[heep223]

Originally Posted by GS Skier

Absolutely agree with your statement in general. Offense can't be taught at the player level easily, as a player you ultimately have it or you don't, but it boils down to carry it or dump it and chase it. Use 2 fore-checkers and when is it safe, for the D to pinch and just try and screw up the other guys into mistakes. The other team has the same basic defensive system as well. That's why it's almost always a game of mistakes.


I enjoy watching defenses work properly and realizing who really screwed up when the goal is scored against you. Isn't always obvious and the intermission groups spot it all the time.

If the opposition is cycling the puck in your end, a couple of things are always right and always wrong.

D and Centers have take care of the back boards and in front of the net. The center isn't always the first forward back and so the first winger back needs to be right in there defending/chasing all the way. But when that center is back, usually very quickly, then he needs to communicate hes back to the winger.

Pucks go here and there and as soon as possible that winger now has to get back to his wall to cover a point and watch the slot and of course be ready for break out pass. "Head on a swivel". You'll see wingers get caught too deep in their own end all the time and someones left open. Defending as a winger is tougher than it looks. I've recently seen Gaudreau back deep first and when Monahan got back he clearly shouted and pointed to Gaudreau and Gaudreau promptly went back up the wall.

In a perfect world one of the D or the center is always in front of the net while the other two guys fight for the puck. The wingers are above the circles or along the wall. When you get possession hopefully the center and 1 D are in middle moving up to take that pass from the wall. You all see this a hundred times a game and every one does it. If you have to just fire the puck up the boards from there I believe your system is breaking down under the pressure.

Even when its done right players make bad decisions on passes around the boards or the break out pass (Love Lucic and he is definitely doing better but boy did he screw that up a few times early!).

Every team stalks the wingers who have to be on the wall for break outs that's what the D pinch is all about. They see the breakout pass too and if its safe will pinch.

The system IS there and there are some different plays for different situations but it is there. In the end can Sutter cut down the turn overs and bad passes? Hopefully. At least its not a democracy down there any more!