Feature Story
Team concepts (part II)
Let’s Play Hockey Columnist
Last week we discussed the importance of
playing together as a team to be successful. We went over the concepts of
responsibilities, enforcement, and effort. This week we will continue with
additional concepts.
Effort
There are several areas where effort
makes the biggest difference.
• Defense
going back into their own end for a dumped puck. Extra
effort to the puck gives an extra second to make a good pass or a couple extra
strides to beat the forecheck. This is a very critical
second.
• Forwards on
a forecheck or whole teams of forwards that forecheck all the way to the puck will be more
successful. They will be able to pin the opponent in their end and create many
good scoring opportunities. “Normally,” players start coasting on a forecheck 30 to 50 feet away from the puck on the way in.
Watch for this in games – it is the norm for most forecheckers.
I’ve had the
privilege of coaching with Eddie Christian (Elite League) the past two years.
We are extremely compatible because we both understand the
effort/responsibility formulas. He tells his forwards to go to “ultimate”
effort (125 percent) once over the blue line on a forecheck.
Then, when the inevitable slow down to 80 percent comes, they will still be at
100 percent. It works! Take a look at the success Eddie has with his forwards.
• All
players, in races for the puck. This is what coaches
call “winning the little 1-on-1 battles.” These are the little competitive
1-on-1’s that constantly happen all over the ice during games. The teams that
put out that extra effort to win those battles have the puck more often. Again,
players have to skate all the way to the “battle.”
Proper Defensive Orientation
That is a big fairly subjective three
words. It means that “team concepts” involve important defensive as well
as offensive priorities.
Probably one of the best coaches of
defensive orientation I have ever seen is Jacques Lemaire
of the Minnesota Wild. Most coaches in the
The key is to not stifle the offensive
threat at the same time. That is why I called it proper defensive
orientation. Too much defensive orientation not only kills offense, but also
the beauty and enjoyment of the game itself.
That all
being said, defensive play must be balanced for every team. That means that every defenseman is part of the offense and
every forward is part of the defense. That is pretty easy to say to a team. It
is not so easy for a team to do, however.
For defensemen some of the items are:
• Staying up
with the play (close behind) as the forwards move up the ice. Many (a high
percentage) defensemen are “lazy” up the ice. Not only are they not available
as a “trailer” pass, but they give up the offensive blue line sometimes before
they even get there! They are at the red line when the puck turns around at the
top of the circle or even deeper; and they can hold the blue line.
• Moving the
puck quickly to the forwards. Defensemen that rush up the ice with the puck too
often are not helping the offense – and they are hurting the defense of the
team. Good puck movement offensively helps defense!
• Learning to
shoot properly. Shooting from the point should be “strategic.” That is, it
should be done in a way that can create a goal, not necessarily score a goal. Again, a concept that few defensemen grasp well. A
defenseman with many assists and few goals likely gets it.
• Not letting
opposition forwards behind them in the neutral or offensive zones. It just
means defensemen can’t be too offensive!
For forwards some of the items are:
• Backchecking hard and all the way to the net. Good backchecking makes a defenseman‘s job easy, because there
are few odd man rushes. Defensemen can step up and defend the blue line or can
more easily push the rush to the outside if they have support from the
forwards.
• Covering
well in the zone. Centers are defensemen and wings have specific assignments in
the defensive zone. Breakdowns of forward coverage is
just as likely to be the cause of a goal as a defenseman breakdown.
• Not being
too offensive in the offensive zone. Most coaches don’t want all three forwards
deep in the offensive zone because it creates odd man rushes back up the ice. I
like to have one forward at the top of the circle unless an imminent scoring
opportunity exists. One forward should keep at least one opposition forward in
front of them at all times. Again, I like a high center with two attacking
wings.
Playing a “Short” Game
Playing a short game simply means that
passes should be short and crisp with players moving up the ice. Long outlet
passes with players one or two zones up the ice is not often successful. If a
pass does click all the way from the defensive dots to the red line, the player
with the puck normally has no “support” – so an attack is not fruitful.
Four or five short passes up the ice with
full three forward (and good trailing defensemen) support is what gets the puck
to the net with good chances.
Support is the key
word. At all levels of youth hockey, most players don’t play full games with
support as their objective. Consequently, when watching a game, we see a player
with the puck with no good options that can improve their position – they dump the puck
or give it up, or shoot from bad positions.
If support were available, they would
have good passing options that would move the puck up the ice – or at least
move the puck to a better location. Most coaches call this “playing well
without the puck.”
This short game must be initiated by the
defensemen; they can’t carry too far. It
must also, however, be supported by the forwards. Forwards that just “head for
the other end” when their defensemen get control of the puck are not often
providing good support.
There are times when it is good to have a
forward head into the neutral zone – to drag a defenseman with or to take
advantage of opposition pinching too aggressively. Most times, however, it is
best for forwards to be in a position to take a good, short pass – that can be
forwarded onto a teammate with the same idea in mind.
The very basic “3-0 flow drills” up the
ice are good ways to teach forwards a short game.
Next week, we’ll wrap up this subject
with Part 3.
John Russo, Ph.D., is founder and
director of the