INDIVIDUAL TACTICS IN HOCKEY
This is where the game of hockey can get truly fascinating for a high level instructor and player. As a coach, when you get a chance to work with a player that has built a great foundation of “physical skills” it is very exciting to take those skills and add advanced tactics. The flip side of this, of course, is that it can be very frustrating to try and implement advanced tactics to a player that has neglected their skill set. (see our article on “One of the Biggest Mistakes Parents are Making Today”)
When a player has shortcut the skill building process they have unknowingly undermined their ability to succeed in this game. Advanced tactics will not work nearly as well with a weak or even average skill set. The player that has tried to take a shortcut has unfortunately set themselves up for failure at higher levels. However, the player that has spent the time to build an advanced physical skill set is now ready to take their game to new heights and leave the rest of the pretenders in the dust.
To begin our talk let us first define how we at Pro Performance Hockey describe a “tactic”. We teach our clinic participants that a tactic is “How you attack a situation”. We then proceed to list different “situations” that come up during the game. A short list of situations for a forward or defenseman is listed here:
1 on 1, 1 on 2, 2 on 1, 2 on 2, 3 on 1, 3 on 2, breakaway, 1 on 1 from the left side of the ice, 1 on 1 from the right side of the ice, skating through the neutral zone, offensive zone entry, defensive zone steering, etc.
We are constantly astounded when we ask players what their “plan of attack” is when they face a certain situation. The typical response is a blank stare or they try to make up an answer on the spot. This lack of mental preparation can be fatal to a players future in hockey when the goal is to succeed at a high level. Typically, these players try to rely on their instincts alone. I can tell you for certain that the player that has a well thought out plan of attack and has practiced that plan, has a much higher probability of success in any “situation”.
In our Pro Performance Hockey clinics we urge our players to have a plan of attack for all situations. Our goal during clinics and camps is to put more tools in the toolbox for each player. To build a high level game you must be able to use more tools than a hammer. The more tools at the players disposal the better the chance of success in different situations.
An example of the use of tactics will be to have a player prepared with 2 or 3 specific moves from the right side of the ice during a 1 on 1. This player will also have 2 or 3 completely different moves when attacking from the left side of the ice. These moves must be different because of the puck position of righties vs lefties.
In today’s stats driven analysis of sports there are ways of telling when a player is succeeding or struggling with their tactics. One simple and very obvious statistic in hockey is shots on goal. When we analyze a game we typically see the top players averaging 5 to 7 shots per game. If your player is averaging less than this their tactics may be to blame. It should also be noted that the best players do not sacrifice prime passing opportunities just to get to the high end of average shots per game. We have seen many players that are selfish linemates and we can assure you this does not fly at the higher levels. If a player routinely shoots the puck and does not pass to a player who is in a statistically better position to score, that players hockey career is severely limited.
However, our experience shows us that players who average 5 to 7 shots per game will often score multiple goals in a game. These players will also have high assist totals at the end of the season. Players that have built a high level skill set and have worked diligently on their tactics will have an excellent chance at achieving success in this game.
PLANNING AND EXECUTION WILL WIN OVER INSTINCTS EVERY TIME.
Thank you,
PRO PERFORMANCE HOCKEY STAFF