05Sep 2011 by Jeremy Weiss 12 Comments
Forecheck: 1-2-2 “Foosball” Forecheck

Forecheck: 1-2-2 “Foosball” Forecheck

Offensive Zone, Team Systems
Use the 1-2-2 "Foosball" Forecheck to trap your opponent in his zone The 1-2-2 "Foosball" Forecheck is a great forecheck to add to your hockey systems repertoire. When executed correctly, it is effective at all levels of play, from youth all the way up through Junior and College level hockey. The key to making this forechecking system work is to have everybody know, understand, and execute their roles properly. When this happens, the 1-2-2 "Foosball" Forecheck works similarly to a neutral zone trap - except that it happens in the offensive zone! CLICK HERE to check out our "FAQ" on the 1-2-2 "Foosball" Forecheck (expanded discussion). Enjoy!
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05Sep 2011 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments

Forecheck: 2-1-2 Spread/Stack

Offensive Zone, Team Systems
Two simple variations of a 2-1-2 forecheck The 2-1-2 forecheck is generally one of the first set-ups young players learn. It is simple to understand, and can be taught at very young age groups. In this video we outline two possible variations of the 2-1-2 that you can choose from based on the other team's strengths and weaknesses. The 2-1-2 Stack puts extreme pressure on the puck-carrying defenseman, and makes it virtually impossible to break out up the strong side of the ice. The Spread is used to combat the D to D pass behind the net. In either set-up, our F3 and our two Defensemen need to anticipate and get to the proper position quickly! Enjoy!
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14Aug 2009 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments

Level 5 Clinic – Day 3

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy
Just a quick report on today's sessions... Interesting day today at the Level 5 Clinic here in Minnesota. We heard from a bunch of pretty good hockey guys including Todd Richards (head coach of the Wild), Mike Sullivan (assistant coach of the Lightning), Mark Johnson (member of 1980 "Miracle" team and Head Coach of Wisconsin's women's team), Bryan Trottier (NHL Hall of Famer), and a panel of players from the 1980 American Miracle team. One of the things I found interesting was Mike Sullivan's take on defensive hockey (playing when the other team has the puck). He likes a very aggressive style when his team doesn't have the puck, and showed us a few examples of his 1-2-2 forecheck that looked almost identical to our 1-2-2 Fooseball Forecheck. So -…
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27May 2009 by Jeremy Weiss 1 Comment
4 on 4 and PK Forecheck

4 on 4 and PK Forecheck

Offensive Zone, Special Teams, Team Systems
Penalty kill forecheck and 4 on 4 philosophies On a 4 on 4, the philosophy is simple: treat it like a power play when you have the puck, or when the puck is loose; treat it like a penalty kill when the other team has it. Forecheck: I recommend using your standard penalty kill forecheck when playing a 4 on 4. See the section on the Modified “T” Forecheck for the full explanation. Defensive Zone Coverage: Again, I recommend using your standard penalty kill coverage when playing a 4 on 4. Pick whichever one suits your team’s strengths and weaknesses. Offensive Set-up: Run a modified version of your current power play set-up. A four-man overload is very doable (think about getting the weak-side defenseman to slide down into the slot…
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12Mar 2009 by Jeremy Weiss 9 Comments
FAQ on 1-2-2 “Foosball” Forecheck

FAQ on 1-2-2 “Foosball” Forecheck

Offensive Zone, Team Systems
Make sure you check out the original 1-2-2 "Foosball" Hockey Systems Forecheck post before you watch this. Since I posted the original 1-2-2 "Foosball" Forecheck video back in October, I've had a lot of feedback. Many of you have had a lot of success using this forechecking system... this is great! I am always interested in hearing about your experiences with the drills, systems, and other material I post here. Over the past few months, there have been a few recurring questions and comments about this particular forecheck. Rather than answering the same questions over and over, I decided to post a video that addresses the three main questions people have asked: What happens if the defenseman reverses the puck (or beats F1 in some other way)? How to you…
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