05Mar 2014 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments
Offensive-Minded D-Zone Face-Offs

Offensive-Minded D-Zone Face-Offs

Coaches' Corner, Defensive Zone, Philosophy, Team Systems
Offensive-Minded D-Zone Face-Offs I'm a huge fan of offensive-minded face-offs in the defensive zone; especially on the penalty kill! Most teams expect you to play defense in your defensive zone, and when you attack aggressively you can really catch them off guard, particularly on face-offs. In this clip, Tyler Bozak loses a shorthanded draw against the Montreal Canadiens, then gets out quickly to the opposing defenseman, causing a turnover. From there he's able to chip the puck through, and win the footrace on the breakaway. A well-structured face-off set-up should give you offensive options whether your team wins or loses the draw. Give it a go, and start generating some offense from your defensive-zone face-offs! Enjoy!
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23May 2013 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments
Pavel Datsyuk End-to-End Goal: Dissected

Pavel Datsyuk End-to-End Goal: Dissected

Coaches' Corner, Defensive Zone, Neutral Zone, Offensive Zone, Philosophy, Team Systems
Pavel Datsyuk End-to-End Goal: Dissected In this post we're dissecting Pavel Datsyuk's end-to-end goal against Nashville. As great as the individual effort was, there are quite a few team details that really made this play possible. It starts with Datsyuk providing proper support for his defenseman in the defensive zone. He picks up the puck and initiates the breakout to the right winger. After making the breakout pass, he follows up the play, providing mid-lane support on the breakout. As the breakout is happening, the weak-side winger blows out of the zone, pushing the opposing defenseman back, which opens up space for Datsyuk to wheel. The play finishes with the opposing defenseman reaching for the puck, and Datsyuk eats him alive. Great individual effort, made possible by well-structured positional play.…
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23Apr 2013 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments
Positional vs Tactical Play in Hockey

Positional vs Tactical Play in Hockey

Defensive Zone, Team Systems
Positional vs Tactical Play in Hockey We talk a lot about positional play on this blog. Positional play is extremely important, but it's only part of the equation! There are tactical elements that must be executed in any given scenario for the positioning to be worth anything. In other words, it's great to be in the right place at the right time... but if you are doing the WRONG thing while you're there, it's useless! Controlling the Stick There are many instances in games where positional and tactical must be executed together. In this video you see situation where the Team Canada has a positional mix-up, and a forward ends up playing defense. He does a good job covering for the defenseman positionally, but tactically he makes the mistake of…
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04Apr 2013 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments
How to Beat a 1-2-2 Forecheck

How to Beat a 1-2-2 Forecheck

Defensive Zone, Team Systems
How to Beat a 1-2-2 Forecheck I've had a few questions come in recently on the 1-2-2 Forecheck. Specifically, coaches are looking for ways to beat it. The 1-2-2 is a great forecheck, but, as is the case with any system, it's beatable. Your objective is to control the puck, drawing players out of position, then beating them with a pass. Here are the key points: How to Beat the 1-2-2 Forecheck 1. Defenseman carries the puck to open ice 2. Defenseman walks the puck until someone comes to get him (if nobody comes, he walks all the way down the ice!) 3. As soon as F2 or F3 leaves their coverage to attack the Defenseman, he or she moves the puck to that side of the ice, hitting the…
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25Dec 2012 by Jeremy Weiss 4 Comments

The 3 Areas of Hockey Dominance

Backchecking, Coaches' Corner, Defensive Tactics, Defensive Zone, Individual Skills, Neutral Zone, Neutral Zone Tactics, Off-ice Training, Offensive Tactics, Offensive Zone, Passing, Philosophy, Puckhandling, Shooting, Skating, Special Teams, Team Skills, Team Systems
Improve your Physical Skills, Mental Skills, and Physical Conditioning to Dominate your Opponent! In this post I'm going to discuss what I call the 3 AREAS OF HOCKEY DOMINANCE… now I know that title sounds a little dramatic, but the reality is, if you implement the information I'm about to share with you into your hockey development strategy, you will be miles ahead of your opponent, EVERY TIME YOU STEP ON THE ICE! This video will be equally beneficial for both players, coaches, and even parents who want to be on-board with their players' development. So, let's go ahead and get started! The 3 Areas of Hockey Dominance The 3 Areas of Hockey Dominance are Physical Skills, Mental Skills, and Physical Conditioning. Now we can break each of these areas…
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