Tips on the Mental Game

Believe it or not, the mental game is important. Some people think it's really important, around 70-80% of the game, others ignore it completely. I think it's around 50% of the game. No matter how stupid you may be on the ice, if you have much more talent then everyone else you should be one of the best. An example of this would be Eric Lindros. Not saying he didn't anticipate the play, but most people in the NHL did it better than him. However, his skills were unmatched, and he was one of the strongest as well. Another example, again inaccurate, is Ilya Kovalchuk. Once again, he does read the play, but he's not good at it. He is one of the fastest in the game, has great hands and a great shot, and he's 6'3. That's why he's a 40 goal scorer. On defense, he seems semi-retarded, and he isn't good at passing or finding the open man, but when he has the puck, he can do incredible things with it. What stops Ilya Kovalchuk and Eric Lindros from being on the same level as players like Mario Lemieux and Alex Ovechkin? The mental game, whether it's emotional control, positive thinking, resilience, anticipating the play, or whatever it is. Mario Lemieux and Ovechkin are big, strong guys like Lindros and Kovalchuk, and the skill levels are similar, but where Kovalchuk is a 40 goal scorer, Ovehckin is a 60 goal scorer, and where Lindros is a point per game player, Lemieux is Lemieux (A 2 point per game player). One of the best at the mental game was Wayne Gretzky. It's been said so many times, but it's completely true. He had so much patience with the puck, that he forced you to make the first move. He was so disciplined he didn't chase the puck, but let the puck chase him. I can guarentee if he ever made a bad play, he probably forgot about it. One thing about great players is their ability to forget. Weak play for a couple of shifts or a couple of games in the past, or an unfortunate incident doesn't affect their efficiency. An injury or cheap shot doesn't change their mentality. Look at Sheldon Souray: He's been injured multiple times from fighting and getting cheap shotted. I think a few weeks ago in the AHL he got into another fight and broke his hand. He is incredibly tough, both mentally and physically. After he broke his hand, he continued fighting with his other hand. And later in the year when he returns, he'll continue fighting. Look at Marian Gaborik: He gets injured all of the time. He still hasn't decided to sacrifice those 10 goals to play safer. The mental game is often ignored and is also the hardest part to teach. To be good at it, a player has to want to be good at it. There are many aspects to the mental game, from resilience to toughness to positive thinking to anticipating the play. Anticipating the play more directly affects your game more than anything else, and therefore accounts to about 25% of your mental game (In my opinion.) The other aspects of mental play are more about consistency and how willing you are to winning.

The first half of the mental game is everything that is not anticipating the play. This is more about managing your thoughts and emotions in order to play a consistent game. It is incredibly hard to do, and it basically involves brainwashing yourself into being endlessly positive and fearless. I'll start with positive thinking, then go on to resilience and make probably make another Ilya Kovalchuk reference (Just angry the Devils are losing a lot) then emotional control, then team play, then toughness, then imagery. So first off is positive thinking, a.k.a. brainwashing. You have to be so positive that you never think you're playing badly. The truth is, you are rarely playing poorly, even if you think you are. I remember a week or so ago, I finished a game which we won 2-0, and I felt like I played horribly. After the game, my coach told me he thought that was my best game of the year so far. Don't focus on the past, unless it is positive. Think about it like this: you probably could've made a better play two or three times per shift. About one time every two or three shifts, you make a bad decision and it shows. That means you screw up once or twice every two or three shifts. That screw up lasts for about half a second. The average shift is probably 50 seconds. That means every 1:40, you make .5 seconds of bad plays. Don't focus on that half of a second. Also, as far as the plays that you could've made better choices, that is about 2 seconds every 50 seconds. The truth is, you should look pretty good for the majority of your shift. Another thing about thinking positive is to tell yourself you are good. For about a minute or two before I go on the ice or go to bed, I tell myself a few positive things about my game; "I'm a great skater," "No one can skate faster than me," "I'm a good hitter," "I read the play really well," or stuff like that. Don't worry about what other people like your teammates, coaches, or fans may think. Just worry about what you think, and play your way. Don't let what you think they think control you. Eventually what you think they think is better. If someone is bothering you, I've heard praying for them works. Eventually, your opinion will change, even if they don't. If you feel awkward doing a religious thing, then I guess you can write an imaginary letter to them or something like that. Another part of thinking positive is confidence and pride. You have to be proud of your accomplishments. No matter what, if you play hockey, you are probably better then 80% of the world's population, maybe more. If you score a goal in a game, don't downplay your achievement during the celebration. Don't overdue it like a certain pro named Alex Ovechkin do, but celebrate a little. As for confidence, it is important. You have to trust yourself more than anyone else. A coach once told me "If you don't think you can convert, don't even try, because it won't work." That means if you don't think you can do it, you can't. If you think you can do it, you should convert more often. And have confidence in more than one part of your game. If you are your team's best sniper, that's great, but if you haven't been scoring, don't get frustrated but start passing a little more and playing defensively. A well-rounded player is usually consistent, because their performance doesn't revolve around one thing. Enough with positive thinking, you should understand by now. Resilience is important, and if you plan on playing junior, college, or any other high level hockey, resilience is one of the things coaches and scouts look for. Basically, resilience is not giving up. If you get a pass and it bounces off of your stick, one of two thoughts go through your head: "Get the puck now" or "Screw it, someone else will get it." Now for the Kovalchuk reference. A lot of Devils games I watch, I see Kovalchuk miss a pass and lose interest in the puck. Not that he should lose his position and chase the puck, but he should give a second effort. Not good what he does. Resilience can also be backchecking hard, fighting for the puck in the corner, or even going after rebounds. One of the most important times to be resilient is when you are playing the body while defending the rush. It may last for a second or two, but if you're going against someone bigger and stronger than you, and you give up for a split second, they will go through you. If you ever watch that really small kid on your team play closely, you will probably see he has one of the best work ethics on the team. One kid on my team who is about 5'2, 90 lbs is the hardest working player on my team. Whenever he gets beat, he outworks the other person to get the puck back. Sometimes he goes a little overboard and gets a penalty, but he does outwork everyone. You have to stay with them; if you fall down, you still have to try to get the puck. Basically, resilience is commitment. Even though it is scary, it has its rewards. One kid on my team, a forward, is one of the most hard-working, resilient players I have ever seen. Although his skill level is questionable, he gets ice time because he is one of the best penalty killer in the league. He's definitely the best penalty killer I've ever seen. Emotional control is next. Once again, very important. It's okay to have emotion during a hockey game, but you have to control it. First of all, don't take stupid retaliation penalties. It's stupid. It can cost you the game. If you want revenge, get that players number, then wreck him the first chance you get. My coach likes to say two minutes at the most, but make it worth it. That means if you have to finish your check late or charge them or something, do it, but then forget about it. Or even better, you can hit them cleanly. Protect yourself, but if you retaliate badly enough, the other team will retaliate. Then you may get hurt; so you're not protecting yourself. Also, be one of those people who draws penalties. You don't necessarily have to be Sean Avery, but in front of the net and in corners learn how to play physical without drawing a penalty. Tie up a player in front of the net, push team, lift their stick, and if you're lucky they'll do something back. In the corners finish your checks hard, and don't hold back. As far as emotional control goes, it is important to focus, even when you're not on the ice. On the bench, get into a routine in which you do something on the bench. I like to pretend I'm one of the players on the ice and see what I would do. But you can also do something like thing of words that rhyme with other words, or count backwards as low as you can starting from a random number. Anything which keeps you from thinking about your last shift really, because you want to prevent bad thoughts. If you come off of the ice angry, take ten deep breaths, drink some water, daydream about fairies and unicorns, do whatever it takes to chill out. On the ice, since you can't do that, just remember not to get more than two minutes. You should be having fun during hockey, and you can't do that if you're angry. If you want to take out your anger, go play football. I think I mentioned this before, but if you're not doing something well, such as scoring or hitting, then focus on the other parts of your game like passing or playing well in the corners.  Although your skill level never varies from day to day, sometimes you don't play as well as you normally do. It's better to stop doing something before you get frustrated then to keep doing it and get even more negative and angry. An important part of emotional control is being able to stay calm under pressure. If you hold on to the puck a second longer and make the better play, it will make you a much better player. A few days ago, I tried playing a game after pulling my groin. I skated about 1/10th of my normal speed though. This made me slower at pretty much everything, and pretty much made me hold the puck a second longer than normal because I got the puck a second later than normal. Although I sucked, I did see a couple of really good passes I normally miss, and made some good plays I normally don't. Moral of the story is to not panic under pressure. The best scorers and passers want the puck and have the patience to hold onto the puck a second longer than everyone else. Next time you watch a superstar play, watch how they hold on to the puck a little longer than everyone else. They usually touch the puck the same amount of times as everyone else, but they seem to have the puck longer. That is their patience. Also, remember to try as hard as you can but don't try too hard. The last game I played I was benched after hesitating before stepping up on someone, which led to me being benched for a shift or two. I came back skating about 100 miles per hour. I ended up getting the puck, skating around the net, skating the puck up, and almost getting leveled; even though I wasn't leveled, the pressure forced a turnover. That is a good example of getting frustrated, and because I tried too hard, I made more problems then I should've. Remember that hockey is a team game, and you can't do it yourself. When you try to do it yourself, you play worse. Speaking of team play, it is important to be a team player. It is possible to play and be seen as a star, while still hurting your team. Remember, the ultimate goal is to win (Or have fun, depending on how you see it.) Although everyone wants to be Ovechkin and take 10 shots per game trying to snipe them all top shelf, it doesn't work (Unless you are Ovechkin.) If you have to snipe top shelf and hope the goalie misses the puck, then I suggest passing to a teammate in a better scoring position instead, or at least creating a better chance by holding onto the puck a little longer. If there are no teammates in a better scoring position, and you can't create a better scoring position, shoot low and crash the net for a rebound. Once you get the rebound, that's when you snipe top shelf. Try to stay in your position. You may look good skating around and always being near the puck, but your teammates can do that just as well as you. You're better off letting your teammates play the puck on their side and providing support then being a puck hog without the puck. Another part of being a team player is adapting to your teams needs. I swear to God (Or Allah, or Budda, or whoever) that if another forward hangs while on a penalty kill on my team, I will kill them. If it's defense time, make an effort to play defense. If you're losing 5-0, now's the time to hand and play offense-first. If your teammates are being outhit, then start hitting back. Usually, the best player at doing that on a team wears a C. Either the best player at that, or the player who draws the most fans like Kovalchuk did and Atlanta and Ovechkin does in Washington. But most captains are not one-dimensional players such as: Ryan Getzlaf, Zdeno Chara, Jarome Iginla, Eric Staal, Johnathan Toews, Nicklas Lidstrom, Dustin Brown, Bryan McCabe, Jamie Langenbrunner, Shea Weber, Mike Richards, Mikko Koivu, Chris Drury, and Shane Doan, just to name a few. They may lean more towards offense than defense, or visa-versa, but they play both ways. Also, team players make their teammates look better. Look at what Crosby did to Kunitz. He made him a pretty good player despite injuries. Know your teammates tendencies and skills, and don't be afraid to pass. Next is toughness. It is important to be able to battle through adversity. If you are hurt, if your team is losing, if you are playing weakly, you have to have the ability to get back on track and play as though nothing happened. Toughness isn't just for external pain and injuries; mental "injuries" can be just as devastating. One thing a lot of coaches say is "The score is always 0-0." This means that even if you're winning 10-1, the games not over, and if you stop playing hard, you can lose that lead, no matter how unlikely it seems. As for injuries, my only advice is don't be stupid. If you have an injury, let it fully heal. However, when it is fully healed, forget about it. If you come back from an injury and on your first game back say "Well, I separated my shoulder a month ago, so I can't play that well." If you can't play that well, then don't play. If you just have a boo-boo, suck it up though. It won't screw over the rest of your life if you make it worse, unlike a real injury. Another example of toughness is overcoming fear. If the other team is bigger and stronger than you, and maybe a little dirty, you can't just let the get the puck. Watch out for yourself, but play to win. In my opinion, the best players to win with are the though players who have skill, but aren't afraid to throw a hit or take one. Those tough players can be anyone from Dennis Potvin to Bobby Orr to Gordie Howe to Cam Neely to Brendan Shanahan. Even a player like Ovechkin. However, it usually isn't a player like a Crosby. Obviously this doesn't apply to Crosby because he is Crosby, but a good example would be the difference between Paul Stastny and Mike Richards. Both players are about equally talented, similar height, but Mike Richards plays a Philly-hockey style while Paul Stastny doesn't. They put up similar numbers, but most people think of Richards as the better player, because he's a little tougher, both physically and mentally. The last thing besides anticipating the play is imagery. Just know you can simulate real-life game situations in your head to determine what you do. My favorite way to use imagery is to play Hockey Ultimate League on NHL11. It's not as good as a scrimmage, but it puts you in situations similar to game situations which you must react similar to how you would in a game. If I ever want to drill a habit into your head, I usually play a few games on NHL11 using it as much a possible. For example, because of NHL11 I reverse a little more readily, sink into the defensive zone more often, and play a little more aggresively near the far blue line. Maybe it just works for me, but if you have  it I'd suggest trying it. If you don't have it, then mental imagery works well too, but it kind of gives me a headache. Lastly is anticipating the play. I won't go in depth into situations and what to do. So I will summarize anticipating the play as: skate with your head up, know what you do before you do it, don't just throw the puck into an open space and hope it's a good pass, adapt to the situation, and don't block out your surroundings. Be aware of the play outside of what you are trying to do. Obviously that's not everything, but just make the play you think is best. There is no right way to read a play, and that's why people can excel playing with different styles.

Breakdown

• Just read it; I'm too tired to summarize this

Top 10 Hitters of all time in the NHL

I don't have enough time to do this yet, so I'll add a little bit every once in a while

10. Peter Forsberg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIRiqrrJv1s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6wztXS2f14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M216t3utLSI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYsLM06hRuI
Couldn't find much more Forsberg

9. Mike Richards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIXcGOr4-04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd3gmPkVtk8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aK_N39aTYI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktn5Vdvu9vg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyVgccKJE-Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4L2xWdogVo
I think there's enough there

8. Wendel Clark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGRheKlGbq0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlPsx-mEUD8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcPslh5QZjs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYqGj5gCXtI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwkeObOBJF8

7. Darius Kasparaitis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tylu3vEWwE4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS5ReimAl-M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBBPz0ew27o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjW7qK2BiBo&feature=related

Kind of hard to find hits by Kasparaitis

6. Dennis Potvin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUWCHxrdSQ&feature=related

Can't find any other Potvin hits, but they're out there

5. Vladimir Konstantinov

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO1uhorF5LA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CX9bLdUqM8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qRtGKnKbXU&feature=related

Can't find any other Konstantinov hits

4. Eric Lindros

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWqyNCs8i3g

That'll give you an idea about what he was about

3. Rob Blake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ck-PyDd4O8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ-gZR2iHFg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu1lAGZKadk&feature=related

Seems like enough to me

2. Dion Phaneuf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJFqMQWzEPY

In the modern NHL, almost all big hits can be found on youtube. I'm not looking up all of them. So there's a tribute video.

1. Scott Stevens

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY1bUvx3_ao

9 Minutes of Scott Stevens

Tips on Defending the Rush

I've been fearing the day I had to post this for days. I knew this would be a very long post; after all, there are so many types of rushes. 1 on 1, 2 on 1, 1 on 2, 3 on 1, 3 on 2, etc. So I decided to stick with defending the 1 on 1, 2 on 1, 2 on 2, 3 on 1, and 3 on 2, and nothing else. Just know that this took me almost an hour to type, so appreciate it. And unlike a skill like shooting, rushes have no set rules. There are guidelines, but they are JUST GUIDELINES. That means don't follow them word for word every time. Remember them, but react according to what is happening on the rush. Rushes are what defensemen love. A lot. Defensemen always seem to go on the line that defends the rush instead of the line that is on the rush at practice. However, they don't realize a few simple things that can make defending the rush easier. For example, they always seem to focus on the puck or puck carrier, and don't read what is going to happen in a few seconds. I'll start with the 1 on 1 first.

The 1 on 1 is the easiest rush to defend. Ever. It is actually easier for the defenseman to defend a 1 on 1 than for the forward to win a 1 on 1. The first rule of a one on one is to focus on the logo of the other player. People learn this at a young age, but don't know why you should focus on the logo. That is because it helps you play physically, which you can't do as a mite. Of course, looking at the logo also helps you not get fooled by dekes. Next, you should use gap control. This means skate up, and get close enough to hit the other players stick with your stick. It's not too close, which I think gapping up to be able to get your stick behind the other player is (that's what I learned when I was younger. Also when you gap up, you should be as close to the middle of the ice as possible. A good rule of thumb is that you should never pass the dots (Unless if the other person is fumbling the puck). Never is a bad word, because it is limiting, but it's more like 95% of the time never pass the dots. If you are playing against someone bigger than you, then you should stay closer to the slot then they are, but stay close enough to step up and stop them. For smaller guys, you can give them the outside, but if you give a bigger guy the outside, they can muscle their way to the slot and get a good scoring chance. So you should be able to step up and slow them down, or even better knock them down to keep them away from the net. When you're playing against someone who skates forward faster than you skate backwards (which happens often,) give them room on the outside. But stay in the middle of the ice. You should gap up though, even though you may not be able to reach them on the outside. They should be perpendicularly vertical to you at the hashmarks if you gap up properly. However, for them to get a good scoring chance, they need to cut into the slot, where you're already guarding. And if they cut up, you can slow down and play them. If you see them at the hashmarks, you should start stopping so you don't hit your goalie, and look for trailers. If the player with the puck tries to cut behind you, lay them out. If they try to deke, just keep them out of the slot, giving them a shot, but not from the slot. When you're playing against someone on a one on one where you are gapped up and can reach the puck, you should poke check the puck (Not wild poke checks, but enough to keep them focused on the puck.) When they drop their head, you should be close enough to explode into them and level them, or at least push them with your hand. Remember when you skate backwards to keep your outside hand up, and don't be afraid to use that hand. Even if you're on the boards, use that hand to push them into the boards. If you're playing a one on one against someone who refuses to move from the slot, slow down when you're near the top of the circle so they get closer to you, and level them as soon as they're within reach. Also remember to be aware of backcheckers from your team. If they cut to the outside when they're close enough to be touched by your free hand, step in front of them, get low, and hit or flip them. You really need to be physical to be successful. Remember when you poke-check or go to hit to not lose your square to the puck-carrier. Square basically is facing them. If you poke-check and they get around you, you should be able to put a body on them. Also remember to use common sense, since these aren't rules but more of tips or guidelines. Don't follow these word for word.

Next is the two on one. On a two on one, gap up on the puck carrier before the blue line and throw a pokecheck or body check on them at the blue line where they can't pass, but don't commit to them. Don't gap up though if the person without the puck ends up behind you. Once you get into the zone, stay in the slot. Don't let the player with the puck in the slot, but don't commit to them. Put your stick in the passing lane between the two players you're facing on the rush. If the puck carrier tries to cut into the slot, leave your stick in the passing lane, but hit the puck carrier when they get close enough to you (Don't skate into him, let him skate into you). Also, try to slow down the play as much as possible so backcheckers can help you out. Try to learn to dictate a play without the puck. Try to make the player with the puck make a pass so you can intercept it. Then jump up and carry the puck up. That way for a short time you outnumber the other team 5 to 3. Also remember to use common sense, since these aren't rules but more of tips or guidelines. Don't follow these word for word.

Now for the two on two. Simply put, if you are playing the player with the puck, call out to your defensive partner (Communication), and play it like a one on one. If you're playing the player without the puck, stay in between the player with the puck and player without the puck while staying as close as possible to the middle of the ice. If the player with the puck passes to the free man, pressure him as much as possible if you can't intercept the pass. And if the puck carrier cuts into the slot with his head down, level him. Also remember to use common sense, since these aren't rules but more of tips or guidelines. Don't follow these word for word.

Next is the three on one. This is the toughest one to play. Gap up before the blue line like it was a two on one. But then as soon as the puck crosses over into your zone, get to the slot. Your goal is to stall the play as much as possible. Meaning keep the puck out of the slot. Usually players on a three on one go into a triangle. If this is the case, stay in the middle of the triangle. Make sure the high man does not get the puck, he has the most options if he does. Don't play the puck carrier unless he tries to shoot or cut into the slot. If the players don't go into a triangle and instead go into a straight line. Play the puck carrier only if he's the middle man. If he's not, just make sure you're in front of the middle player, and make sure the weak side winger doesn't sneak behind you and cut into the slot since you can't hit him if he does since he doesn't have the puck. Also remember to use common sense, since these aren't rules but more of tips or guidelines. Don't follow these word for word.

Next is the three on two, which is my favorite. The player defending the puck carrier plays a one on one with him, and tells his defensive partner he is playing the puck carrier. The player playing against the two players without the puck stays in the middle of the two possible passing lanes the puck carrier has, while staying as close to the middle of the ice as possible. If the puck carrier cuts in, level him like on a two on one. Also remember to use common sense, since these aren't rules but more of tips or guidelines. Don't follow these word for word all the time.

Breakdown

• Not happening. Read the post.

Tips on Passing

Passing is one of the hardest things to do. Therefore, playmakers are one of the most valuable players on their team. When I say passing is hard, I mean passing well. The difference between an average pass and a good pass is that a good pass can be easily controlled by the other player. Playmakers have to be unselfish, because somebody else looks good for their own work. For example, look at Joe Thornton, one of the best passers to ever play the sport. When Johnathan Cheechoo was paired with Joe Thornton, he went from 25+ goal scorer to a 50+ goal scorer. Just because Joe Thornton can set up anybody for a pass. Another example of a great playmaker was Paul Kariya. Playing with Teemu Selanne, he helped Selanne become a legitimate 50 goal scorer. After starting his first NHL season on fire with 76 goals, Selanne slowed down to a 40 goal scorer. When he was paired with the great playmaker Kariya, he would have two 50+ goal seasons, one 47 goal season, then a couple of 30 goal seasons. Point is, Kariya was a major reason for those 50 goal seasons. Good playmakers need the vision, need the hands, and need the desire to win.

My first tip is the most important; if you ignore it, you WILL get decked. Simply put, know what's in front of you. As a defenseman, I like to carry the puck up as I look for the breakout pass. However, I always know what's in front of me. When I carry the puck up before the pass, I skate in the direction I am looking. That way, I don't get blindsided often. Most big hits on defensemen occur when a defenseman is skating the puck up, but is not looking forward. That way, they get leveled while they are looking for the recipient of the pass. The same can be said for forwards in the neutral zone. So skate in the direction you are looking (A glance doesn't count as looking, and you can keep your head on a swivel if you can handle it) and get rid of the pass quickly. Remember not to force the pass though. If the passing lane is blocked, don't make the pass. And remember: if you have the space, rush the puck. Don't force yourself to pass to a certain person. Instead, look at that pass as one option, with others including skate the puck up farther, pass to a different person, dump the puck into the offensive zone, etc. When you make a pass, remember the Gretzky rule. That is, pass hard onto the stick if the other player isn't moving, and softer leading passes when the other player is moving. Not softer leading passes as in 10 feet in front of your intended recipient at 5 mph. Softer as in only about softer, not soft. If the other player is moving, and you can't make a safe, softer leading pass, you are forcing the pass. When you make the pass, if you can, call out the other player's name. Hopefully the other team doesn't know it, but your teammate will know it. Make sure to use the boards if nothing is open. Passing off the boards, when done correctly, confuses defensive players since they can't step up and make a hit right away. Avoid passing through the slot, and if you really need to make cross-ice passes, skate to the slot before you make the slot. Just be prepared to get hit. After you make a pass, don't stare at it; go. Dennis Potvin did give and go's better than anyone, and he's someone you should want to imitate. Skate hard after making a pass. If you make a breakout pass, take a hard stride or two, and judge whether or not you can join the rush without much risk or getting in the way. If it's a 3-on-3, jump up, but if it's a 3-on-2, don't. Really if it's already an odd man rush, you should generally stay back, though you can sometimes jump up to make a 2-on-1 a 3-on-1. When you make a pass, roll the puck across your blade; this keeps the puck flat on the ice, and makes it easier to catch. Follow through on the pass, and point the toe of your blade to where you want the pass to go. When you make a pass, don't hit the puck. Instead, slide the puck off of your blade to where you want it to go. And flex your stick when you do it. Even if you're making a softer leading pass, that doesn't mean you can pass like a 3 year old. Put some power on it by flexing your stick, but don't overdo it. This makes it easier to receive for the other player. Likewise, when receiving the pass, don't let the puck hit into your stick. Instead, receive the pass by bringing your stick in closer to you. You should know what to do anyway, it's hard to explain. Basically like reversing the motion you make when you're making the pass. When making a touch-pass, don't just slap the puck back. Receive it a little, and quickly pass it back forward. While in the motion, roll the puck across your blade a little so it stays flat. As for the exciting saucer pass, well, I'm not good at those. All I know about them is that you position your stick like you are going to take a flip shot, roll the puck across your stick, and point with your heel. Recently, I also figured out two more things about passing. First of all, it's beneficial to change the point of release before making a pass (What!?) In English, you can open up a ton of passing lanes if you move the puck before you pass. If someone's not open because of a defending player, move the puck about two feet back with your stick before making the pass and it will be much harder to defend. Or maybe switch to your backhand then make the pass; it really depends on the situation. The second thing is an extension of the Gretzky rule; it's almost exclusively for the offensive zone, but it can be for anywhere on the ice really. When I look for a pass now, I don't just look for open people; I look for big areas of open ice. Even if no one is there, if you make a pass at the right speed and in the right spot, you can give them a perfect pass; here is a decent example. Notice how Tanguay sees the gap between the Edmonton defenders, and throws the puck there; Bouwmeester was already kind of there, but if Bouwmeester was another 3-4 feet up he still could've thrown the puck to the same area with the same result if he made the pass a little softer. Basically you should look for those open spaces.

What a third paragraph? That's right, three paragraphs, a first. The third paragraph has to do with a different part of passing though; getting open for a pass. Great players can dictate other players without the puck. Gretzky almost forced his teammates to pass to him because he was always open. On the defensive side, players like Brian Leetch forced other players to go where he wanted them to. Then, when that play would receive a pass, Leetch would step up and intercept the pass, or poke the puck away. On the hitting side, any time you angle someone off, you force them to go where you want them to, whether you know it or not. Most big hits happen because a player forces another player into a vulnerable position. But lets focus on getting open for the pass. Like with the second paragraph in this post, the first tip is the most important. When you're getting open, pay attention to your surroundings, not just the puck carrier. You don't have to stare at the puck carrier to get a pass, just glance at him or call out for a pass. Instead, focus on not getting hit as soon as you get the puck. Hitters like myself like to step up and hit someone as they receive the pass because that's when their head is usually down. When the forward knows the hitter's there though, the hitters job becomes much, much harder. Second, let the other player know you're there. Call out their name loudly, but don't slam your stick on the ground. Calling out the other player's name can only be heard, not heard and seen, so you can get away with it more often. Also, who knows, maybe you'll break your stick slamming it on the ice that hard. Make yourself a good recipient of the pass by not making sudden stops, turns, etc when you're already in a good position for a pass.

Breakdown

• When making a pass, skate in the direction you are looking.
• Don't be afraid to lead the rush.
• Don't force a pass.
• Remember the Gretzky rule.
• Call the name of the player you want to pass to.
• Use the boards when you can.
• Skate towards the slot if you're making a cross-ice pass.
• Skate hard after a pass; don't stare.
• Flex your stick when you pass; don't pass like a baby.
• It's beneficial to change the point of release before making a pass.
• Look for the open spaces, not just the open players.
• Receive a pass, don't stop it.
• Force other players where you want them to go, even if you don't have the puck (Dictate the play.)
• Be aware of your surroundings while receiving a pass.

Tips on Taking Slapshots

Most people like slapshots. A lot. Enough that they will spend all of their free time in practice on them. However, I notice a lot of the time people take slapshots wrong. They're putting all of their strength in the shot, but they aren't using proper form. So you get a fluttering shot. Or you just screw up. I decided to post tips on slapshots as my fifth post because I want to focus on something that doesn't only really concern defensemen only (which my previous four only really concern defensemen,) and because I think I have a pretty good form when I take a slap shot. I learned how to take a slapshot mainly from a sleep away hockey camp, and with a little experimenting I managed to improve it a little more. Before you read the actual tips, remember that the point of a slapshot isn't to hit top shelf. When you shoot a slap shot, you should be shooting low and hard, forcing a rebound. If you want a beautiful goal, or a goal at all; you get an assist for someone picking up your rebound and scoring, not a goal, then use a wrist shot. It's more accurate and comes with less of a warning. Trust me, if you shoot slapshots over the net, your coach won't want you taking slapshots. So without further ado, time for the tips.

One thing I notice about people when they take slapshots is that they bury their head. You can't see when you bury your head. Keep your head up, and look at where your target is. Your accuracy will thank you. Another thing is get low. It's common knowledge that you should get low. Watch the pros do it here. They don't get ridiculously low, be it gives you an idea of how low you should be. Remember to turn over your wrists when you shoot. When I take a slapshot, I like to turn over my wrists while I'm winding up, instead of after I hit the puck, but do whatever works for you. Try to take a stride or two before you hit the puck; it can make a huge difference. When you wind up, don't wind up so far back. The further you wind the stick back, the higher the puck goes, and you want to keep the shot lower down. Remember that most of the power is from the legs, not the arms. That means that you shouldn't be trying to get power from you arms. Stay under control when you shoot a slapshot. Your lower hand shouldn't be way to far down, it should be about halfway down on the stick. That means you drop your hand a little bit. Remember to lean into the shot, and to transfer your weight. Lastly, remember to hit the ice with your stick about 3-4 inches behind the puck. Most of the power of the slapshot comes from the flex of the stick. You should be trying to hit the stick almost straight down to get all of the flex of your stick. If you don't believe me that you should be hitting the ice a few inches behind the puck, watch this. You can easily see dion phaneuf hitting the ice with his stick a couple of inches behind the puck on this one-timer.

Watch this video to tell you why to shoot the puck low

Breakdown

• Take shots low.
• Keep your head up while you take slapshots.
• Don't wind up too high when you take a slapshot.
• Your hand should be about halfway down on your stick.
• Lean into the shot.
• Take a couple of strides before you shoot if you can.
• Hit the ice 3-4 inches behind the puck.

Tips on Checking along the boards

For the fourth post I thought I'd do something special. After all, it's the number worn by myself. It has also been worn by legends such as Rob Blake, Scott Stevens, and Bobby Orr. So if you haven't read any of my other posts by now, check out the first three, then this post. You may realize what I did. Anyway, I've decided to do another post on checking. Though this one is not for open-ice hitting, but for checking along the boards. If you want to know how to do it, watch Matt Greene or Robyn Regehr play, because they're the best at it. There are a couple of differences between open-ice hitting and checking along the boards. First off, you don't try to lay people out along the boards. In open-ice, you try to lay someone out, but if you try to do it along the boards, you'll bounce off of the other player. Checking along the boards is more about trying to seperate the man from the puck. Notice how I call it checking along the boards, but I consider open-ice hitting a hit. Hits should be noticed, intimidating, and big. Checks, however, shouldn't be noticed. It's all about getting the puck from someone else, and you probably won't be rewarded for being good at it. The first thing about a good checker is that good checkers want the puck. That puck is theirs, and they know it. They don't get the puck and then give it away, they try to score after they get it, or give someone else on their team the chance to score; it is also important for checkers to not be intimidated by size, and to be willing to put forth the physical effort neccessary to do an unapprociated job. Now time for the tips.

Checking is an important part of any hockey team. Good checks can stop offensive rushes, create turnovers, create chances, and ultimately lead to a goal. A check is simply seperating a player from the puck, no matter how big or small they are. There are two types of checks: a simple push, and a regular check. The first thing to do in a regular check is to get low when you go to hit someone. Unlike on open-ice hits, you shouldn't explode up. You stay low, and this lets you take as much space as possible. When you go to check someone, you should aim between them and the puck. I like to try to hit their logo, or the top of their stick. When you hit their logo, you can stop them cold, and when you hit the middle of their stick, they lose control of the puck. Try to skate into them as quickly as possible. Be aware that you shouldn't be checking someone on a rush where you are skating backwards. You should be skating the same way they are so that you can come up from behind and surprise the puck carrier. Don't kill the puck carrier, just get between the puck carrier and the puck. And remember to use angles. Take away the slot, and make it so that the puck carrier has to go through you to get to the slot (See the post on open-ice hitting for more information on angling.) Don't go straight at the puck carrier. When pushing someone however, it's more for when the puck is down along the boards, and you're along the boards too, but don't really have an angle, or when the other person is protecting the puck in open ice so that you can't reach it with a poke check, and you're too close to them to hit them (See picture for an example). Simply push someone with one hand. It's not a hard push or anything, it's just a push to distract someone while you take the puck. Try to push more than once too. If your fighting with someone along the boards while they eat the puck, it also works for that too. Just push them laterally, and move them, distract them. If your trying to get the puck, just push them four or five times to move them, and keep them distracted. If someone is protecting the puck, push them so they lose control or can't get to the net. Pushing someone, if utilized properly, can be an effective defensive tool. Also, if you ever feel like you're not getting the most out of your strength, make sure you're more on your heels when you make a hit, not your toes. Your weight when you're about to hit into someone should close to the back of your blade, not the front, but you also shouldn't be leaning back. Try experimenting with this to find out where you are most comfortable.

Breakdown

• Checks should seperate a man from the puck, not send someone to the hospital.
• Be interested in doing something with the puck when you get it, don't just throw it away.
• Stay low when you hit someone. You shouldn't be exploding upward.
• Aim for the logo, or the top of the stick.
• Skate fast when you go to check someone, and keep your feet moving until the last second.
• Only check someone when you are both skating the same way.
• Try to overtake someone from behind, and skate into them.
• Use angles; don't go straight at someone.
• Use the push
 

When you should push someone center ice

Tips on Playing Defense

"The point of playing defense is to try to play offense"--Me

Welcome to the world of the defenseman. Long, frequent shifts shutting down the other team's best offensive players, and if you make any mistake, no matter how big or small, then the other team scores. And you get benched. Or yelled at. Or both. Nobody blames the goalies (EVER), and nobody blames the forwards for a lapse in defense, even if it is their fault. So the defenseman gets the blame. Playing defense requires perfection, skill, and luck. However, nobody can be perfect. That's why being a defensive-defenseman is wrong. Now before you curse me out for saying this, read this. As much as we defensemen love playing defense, shutting down the forwards, you can't win everything. And even if your line lets up one goal a month, you will get benched for that one goal. That is, of course, unless you can be relied on for more then defense. That's right, you have to do the forbidden thing; Play Offense. But that doesn't mean turn into a forward, and for the most part ignore your defensive responsibilities. Instead, learn to become a two-way player. Look at the NHL First and Second all star teams. Since 05-06, the defensemen to appear on either of those were Nick Lidstrom, Scott Niedermeyer, Chris Pronger, Dan Boyle, Dion Phaneuf, Brian Campbell, Zdeno Chara, Mike Green, Drew Doughty, and Duncan Keith. Out of all of these defensemen, all of them have been able to put up solid offensive numbers while still playing defense. Making the first or second all-star team means you are recognized as one of the top four defensemen in the league that year. And not one of these defensemen were traditional stay-at-home defensemen who don't excel at offense. Instead, all of them scored points and played defense. In fact, the last defensive defenseman to make the second all-star team was Derian Hatcher. In 02-03. And the last defensive defenseman to play on the first all-star team was Chris Chelios. In 01-02. Where he managed 40 points. The point is, offensive is an important skill for defensemen. So learn to become a two-way player. Also, this is more of a general post, so it won't go too much into specifics.

First of all, you need to practice your skating, passing, and hands. Those are the three most important skills for a defenseman. If you step up and lose the puck, there is an odd man rush the other way. If you can't skate to where you need to be, there is an odd man rush the other way. If you make a bad pass which is intercepted, there is an odd man rush the other way. My next tip is mainly for those big defensemen such as myself. You NEED to win 1-on-1 battles once you commit to one, no matter where it is on the ice. Most of these battles happen on the boards and in corners, and you need to come out of these with the puck as soon as you decide to go for it. There are other times you may have a 1-on-1 battle, such as when you play the puck, and how aggressive you play (How often you initiate battles for the puck with other people) is based on preference of you and your coach. But no matter how you play, whether it's like Lidstrom or like Chara, you need to win these battles, either with your skill or with your body. Now, most defensemen would lose the skill battle against forwards, so you should usually use your body more, especially if you're big or unskilled. If you're not winning these battles still, simply put, you're probably lazy. If you've ever seen a small tenacious player go into a corner or step up along the boards, he gets low and fights hard. He forces his body between you and the puck, and he makes it so you can't get control of the puck. When us big defensemen go into a corner, we stand tall and use our size. But what happens when we play against strong, aggressive forwards in the corner? They get the puck, and we don't. So remember to get low when going into a corner, and more importantly, to WIN THE 1-ON-1 BATTLES ONCE YOU INITIATE THEM. Force your body between the other player and the puck. If you are unable to, at least get the puck closer to your body than to the other players body. You may get hit, but your team will come away with the puck. Another thing I notice big guys (And to be fair, small guys to this too) do is skate lazily up the ice after our forwards go on the rush. As soon as you make your breakout pass, start skating hard up the ice and join in on the rush (Use your discretion; don't do this 100% of the time). Or at least be a trailer. If you're hit with a pass near the blue line as a trailer, you have a perfect screen and a ton of time. So show off your hard slapshot, or sneak in a wrist shot. Either way, you'll feel pretty proud after that goal. And you may start seeing some powerplay time. When the puck is settled in your offensive zone, and your team has the puck, you should be near the top of the circle. When the other team gets the puck, you should not back up too far; stay around the wingers on the other team, and if you see a breakout pass coming, that's when you start backing up. If the puck is ever shot around the boards, then step up, and your first priority is to get into such a position that you will come out with the puck 100% of the time, whether you have to put the body on someone or meet the puck in the corner. If it's a real pass where the defenseman has some time, you usually shouldn't step up, but when it's wrapped around it's fair game. And another great thing for offense also occurs in the offensive zone. I don't know what it's called, though I've heard floater a couple of times. When you're the weak side defenseman, sneak down low into the zone back door, and start calling for a pass near the hashmark if you notice a gap in coverage. When I play defense in the zone, it is one of the hardest things to defend because I don't see it coming. Remember this, and you'll triple your goal total. Also, don't forget that if you have an open lane, feel free to lead the rush. Now for the defense (FINALLY.) You should never be alone and not covering someone or some passing lane in the defensive zone. If nobody's in front of the net in the defensive zone, look for the closest person near the front of the net when you're weak side, and cover them (Stay between them and the net). Remember to look back door, and keep your head on a swivel. Also don't fall back too far when the other team gets the puck. Stay in the play. I like to think of it this way; stay on the same half of the ice as the puck. If the puck is in the other team's defensive zone, don't sink back further than the red line. In fact try to half it again and stay in the offensive zone. Always be in the play. And always be prepared to jump up. When the other team makes stretch passes, it's incredibly easy to intercept the pass, and jump on offense. But more importantly it takes away the other team's chance to score. Remember to step up as soon as possible, especially on odd man rushes. If you challenge the puck carrier at the blue line, it forces an offside or bad pass. You're too late to step up if you're already in the defensive zone, so at that point take away the pass, don't challenge. Or if the other team manages to stay onside, you can skate back, since you have a better angle to the net. Another thing is to avoid wild poke checks. Wild poke checks = A Tripping penalty. When poke checking, use the "Ken Daneyko poke check." What that is is when you poke check, you point the toe of the blade towards the puck. That way the puck doesn't deflect off your stick, and it's actually much more effective than a poke check with the blade angled back. When defending a rush, it's actually better to keep your stick steady, and if there's a pass, that's when you move it. However, it's preferrable to play the body and not the puck if you can (Instead of poke checking) but I'll talk about that when I post about defending the rush. And good forwards can avoid these and beat you in one fluid motion. Use controlled poke checks and your body to stop a forward, not uncontrollable motions. Remember to keep your head on a swivel as well. Know your surroundings. Lastly, in the defensive zone don't sink too far down. Unless the puck is below the goal line, you shouldn't be below the bottom of the circle, and if the puck is at the point, you should be near the faceoff dot. You should almost always be covering someone in the defensive zone. If you're not, then find the open man, unless you're covering the front of the net, in which case you stay near the hashmarks with your head on a swivel. Lastly, you should try to keep your stick in a passing lane when you can.

Breakdown

• Be a two-way defenseman.
• Practice skating, puck control, and passing.
• Don't be afraid to lead the rush if you have an open lane
• WIN 1-ON-1 BATTLES ONCE YOU COMMIT TO THEM
• Get low and be aggressive in the corners. Force your body between the other player and the puck.
• Skate hard on the forecheck and join in the rush.
• Be a floater or whatever it's called.
• Don't fall too far back in the neutral zone when the other team gets the puck.
• Anticipate passes and jump up and intercept them.
• Avoid wild poke checks.
• Ken Daneyko poke check
• ALWAYS Keep your head on a swivel.
• Don't sink too far down in your defensive zone.

Tips on Open-Ice Hitting for Defensemen

Nothing can win a game like a big goal. Except, of course, a big hit. In fact, unlike a big goal, a big hit can win an entire playoff series. However, a big hit usually occurs in open-ice. The best part about an open-ice hit, besides of course the hit itself, is the fact that an open-ice hit has almost nothing to do with size or strength. It's all about technique, reading the play, and catching some unfortunate player by surprise. If open-ice hitting had anything to do with size, then explain how the 6'3, 215 pounds, Dion Phaneuf is a better open-ice hitter then the 6'9, 255 pounds Zdeno Chara, or how at 5'11, 200 pounds Mike Richards is a better open-ice hitter then the 6'8, 225 pounds Tyler Myers. Watch this Fight, then this Hit. Obviously, Eric Lindros at 6'4 245 pounds, is bigger and stronger then Scott Stevens at 6'2, 215 pounds. Despite this, Scott Stevens was able to throw a monster open-ice hit on Lindros, while Lindros couldn't do it to Stevens. It's because Stevens had decades of practice of perfecting the open-ice hit, even though he wasn't the biggest guy out there. Now watch this Hit. Darius Kasparaitis isn't even 6 feet tall, but he was able to hit the 6'4 Eric Lindros as well. Not because he overpowered Lindros; it's obviously he didn't because he fell as hard as Lindros did. It was because he saw that Lindros had his head down, read where Lindros was going, and hit Lindros properly instead of simply leaning into Lindros. If he just leaned into Lindros, Darius Kasparaitis would've probably been hospitalized, because Lindros is that much stronger than him. Just watch this Fight. Lindros kills Kasparaitis. But Kasparaitis knows how to hit. 

Being able to throw an open-ice hit requires great skating ability, a fearless personality, a great mind for the game, good angles, and good technique. The Skating ability speaks for itself, so I'll start by explaining the fearlessness. I know by now, anybody who may be reading this is probably saying "I'm Fearless, I'll hit anyone, I'm going to skip this." That's not what I meant. I mean that to hit somebody in open-ice, you have to do it. A lot of times when I go for an open-ice hit, I think to myself "What if I miss? Is there anyone back? What if I miss and they get a breakaway because there's nobody back?" If I was playing against a good Junior, College, or Professional player, then in that second thinking about things unrelated to the hit, I'd lose my angle on the other player, or worse, the other player will blow past me. Right before you hit someone, clear your mind of every though. Get in position to hit and drive up without thinking about what you're doing. Don't worry about what you're doing when you go to hit someone. If you miss, well, you miss. That's all there is to it, and you shouldn't think about missing. Just like when you're on a breakaway, you don't think about not scoring, or screwing up. One tip from Rob Blake (THE Rob Blake) is to not back up too far when the other team is moving down the ice into your defensive zone. You can't throw a hit if you keep falling back. Stay up, don't back up. Next, you need to be able to read the hit. My favorite time to hit someone is when I see an opposing defenseman with the puck staring at a winger. That usually means the defenseman will pass to that winger, so I get closer to that winger so I can throw a body on him if he gets a pass before he can react. Usually, I get two strides away so I can take two hard strides so I get momentum behind the hit. There are many other ways to throw a hard body on someone though. If somebody pushes the puck ahead of them and puts their head down, they are probably going to rush the puck. If they are rushing the puck, step up on them as quickly as possible so they don't too much momentum, but don't skate straight at them, because then you may miss or unintentionally knee on knee hit them. Instead, angle them off (more on that later). Another scenario which may result in a game changing hit is when an opponent is cutting in to middle ice without paying attention. This is an art perfected by Scott Stevens, but unfortunately, this rarely happens. The easiest way to throw a hit in this situation is to get low, and not to go after them recklessly. It is also important to know you can't sink too deep into the zone. Watch this Hit. Some people consider this hit dirty, but that's not the point. Watch what Stevens does when he sees Kariya cut into center ice. He doesn't back up at all, he just skates into Kariya. He also doesn't skate recklessly into Kariya; he's low and able to react in case Kariya turns. A bonus tip for defensemen is if you are the weak side defenseman, you should be between the red line and faceoff dot while the opposing puck carrier has the puck near your blue line, but not actually in your zone. However, no forwards on the other team should be in center ice AND closer to the blue line then you are, whether they have the puck or not. You can't let people beat you before they get the puck. You may be considered an irresponsible defenseman for doing this, but if a forward cuts in with their head down, they don't know you're in a perfect position to lay them out. Angles, remember, are important, and simple, if you know what you're doing. Simply put, angling is getting you and the puck carrier in position to complete the check. When angling someone off, it is important that you take away center ice. That's it. That means, the puck carrier can go in three directions; to the boards, to you, or just skate straight. You want to limit the puck carrier's ice and options, because if he is in center ice, he can skate in either direction. To angle someone off, approach them from center ice. Don't be more than a sticklength away from the puck carrier. At any time during this hit, you should be able to pokecheck the puck away, or reach out and grab the other players jersey (Which is not advised.) Keep your stick on the ice as well. This takes away passing lanes and additional ice. Also, if the other player stops, the stick is there as a last resort to pokecheck the puck away. Don't skate faster than the person with the puck. Stay at fastest the same speed as the other player. As a defenseman, I like to skate slower than the other player on 1 on 1's so they come to me, not the other way around. Also, if you are on a 1 on 1 near the blue line, since you don't want to let the opposing forward blow past you, line them up so that your outside shoulder is right in front of their inside shoulder. That way, they are lined up for a hit if they cut in or get too close, but they are not given an easy 1 on 1 win, and possibly a breakaway. Also, if you try to hit the another player, step up as soon as possible. For Defensemen, the hit should be at the blue line, in the neutral zone, or top of the circle (Yes, that means you should start gap control near the offensive zone, or at least before the red line.) Lastly, watch the body, not the puck. I like to put my stick behind the other players legs before I hit , forcing me to play the body, not the puck. Remember to finish your check. If the other player loses the puck, that doesn't mean back off, it means hit them now. The last part of a good open-ice hit is the technique. Get low, and don't lean into a hit. That means you bend your knees, and you should have your chest facing the other player with your legs under your shoulders until the last second, which is when you explode up and turn your shoulder/arm into the other player. When you hit someone, you should be able to react if they turn away from the hit. Don't lean into a hit, just drive upward and let your momentum bring you to your target. Remember to have one hand off of your stick and one hand on your stick. When you hit, your free hand should be tucked in, like when you're skating backwards. This makes it so that you your elbow never makes contact with your target. Then, when your hand hits the other player, you drive up with your legs and first contact should be with your free hand, with your shoulder quickly following. Remember to keep your stick down if you need to. When you drive with your legs, the other player should be lifted off of his feet. If you don't get all of a hit, push out with your arm to knock down the other player. This was how Scott Stevens used to hit, and he only had four elbowing penalties in his life. Remember to keep your legs under your body, for balance, and so that your knee doesn't hit the other player. Also, if you ever feel like you're not getting the most out of your strength, make sure you're more on your heels when you make a hit, not your toes. Your weight when you're about to hit into someone should close to the back of your blade, not the front, but you also shouldn't be leaning back. Try experimenting with this to find out where you are most comfortable. Also, remember to have Respect for other players; a big hit is a big hit, but a dirty hit is not. Borderline is okay in a big game (Playoffs, rivals) but not in a pickup game or a meaningless game (Unless the game heats up). However, never hit to injure, never hit from behind, never elbow, and never KNEE-ON-KNEE intentionally. Also, if you are sizing someone up, don't go for the smaller or the worse players if you're a bigger or better guy. It's okay to be physical with that 5'1 kid when you're 6'1, but you shouldn't be blasting him open ice. As a general rule, unless that player is exceptionally dirty or good, don't try to deck a kid who is more than a head smaller than you.

Here's a little Treat. Phaneuf hit him so hard olsez swallowed his mouth guard. Watch how he drives with his legs and explodes up, not forward. *Note When I say lean into the hit, I mean really lean into the hit, like This. Look how far ovechkin leans into that hit, and he doesn't even explode up, he just leans.

Breakdown

• Be a good skater.
• Don't think about what might happen, just step up and make the hit.
• Don't fall back too far. Stay up and in the play.
• Read where the puck is going, then throw a hard check when it gets there.
• Angle off the other player; never ever go straight at them.
• Keep your stick on the ice.
• On a 1 on 1 near the blueline, line up your outside shoulder with the other player's inside shoulder, and let them come to you.
• Step up as soon as possible, and start gap control near the red line or in the offensive zone.
• Tuck your arm in when you go to hit someone, like you're skating backwards.
• Don't lean too far into a hit. Get low and explode up.
• Keep your legs under your body.
• Stay on the heels of your blade when you go to hit someone.
• Have respect for the other team.

Tips on the Breakout for Defensemen

The breakout is arguably the most important part of competitive hockey, and usually one of a defenseman's more important jobs is to start the rush via the breakout. After all, if a team has incompetent defensemen incapable of getting the puck out of their own zone, how can a team get the puck into the other team's zone? Most coaches at lower levels simply the breakout as much as possible: The defenseman passes from behind the net to the winger on the boards, then have that winger hit the swinging center with a touch pass. Simple, but ineffective at most times. Think about what happens if the other team's defensemen can read this play, step up, and intercept that first pass to the winger, or maybe the second pass to the center? Than three people are temporarily out of the play (The winger, who is standing still, the center, who is probably out of the zone, and the defenseman who makes the first pass). There really is no set breakout that is completely infallible, so the first defenseman must be in a position to make multiple passes, react to the other team, and also have momentum so they can skate if they have room. The second defenseman must also help, even though he doesn't have the puck. The easiest way for the second defenseman to help is by hinging. For those of you who don't know what hinging is, imagine that the defenseman with the puck is standing on an imaginary horizontal line. Hinging is where the second defenseman stays behind that imaginary line, providing a pass option. Imagine the defenseman with the puck is under pressure, and has no room or time to make a pass up to the forwards. What can he do? He can shoot the puck off the glass, giving the other team the puck, skate behind his net, bringing the puck deep into his zone again, canceling the breakout, or he can pass back the to hinging defenseman. Also, if the defenseman with the puck ends up turning over the puck, the hinging defenseman is already back to play the counterattack.
Anyway, the player with the puck can add a few habits which can drastically improve his game. But before that, here's a few tips to get the puck in the first place. First of all, don't chase the puck; if you're going towards someone who has the puck and they pass it away before you reach them, then stick with that man for a few seconds. Of course, common sense is important, but 99% of the time you should stick with the guy you were originally going to. On the same note, don't be afraid to go above the circles if the guy you're sticking with does while he has the puck; once you commit to a one on one you have to keep playing that one on one until it's over. Try to stay in passing lanes, but when your instinct says go for the puck (usually when someone mishandles the puck, you read the pass, or most commonly there is a mini-race to a puck in the corner) you have to be aggressive and get the puck even if it means taking a hit. Be physical along the boards as well, if someone's close enough to put a body on, work the body while you try to get the puck. It's a smart idea to give a half-push with one hand while getting the puck free with your skates and stick. If you read the puck going to someone who is along the boards, time it to tie them up along the boards as the get the puck (Much like the boardplay in NHL11). For more on this, watch a player like Anton Volchenkov, an expert at this. Now time to get to when you have the puck. First of all, and I can't stress this enough, DO NOT JUST THROW THE PUCK AWAY!!! The only time you have an excuse to do this is if you are too tired and have to ice it. Otherwise, try to make passes to the tape of your teammates, or to an open area where they are close enough to get to with a little effort. Everybody knows that rule "Don't pass the puck up the middle," right? Well, if you want to make a cross-ice pass, make it from the middle of the ice, not the corner. Yes, that means the defenseman has to actually skate to center ice (Attentively, of course. It would be embarrassing if this results in a turnover right in front of your own net because the slot is clogged up with the other team's forecheckers.) It is also important to be alert of your surroundings when getting the puck. Don't stare at the puck when you're getting it, look around near middle ice to see where your teammates and the other team's forecheckers are. If you are going behind the net, throw a quick glance to the other side so you don't get destroyed.When you do get the puck, start skating fast, don't just stand there. If you have enough room, push the puck: that means you don't stickhandle, but push the puck enough in front of you so that you can see the puck and the ice with your split vision, while retaining control. Make sure you make hard, accurate passes, so at least if your teammate misses it, the puck clears your zone. However, don't just shoot the puck, and don't sacrifice accuracy for power. When you make a pass, don't stare at the person you're passing to. Look at them with the corner of your eye, because otherwise opposing defensemen are basically being invited to step up and hit the recipient of the pass. If you get the puck in your own zone, take as much room as possible before making the breakout pass, which means skate the puck up. That way, your passes are made in shorter distances making them less likely to be intercepted, and if no pass is open, you can simply rush the puck. Make sure you don't stop moving your feet to make a pass. If your team is in need of a goal, join the rush after you make the pass. That means you pass the puck, then skate hard to join to forecheck, turning a 2 on 1 into a 3 on 1, or a 3 on 2 onto a 4 on 2. Offensive Defensemen such as Scott Niedermeyer and Mike Green are famous for this. Even if you're not joining the rush, remember to skate hard anyway. You shouldn't be in your own zone while the puck is in your offensive zone. Lastly, don't panic under pressure. Stay calm, and don't just shoot the puck up the boards. If you do that, the other team gets the puck, and the breakout is canceled. Speaking of the breakout, it is important to know how to reverse when facing pressure. There are three major ways to reverse. The first is the one you want to avoid, and you should only do it when facing tremendous pressure before touching the puck. Just wrap the puck around the boards or bounce it off the boards to your defense partner. The second way is to skate behind the net and then bounce the puck off the boards to the other side while continuing to skate in the same direction. This is a good strategy when being chased around the net. The third way is what you do when the other team goes for a line change, or has a lot of players on the same side but not that much pressure on you before you get the puck. You just start skating hard around the net. As soon as you touch the puck, look up and make sure no one is in front of the net. If someone is in front of the net, and they skate around the net and plan to meet you on the other side, or stand still in front of the net after you get the puck, don't go around the net but make a sharp turn around the near post and start skating hard. If they start skating to your side, or they are backing up, or nobody is near the front of the net, skate behind the net, make a sharp turn around the net, and skate up. This turn should take you up the slot, whether you go around the far post or the close post. Either way, this beats three forwards and leads to an odd man rush. However, it is also the riskiest reverse, and requires confidence, and good judgement about whether or not to go behind the net to the far post. Also remember that you don't have to skate full speed when you have the puck. If you have a gap, feel free to jump up and lead the rush (Players like Brent Burns love to do this).

Breakdown

• Remember to hinge if you don't have the puck.
• Don't make passes through the slot. Instead skate to the slot before you make the pass. Don't worry, you'll have the room to do it.
• Don't throw the puck away.
• Look around before getting the puck, especially if the puck is in the corner. You should always know where your teammates and the other team's forecheckers are.
• Don't stand still while you have the puck. If you have the room, push the puck.
• Make hard, accurate passes, so that the puck clears the zone if your forward misses the pass. However, don't make a pass so hard that it loses accuracy.
• Don't stare at the intended receiver of your pass.
• Take as much room as possible before making a pass.
• Don't stop moving your feet before a pass.
• Stay calm under pressure.
• Reverse in one of three ways, or be creative and make up a reverse.