05Sep 2012 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments

How to Beat a 2-1-2 Forecheck

Coaches' Corner, Defensive Zone, Philosophy, Team Strategy, Team Systems
How to Beat a 2-1-2 Forecheck During the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, I did a video dissection of Ryan Carter's game-winning goal against the New York Rangers. The video got quite a few hits that night, and I had a number of requests to dissect the play from the defensive point of view. People wanted to know what went wrong, and what the Rangers could have done differently to prevent the goal. So I put together a follow up video, showing how I would have beaten the 2-1-2 Forecheck the Devils were using. Since we're ramping up for the new season, I thought it would be a good idea to brush up on beating the most commonly run forechecking system, the 2-1-2. 2-1-2 Stack vs Spread There are two types…
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23Jun 2012 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments

Who IS my Competition Anyways…?

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy
"Who is my competition anyways...?" This is the question EVERY player should ask him or herself! The purpose of this blog is to help build better teams, by providing players, coaches, and parents with useful drills, tools, and information. You often hear me talking about on-ice strategies and tactics, or off-ice drills and workouts that will give you an EDGE over your competition. They're all the same... Well... Almost! As you move into higher levels of play, the skill-sets of each player become more and more similar. Think about it... who scores the most goals at mite hockey? It's the kid who can skate the fastest! Who scores the most goals at Peewee? Now that most kids can skate, other tactics like shooting, playmaking, and read & react abilities start…
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07Feb 2012 by Jeremy Weiss 2 Comments

Penalty Kill: How to Kill a 5 on 3

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy, Special Teams, Team Systems
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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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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