16Dec 2011 by Jeremy Weiss 5 Comments

Winnipeg Jets’ Penalty Kill (DISSECTED)

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy, Special Teams, Team Strategy, Team Systems
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…
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31Aug 2011 by Jeremy Weiss 2 Comments

Breakouts: Open up Passing Options by Crossing Through Lanes

Coaches' Corner, Defensive Zone, Neutral Zone, Offensive Zone, Philosophy, Team Systems
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…
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26Aug 2011 by Jeremy Weiss 7 Comments

Timing and Support Tactics

Coaches' Corner, Neutral Zone, Philosophy, Team Systems, Useful Products
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. ENJOY!
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26Aug 2011 by Jeremy Weiss 6 Comments

Philosophy: When to Start Teaching Hockey Systems?

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy, Team Systems
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"…
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26Aug 2011 by Jeremy Weiss 13 Comments

Philosophy: Utilizing the Hockey Development Pyramid

Coaches' Corner, Individual Skills, Philosophy, Team Skills, Team Strategy, Team Systems
The Hockey Development Pyramid is a great tool to help design your season's "Road Map" Before the season begins, it's a good idea to take inventory of your team's strengths and weaknesses. I use the Hockey Development Pyramid as a tool to help gather my thoughts, and determine what areas of play should be focused on over the course of the season. Skills within various tiers of the pyramid can be developed simultaneously (i.e. puckhandling and passing can be developed during a breakout drill). However, it is EXTREMELY important to build from the bottom up, not from the top down. Players who have not developed a solid foundation of Individual and Team Skills will never be as effective at performing the higher-level skills such as Team Systems and Strategy. ENJOY!
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