The Key to Killing a 5 on 3 is to Have the Right Players on the Ice!

Killing a 5 on 3 can be tough. In my opinion, the most important factor is having the right personel on the ice. You’ll want to throw out your fastest, smartest players. Players who are good at reading and reacting, anticipating, and keeping their heads on a swivel. The video above outlines my preferred method for killing a 5 on 3, the Rotating Triangle.

Enjoy!

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A Detailed Analysis of the Winnipeg Jets’ Penalty Kill Forecheck and Defensive Zone Coverage Setups

In this video we walk through a detailed analysis of the Penalty Kill Systems the Winnipeg Jets are using. Remember, systems play is very subjective – everyone has their own opinions… this is my two cents worth!

Here’s a quick breakdown of what to look for:

FORECHECK:

• 1-3 Forecheck: F1 tends to commit too early, allowing the Wild defenseman to walk out from behind the net uncontested.
• F1′s Angle: Breaks my cardinal rule for trap-style forechecks – DON’T GET BEAT BEHIND YOU!
• NZ Transitions: Jets rely too heavily on picking off passes in the neutral zone, and not enough on solid angling and positioning. This won’t work as well against the better teams.

PK DEFENSIVE ZONE COVERAGE:

• Triangle +1 against Umbrella: Not a good systems match-up in my opinion. Angles are off, and it allows the opposing team’s “Quarterback” to easily pass to whomever he wants.
• Standard Box against Overload: Good systems match-up, but the Jets need to tighten up on a few things (see next few points)
• Weak-side Forward: Tends to over commit, leaving the opposing far defenseman open
• Net-front Coverage: Jets are letting a player sit right in the middle of their coverage, in front of the net
• 5 on 3: Too passive (in my opinion)

Cheers!

Jeremy

Technorati Tags: Angles, Angling, Cardinal Rule, Cheers, Defenseman, Defensive Zone, F1, Net Jets, Neutral Zone, Transitions, Triangle, Two Cents, Umbrella, Winnipeg Jets, Zone Coverage

Open up Passing Options by Crossing Through Lanes

When I was a kid, my first coach (NOT MY DAD) took me a side one day, and drew two lines down the middle of a rink diagram. He then taught me that “the right winger stays on the right side, the left winger stays on the left side, and that the centerman mostly stays in the middle, but can help out if a winger needs him…”

HOW FAR THE GAME HAS COME SINCE THEN!!!

Today’s hockey is much more dynamic, with players interchanging positions constantly––especially in the offensive zone. I like this more “European” style of play, and I think it is much more effective at opening up passing options and scoring chances.

My general philosophy is to let structured, positional assignments govern defensive zone play, and concepts such as timing, support, and triangulation govern neutral and offensive zone play. This allows forwards to be creative within a framework in the offensive zone.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Coach, Dad, Defensive Zone, European Style, Game, Offensive Zone, Options, Philosophy, Winger, Zone Play

Timing and Support: Two concepts that can greatly enhance a player’s ability to read and react!

Timing and Support are extremely important concepts for a hockey player to understand. Having a sound understanding of these key concepts will allow him to adjust to different coaching styles and systems, no matter what the positional set-up may be.

In this video, I show an example of timing, support, and multiple receiving zones, using a simple “swing” regroup. For a more extensive explanation of these concepts, check out Hockey Canada’s “Goals” video series 1 and 2. These videos can be purchased at http://breakaway.hockeycanada.ca/

ENJOY!

Technorati Tags: Breakaway, Hockey Canada, Hockey Player, Important Concepts, Key Concepts, Series 1, Support Tactics, Swing, Video Series, Videos

How early can youngsters be taught to play “systems hockey”?

Many people have varying opinions on the correct answer to this question… and, as is often the case with philosophical hockey questions, there is more than one correct answer. The answer depends on the physical skills of your players, the mental maturity of your players, and the manner in which the systems are taught and implemented. In this video, I discuss my own personal opinions on the matter, and why I believe what I believe.

When I was 8 years old, my dad had this idea of taking the top-caliber kids from around the city, and keeping essentially the same kids together for 5 years. The end goal of his vision was to win an Ontario Championship at the “AAA” level.

As 8-year-olds, we were taught to play systems hockey based on a “color-coded” breakout set-up. Our individual skills were advanced enough that we were able to complete the patterns of a structured breakout system, even though we weren’t quite ready to read the play ourselves. So, my dad gave each breakout option a color, and he would read the pressure and call out the play from the bench. We would hear it, and react accordingly. As we got older, we were taught to read the play for ourselves and make our own decisions.

This color-coded breakout system allowed us to learn “systems hockey” years before other teams in our league. I mention a few of our team’s successes in the video.

WARNING: Do not let systems and positional development rob individual skill development. They can both be developed simultaneously if practices are structured correctly.

ENJOY!

Technorati Tags: 8 Years, Bench, Caliber, Correct Answer, Dad, Decisions, Hockey Questions, Many People, Mental Maturity, Ontario Championship, Philosophy, Play Systems, Skill Development, Successes, Teaching Hockey, Youngsters