Breakout Strategy

[Headshot]

Watching the Flames, more specifically the breakout, the strategy seems to be
a) have forwards line up at opposing blue line
b) try to stretch pass it to them.

The problem I have with it is that the forwards don't really have enough momentum to get into the opposing teams zone, so it either causes a turnover, or a dump and chase play.

Why not just have short break out passes that would be more reliable?

Thoughts?

[868904]

Originally Posted by Headshot

Watching the Flames, more specifically the breakout, the strategy seems to be
a) have forwards line up at opposing blue line
b) try to stretch pass it to them.

The problem I have with it is that the forwards don't really have enough momentum to get into the opposing teams zone, so it either causes a turnover, or a dump and chase play.

Why not just have short break out passes that would be more reliable?

Thoughts?

I've noticed this too but it's also been like this for years. It is archaic and ineffective to stretch the zone. Successful teams nowadays breakout as a five man unit with continuous puck support to the carrier.

I think Hartley is great for installing the right mentality in the players but I think his systems are really outdated. I think Hartkey needs some systems help, you know Cloutier isnt going to be that guy and Gelly is really just the good cop to the players.

Defense are pretty much left alone searching for a forward who is standing still at the opposition blue line which gives the opposition forwards time to for check and hem our defense deep in our zone and causing turnovers.

[Headshot]

Originally Posted by 868904

I've noticed this too but it's also been like this for years. It is archaic and ineffective to stretch the zone. Successful teams nowadays breakout as a five man unit with continuous puck support to the carrier.

I think Hartley is great for installing the right mentality in the players but I think his systems are really outdated. I think Hartkey needs some systems help, you know Cloutier isnt going to be that guy and Gelly is really just the good cop to the players.

Defense are pretty much left alone searching for a forward who is standing still at the opposition blue line which gives the opposition forwards time to for check and hem our defense deep in our zone and causing turnovers.

I agree for the most part, but doesn't Chicago use stretch passes a lot also?

But I think that we need a more skilled team for this type of game - it's not necsacarily outdated IMO.

[2ArmBands]

I think in many cases this specific breakout style is misunderstood as "cherry picking" or floating etc...

All they are trying to do is push the defencemen back and open up the neutral zone. I notice Hudler does it often and it's simply to create space for his line mates. If there's nothing there they will try to bail out and hit the high guy with a one touch dump in.

I've noticed they really only do this with certain personnel on the ice.

[Huntingwhale]

It will get better once players get more confidence to actually carry it in. We just don't have the personnel to continuously make skilled plays to enter the opposition zone yet.

Gio and Brodie make great outlet passes, but everyone else isn't very good. Wideman was fantastic his last 2 seasons doing exactly that, but he looks off this year. I'd like to see more carrying it in over the line too, but I think that would also result in a lot more turnovers.

[Gaskal]

They should have one guy high for the stretch pass and two floating around center ice - the forwards around center ice preferably with some good acceleration and puck skill (Byron, Raymond, Gaudreau) to have a more realistic option of carrying it themselves for zone entry.

[bubbsy]

Good teams use short passes to guys that are already moving to breakout.

[thymebalm]

I did see a lot of defenders left to their own devices last night as the rest of the squad had fully broken out while they were still at the goal line. Wideman was forced to cough up the puck a couple of times, even Gio/Brodie because of it. Chicago uses the defensive slot to break out. It's a bad place to mess up, but when the opposition clogs up the boards, sometimes the best play is just a short pass to the center of the ice. From there all options are available. Only problem is if you miss your guy, you feed the opposition the puck in a scoring area..

I don't think breakouts are the problem as much as break-ins. You HAVE to win that first puck battle on a dump in, too often they don't have that killer instinct once they dump it in. Glencross has been particularly bad at not winning the one-on-one zone entry battles, but it permeates most of the forward line up. Gaudreau hasn't had much success retrieving the puck, and others get beat in the foot race.

Puck possession is the obvious preference. You lose possession every time you dump it in. The best teams just don't give up the puck at all..

Is it Hartley's fault? Maybe.. I tend to agree that his work ethic is a far bigger strength than his line matching and systems.

The passing in general needs a tune up, whether it's breaking in or out, there isn't enough continuous possession because of bad passing or bad receiving of passes.

We will see how they adjust as the first 10-20 games are played. The sample size is pretty small right now, with mixed results..

Obviously Gio/Brodie are making a few crisp passes as they keep showing up on the score sheet...

More observations and ideas than anything concrete.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by thymebalm

I did see a lot of defenders left to their own devices last night as the rest of the squad had fully broken out while they were still at the goal line. Wideman was forced to cough up the puck a couple of times, even Gio/Brodie because of it. Chicago uses the defensive slot to break out. It's a bad place to mess up, but when the opposition clogs up the boards, sometimes the best play is just a short pass to the center of the ice. From there all options are available. Only problem is if you miss your guy, you feed the opposition the puck in a scoring area..

There's a very good article of the Red Wings using this strategy to assist in getting the puck out of their zone with possession using the slot-pass strategy.

Unique Team Traits: The Red Wings use a dangerous part of the ice to avoid getting hemmed in

When the walls get shut down, the Wings aren’t content to just smash it into shinpads, they’re looking to make tape-to-tape plays to get them out of their D-zone as quickly as possible, and into the offensive end.

[Vulcan]

I've noticed the Flames defencemen making passes out in front of the crease as well. With Gio and Brodie it works but years ago these passes would never be made, or if they were it was usually an invitation to wear the goat horns.

[darthma]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I've noticed the Flames defencemen making passes out in front of the crease as well. With Gio and Brodie it works but years ago these passes would never be made, or if they were it was usually an invitation to wear the goat horns.

and when guys like Diaz or Wideman do it, they do wear the goat horns.

[GioforPM]

The Wings example wasn't danegrous at all considering where the 3 oppoisng fwds were, and considering the puck magnet that is named Pavel Datsyuk.

[heep223]

Breakout strategy: stop Diaz from delivering pizzas into the slot.

We have been struggling a lot on the breakout this year as has been mentioned, particularly with pinching d-men. We tend to rim it when we get into trouble and our wingers can't seem to chip it by the pinching d-men ever. I honestly feel like the simple breakout that everyone learns in tyke would be better than we're doing now. Winger on low half boards, C swinging low, weak side winger streaking.

Does anyone have any video/gifs of our breakout?