Therein lies the art of the greatest position on earth! Should he rush...sometimes; Should he move it...sometimes; Should he move it then hop in;...sometimes; Should he rush it, then feather it;...you get the point!
That's why the great ones are the great ones... You can teach skills, but can't teach vision, timing and instincts.
Therein lies the art of the greatest position on earth! Should he rush...sometimes; Should he move it...sometimes; Should he move it then hop in;...sometimes; Should he rush it, then feather it;...you get the point!
That\'s why the great ones are the great ones... You can teach skills, but can\'t teach vision, timing and instincts.
So true. Very hard to teach hockey sense and this is what separates good puck moving d men from bad.
The problem here is "good puck moving d men" do not exist in youth or high school hockey. And if they do exist in college or the NHL they must have a shutdown D partner and a goalie that can really make stops. Even watching the Bruins you see what a total defensive liability Tory Krug is when he's on the ice during even strength. It just isn't worth it.
The problem here is "good puck moving d men" do not exist in youth or high school hockey. And if they do exist in college or the NHL they must have a shutdown D partner and a goalie that can really make stops. Even watching the Bruins you see what a total defensive liability Tory Krug is when he's on the ice during even strength. It just isn't worth it.
Not sure what teams you are watching, there are plenty of puck movers good ones around at u14 and Prep level. dman with good skills can control a game and is tough to defend, not sure I get your beef.
His beef is that his 3rd line, non-back checking wing, who only plants his a** on the boards, is not getting the puck on the breakout because the puck moving dman with better skills is bypassing him.
His beef is that his 3rd line, non-back checking wing, who only plants his a** on the boards, is not getting the puck on the breakout because the puck moving dman with better skills is bypassing him.
quite a few good d men on the EHF and E9 teams. Am sure as a non hockey person you are looking at offensive stats. As a coach I see other teams d men and I am immediately drawn to the kid who plays well in his own end and every so often brings the rush up ice. It's a tough position to play at that age level, but if you see a d man playing good gap control, pushes people around in front of the net and jumps into the play offensively, you got yourself a stud on the backend. As a coach consider yourself lucky.
Out of necessity we have some of our best playing on the backend. One or two who may have a future in the sport. These boys have many offensive forwards around for them to follow. And teams that move the puck with efficiency. It is tougher to identify the teams and players with defensive functionality and team play. We have seen some but boy are squirt age so not enough.
Much more effective to get the wings moving on the breakout and have the D headman the puck. The old 1970's 'stand at the hash along the boards and wait for the puck' breakout is for a slower time in hockey. Today it's up ice and in a hurry.
I remember back a few years and their were two or three 'it kids' at the peewee level. One played for his dad and ended-up at CM his freshman year and I think by his junior year he ended-up playing football. Another was suppose to be the second coming and he played at BCH his freshman year and then moved over to Thayer and I think he failed to grow and I have no idea what happened to him and the third was a solid player and played on some elite teams, went to St. Sebs and is now playing D-III hockey at a pretty good school.
forget the offensive dmen. where is the best all around young dman around FED or e9 for my boy to emulate. the kid w. the IT factor. defensive teams to watch. those who are in the know may not want to share