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Shooting from the Blue Line
This is an excerpt from Elite Hockey Defense by Dave Cameron.
Shooting From the Blue Line
Shooting the puck from the blue line is a simple concept that becomes harder as players get older. Getting shots through from the blue line is a tough task because the opposing team will be working to block every shot. If the offensive forwards and offensive defenseman are on the same page, the forwards may be able to anticipate where the puck is going and work to deflect the puck on the net. If the offensive defenseman is sliding to the left, they can shoot to the left of the shot blocker so that the offensive forward has an idea of where the puck is coming to. This simple strategy in the offensive zone can work to get more shots through from the blue line.
Puck on Half Wall
Defensemen can work on activating from the blue line when the puck is on the half wall, meaning that it is close to the hash marks on the boards in the offensive zone. Players can do this in different ways depending on the area of possession and level of possession from the forward. The offensive defenseman has three options:
- Jump down the wall: The offensive defenseman moves forward off the blue line and activates down the boards into the offensive zone.
- Jump down the middle: The offensive defenseman sees that a lane to the net is available and moves down the dot line or inside the dot line to the net.
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Slide to the middle: No ice is available in front of the offensive defenseman, so they slide laterally across the blue line into the middle of the ice.
Jump Down the Wall
When the offensive defenseman jumps down the wall, the best way to eliminate confusion is to have the offensive forward roll up the wall and work to get to the inside, essentially pushing into the dot line. This movement allows the offensive defenseman room on the wall to move down off the blue line and into the zone. The offensive forward should look to see what hand the offensive defenseman is and place the puck in a spot where they can do something with it. This can be in a protected position closer to the wall or on their forehand depending on the situation. The offensive defenseman often gets some space because they can catch the defensive team on a switch. If the reaction does not happen quickly, time and space can become available. A common error with this activation occurs when the offensive forward tries to pass the puck to the offensive defenseman rather than simply leaves it. When they leave the puck, the offensive defenseman knows exactly where the puck will be as they jump down the wall. If the offensive defenseman is expecting the offensive forward to leave the puck and the forward tries to pass it, the puck may end up going past the defenseman into the neutral zone. To make the play easier, the player who drops the puck to the defenseman as they activate simply stays closer to the blue line and covers for the defenseman as they enter the offensive zone down the wall.
Jump Down the Middle
If the wall is not an option, the offensive defenseman can jump to the middle of the ice. This play is effective in a situation when the defending team is taking away the wall in the offensive zone and there is now the threat of a low-to-high pass. The offensive defenseman who moves down the middle of the ice is in a dangerous spot where they have an opportunity to score if they get a clean pass. If they do not get a clean pass, they can continue through the slot and the other offensive defenseman can slide closer to the puck. This creates a problem for the defensive team because they must worry about switching or knowing where players are as they move. As the defensemen switch, the defenseman who started the play by jumping into the zone can slide into a space that is available for a one timer if a passing lane is available. This way of creating offense in the offensive zone enables the defensemen to activate, read, and move.
Slide to the Middle
When there is no space in front of the offensive defenseman to activate into, either down the wall or into the middle of the ice, they could have an option to slide without the puck. This happens when the offensive forward with the puck climbs the zone up the wall and has clean possession of the puck. Having the defenseman slide can get the team into a three-high attack that forces the defensive team to react to a new look. The three-high attack means that a forward is moving up higher in the zone and working to create space. This play can be effective in zone as players move around working to create space and shots. Moving a forward into a higher position can make it harder for the defending team to cover them as the defenseman slides into the middle of the ice. Essentially, they must react and move a player into a spot where they may not want to be. A defensive player may have to follow a forward up the wall and play above the top of the circle, or a defensive player and a forward may have to switch to cover the forward moving up the zone. Either way, the offensive team is making the defending team adjust to what they are doing.
Diving and Sliding
Level of Difficulty
Hard
Players
Two to six derisive players
Objectives
To work on diving on the inside of the winger, who is watching the defender on the strong side of the wall; to work on the one timer in the offensive zone
Setup
A coach has pucks at the half wall. Two players are at the blue line.
Procedure
The strongside defenseman (D1) moves off the wall and dives down the middle of the ice. They receive a pass from the coach for a shot. After taking their shot, they slide through the offensive slot and out the other side. The player who started on the far side (D2) slides over to the middle to cover for D1, who dove down. The coach hits D2, who quickly moves the puck to D1. D1 is in a shooting position and works to shoot it quickly with either a one timer or a quick release. D2 now becomes D1, and a new player starts in the middle of the ice as D2.
Coaching Tips
- This drill uses higher-level defensive movement in the offensive zone.
- Having defensemen involved and active in the play can create offensive chances.
SHOP
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