Quote:
Originally Posted by fotze
I am realizing that by not playing hockey to a high level that the forward position is not all the same but going up what third of the ice. After all these years of watching I am realizing this only after listening to my kids novice coach's. 
Can someone give a quick blurb what the main difference between the centre and wing positions are? |
The centre skates the most of any player on the ice surface. Their primary job is to remain high in the offensive zone when they don't have the puck to help with the numbers going back into the defensive zone where they play low in the zone nearly in front of the goalie and give numbers support to help a defender out-man an opposition forward with the puck if they are below the faceoff dots (roughly), or if god forbid both defenders are behind the goal line, the centre takes up netfront real estate.
On good teams, the centre is the primary outlet for defenders as the centre is usually in close support to either the defender battling in the corner or the forward battling at the halfwall/point area. When the puck 'scoots' out of a battle on the boards on good teams you'll more often than not see the centre grab that puck and move it up ice with a pass or carry it out through a lane, but the puck is going to either wing pretty much as soon as he hits the blueline.