Tips for Defending in '23
Seems like many people have some gripes about defense - myself included. Over the last couple of weeks, I've refined and adjusted defensively, and I feel that I've gotten more comfortable in defendin...
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@KidShowtime1867 Great stuff man! This is definitely the way this year. I've had to unlearn some habits myself, and the hardest one to change has been my previous reliance on poke checking at the blue line. What I used to do (in 6s) was time the poke check at just above the blue line where the puck carrier has to avoid an offside whenever he has teammates entering the zone with him, meaning he can't avoid the poke at that moment if you time it right. I would also maintain momentum toward my own zone when going for this poke to mitigate the risk. This was incredibly effective for me, but it's no longer viable. You can no longer rely on a successful poke to remove the puck because the puck carrier will often just regain it, and then they'll blow past you due to the poke check slowing you down so much. So now I play more passively and try to stay with the opponent, as you suggest in these tips.
Also just to add to everything you wrote, I find it effective to pressure the puck carrier by inching closer to the puck. So you don't actually try to take the puck away, but you get closer to it which creates a stronger sense of urgency in the puck carrier, increasing the likelihood of a mistake that leaves them vulnerable to an actual takeaway.
Anyway, keep them coming!
Also just to add to everything you wrote, I find it effective to pressure the puck carrier by inching closer to the puck. So you don't actually try to take the puck away, but you get closer to it which creates a stronger sense of urgency in the puck carrier, increasing the likelihood of a mistake that leaves them vulnerable to an actual takeaway.
Anyway, keep them coming!
