learns primarily through visual observation. Historical context shows that the Capitals’ current percentage significantly exceeds previous benchmarks. In the National Hockey League, the Montreal Canadiens held the record for the best seasonal power play at 31.9 percent during the 1977-78 season. The Edmonton Oilers surpassed this mark with 32.2 percent in 2022-23. Earlier in the 1980s, the Oilers utilized strong man advantage play alongside stars Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier. A decade later, the Detroit Red Wings relied heavily on their power play under Steve Yzerman. Within the current ICE league, other teams show varying levels of success. Budapest leads the rest with 31.43 percent, followed by Bolzano at 28.95 percent and Klagenfurt at 28.26 percent. Average performances include Salzburg at 23.91 percent, Milan and Villach both at 21.95 percent, and Linz at 21.57 percent. Lower percentages belong to teams such as Pustertal, Ljubljana, Graz, Innsbruck, Fehervar, and the Pioneers Vorarlberg, which sits last at 10.00 percent. Recent results highlight the competitive nature of the league. The Graz 99ers secured a 3-2 away victory against the Vienna Capitals on October 25, 2026. Goals were scored by Jakob Lippitsch, Maximilian Kirchebner, and Michael Schiechl. Prior to this encounter, the Graz team defeated league newcomer Milan 5-3 in a home game on October 21. The Capitals are scheduled to host the reigning champions, Graz, on Sunday following their trip to Linz. Stewart acknowledged that maintaining the current high conversion rate over a full season will be difficult, yet the early numbers remain impressive. The coaching staff continues to refine their approach by gathering ideas from various sources to maintain their tactical edge.