Many people say that when it comes to hockey, defense wins championships. Unfortunately there are many defensemen who do not understand what it takes to be a skilled defensemen. Playing defense in hockey is all about knowing what you are doing, and doing it at the right time. When you are playing defense in hockey there is a certain attitude you have to have, combined with everything else. You have to know that you are there to stop goals, not score them. As a hockey defender you should almost never be past the face-off dots in the attacking zone. This brings us to our first way to help you become a better defenseman in hockey.
1) Make sure you know what your job is and where you are supposed to play.
When you are playing defense it is never a good thing to be caught out of position. When you are caught out of position you will give the other team the opportunity to create a 2-1 or 3-2. This will usually result in a goal for the other team.
2) Do not Try to Score Goals
Your job is to stop goals not score them
3) Skate Backwards out of the Attacking Zone
When you are skating backwards you can see the entire ice. You can see the players on the other team and it is easier to see what they are going to do with the puck.
4) When in doubt, pass to a forward
As long as you are not on a breakaway you should always be looking for a forward to pass to. This way you will give them the chance to score the goals while you can consentrate on getting on the blue line to keep the puck in the attacking zone.
When you are a defender you have to play with the strategy that the coach wants you to play with. If your coach wants you to pinch more, then you need to pinch more. If your coach wants you to hold back, then you should hold back. The better you implement the coach’s strategy, the more ice time you will see.
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