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Playing D with Phil Housley
By Bob Cunningham Oct 29, 2001, 19:41 ©BBS Perhaps only Paul Coffey is more renowned than Phil Housley for his scoring among defensemen. Housley, now with the Calgary Flames, is in his 13th NHL season, a tour of duty that included stops in Buffalo, Winnipeg and St. Louis. And without a doubt, the smooth-skating blueliner…
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On defense with Chris Pronger
By Bob Cunningham Oct 23, 2001, 18:14 Chris Pronger was the second player taken in the 1993 NHL Draft, mainly because the Hartford Whalers felt the 6’6”, 215-pounder had the tools to become another Paul Coffey. At Peterborough, Pronger tore up the Ontario Hockey League, tallying 139 points in 125 Major Junior games. And…
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Coaching good team defense
By Julia Negro Mark Morris, head hockey coach of the ECAC’s Clarkson Golden Knights, believes there are several keys to good team defense. Positional play in the defensive zone is a must, along with keeping a “tight unit,” whether playing even-strength or short-handed. Also, forwards should always come back to help out in the defensive…
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Foot speed and quickness for defensemen
By Tony DiRito So many defensemen are expected to step-up or take the body on opposing forwards, but very rarely are these defensemen taught what exactly is involved in accomplishing these tasks. For a defenseman, the first and foremost skill that should be taught is foot speed and quickness. This terminology is applied to every…
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On Defense with Stu Grimson
By Bob Cunningham Printer friendly page ON DEFENSE with Stu Grimson When you watched Stu Grimson play hockey, you don’t usually reflect on “The Grim Reaper’s” mental approach to the game. But the 6-foot-5 former Chicago Blackhawk insists that pre-game preparation and on-ice concentration are the key ingredients to success for a defenseman at any level of…
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It’s Where You Want To Be!
By Jason Reed Printer friendly page Off the ice they are pretty much the same guy—quiet, family oriented and friendly. On the ice they may seem different as night and day—one is aggressive and charges up the ice while the other prefers to stay home and keep an eye on the net—but in reality, they are still…
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The Left Wing Lock
By Gianni Raimondo Printer friendly page The left wing lock is a controlled forechecking system that was popularized by the Detroit Redwings in the late 1990’s. Before I get into the details of this system, it is important to note that there are a few variations of the Left Wing Lock. Off course, a coaching staff should…
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Defensive Zone Coverage
By Gianni Raimondo Printer friendly page Players need to accept defensive responsibilities as a crucial part of the game and understand the importance of keeping things simple and basic in your own zone. If you make a mistake in your own end, the opposition will get a direct scoring chance. Some key elements of Defensive Zone Coverage…