Puck Placement for Retrieval

Placing a puck in the offensive zone for retrieval is a good puck management decision to keep a puck alive. Not being able to make a direct or indirect pass on an entry or in the offensive zone under check pressure is a common situation. Placing the puck for retrieval using the width and depth of the zone is good puck play. The player retrieving the puck must do their shoulder checks to read the situation, to learn defensive pressure and puck support before getting to the puck. The offensive players triangulate off the puck to support the possession offensively to help the player on the puck retrieval exit the tight space under check pressure or to make a good play on the puck.

In the video clip below you see an excellent example of TOR19 placing the puck for TOR18 to retrieve the puck while TOR24 provides puck support below puck level and TOR19 provides support above puck level in middle ice. The puck support structure is often referred to as the Triangle Offence with the D pairing having the option to join the play in the offensive zone by dropping down lower into the zone.

You never want to turn a puck over at the opponent’s blue line, putting the puck deep in behind the D for a retrieval is a good hockey play.

In the video you see excellent shoulder checks and read and react skills by the F unit. You see the F unit work the perimeter of the zone to attack the inside of the ice surface. You see the F unit establish inside body and stick position on the puck with strong puck protection skills.

Keeping the Puck Alive Video - An Important Skill in Group Play

Keeping a puck alive means maintaining team possession and keeping the play moving instead of letting a whistle stop the play or to allow a puck turnover. Remember, hockey is a possession game and every player is responsible for managing the puck individually and as a group. Teamwork is everything.

There’s nothing more important than the team. Videos of 5 on 5 play in the offensive zone that demonstrate the offensive group play, playing as a collective and connected group of FIVE out performing the defending group of FIVE. Constant player movement to create and attack space as a Puck Carrier with the support of players without the puck moving their feet to support the puck offensively by getting open separating from coverage and playing less position focused and more puck support focused to set a passing lane/seam to be a play option. Constant player and puck movement using the width and depth of the zone with reverses, switches, high, low and reverses, give and goes creates chaos for defenders and breakdowns in coverage to open up the middle of the ice surface.

Both videos are worth watching to see collective and connected group play being executed properly by the offensive groups.

Video #1 Offensive Zone Play 01

Video # 2 Offensive Zone Play 02

The offensive group play is all about supporting the player with the puck and providing the player with a minimum of two play options at all times. The offensive group is playing in layers using the ice surface to create and attack space which makes defending a challenge. You can play less position focused with rotational coverage by the players in the group moving to cover for players within the triangle structure.

“For the Strength of the Pack is the Wolf and the Strength of the Wolf is the Pack”Rudyard Kipling’s Core Philosophy Applies to Time of Possession Sports

Every really good teacher/coach knows the importance of teaching the what, why, when, who and how because if we want students to learn and play with purpose we must teach with purpose.

The Rudyard Kipling saying the strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf is absolutely true and the reason why collective and connected group play in hockey, basketball and soccer is critical to the success of team.

The responsibility of the teacher/coach is to make the team work. Hockey is a game of puck possession and to win the time of puck possession game the team must play together as a collective and connected group with and without the puck.

You can’t manage the puck or defend the puck without numbers and skilled players who know their roles and how to execute their roles as a collective and connected group in all three zones.

It doesn’t matter what systems or tactics you are trying to execute on the ice surface if you’re not playing as a collective and connected group. When team play execution fails it almost certainly, more often than not, is related to a breakdown in the group’s execution. You must play as a five player unit even strength to win the 5 against 5 time of puck possession game. You win the time of possession game and you generally win the hockey game, have a listen to the video below.

Teams play offensive and defensive tactics and systems in layers or levels in a zone so when a group becomes disconnected as a five player unit there’s often times a breakdown in execution.

For This Is The Law Of The Jungle Video - Rundard Kipling

Analyze the play of the best teams in the NHL or in any league and you quickly realize what separates them from the rest is their ability to work as a team in all situations. The best teams in hockey are never outnumbered in space and are seldom caught disconnected as a five player group in the execution of tactics and systems play. The person behind the bench is responsible for their success because that person has enabled them to play as a collective and connected group on the playing surface in all situations.

The difference maker in winning battles in all three zones comes down to skills and abilities, hockey intelligence, competitiveness and which group is able to out work and out play the opponent. In the videos you get the opportunity to review the video clips and examine the habits of the offensive group in zone that resulted in a goal being scored.

The offensive group’s forward unit in all of the videos out performed the defensive group below the hash marks winning the wall battles to control the puck on the perimeter to eventually find the right moment to attack the inside of the ice (guts of the ice) middle ice between the dots.

The battle for establishing inside body and stick position to make a play on a puck is huge. The offensive group’s D pairing supported their forward unit/group and dropped down to find open ice and to create inside body and stick position and a quality passing lane (seam) for a shot on goal.

Triangle Offence

In the videos you get to see the Triangle Offence being executed by the group in possession of the puck in the offensive zone. The goal scorers triangulate off the puck in middle ice separating from coverage to set the passing and shooting lanes. There are multiple triangles in effect at different layers/levels in the zone by the offensive players without the puck.

Offensive Zone Group Play - Getting to the Inside of the Ice Surface Videos

As a defensive group you must be able to press defend, apply pressure on the puck and to eliminate passing lane (seam) options to protect the middle of the ice surface. A defensive player can’t allow an offensive player to get to the inside of the ice to establish inside body and stick position on them to make a play. The defensive group must check back the puck quickly and efficiently. The longer the offensive group has puck possession the more difficult it becomes preventing them from getting to the middle of the ice to create scoring chances.

The key for the offensive group on the ice is playing as a collective and connected group to support the puck. Playing less position focused more puck support focused to retain puck possession and control and make a play to the inside of the ice at the right moment. The D and F unit groups must play together. Constant player movement with quick puck movement by the offensive group makes defending a significant challenge. The offensive players without the puck supporting the possession by separating from coverage into open ice is a huge challenge for defenders.

There needs to be more focus on teaching the defensive game in hockey. There’s been too much emphasis placed on the offensive side of the game when the defensive game is equally if not more important to teach. Two of the main concepts of play in hockey are to play as collective and connected group in all three zones of the ice surface to:

1. Create and attack space to create offence and,

2. Contract the ice surface to create a smaller area to defend to check back pucks.

As a collective and connected group you should defend more skating forwards than backwards in all three zones to create a smaller area to defend. You skate backwards when you aren’t in position to pressure the puck angling as a collective and connected group, you back up to allow time for back pressure support to provide help often times because you are outnumbered by the offensive group. Backing up occurs often when you’ve become disconnected as a group and aren’t in position to defend skating forwards.

The video clips below are shared to show what happens when defenders back up giving away ice (time and space) instead of skating forwards to defend angling applying pressure at the point of attack and gapping up on players without the puck to prevent them from being part of the offensive attack.

The 2025/26 Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup because they were the better defensive team. You win championships with strong defensive play. The CANES were a press defending team in all three zones that defended more skating forwards than backwards.

To defend more skating forwards than backwards you need numbers above the puck and you need strong positional play to defend the guts of the ice (between the dots) to push the play outside the dots.

To win the time of puck possession you game you must be a strong defensive group and you must manage the puck extremely well. The videos show that backing up giving away ice isn’t defending, it’s giving time and space for the offensive group to make a good play with the puck.

Anybody can make a play with time and space. That’s the reason why we are supposed to defend more with pressure on the puck at the point of attack & gap up on offensive players without the puck to eliminate play options. Force the opponent to make good puck management decisions absent time and space.

The Triangle Offence is a well known multi-sport concept used in soccer, basketball and hockey for years. The concept is an integral part of the puck/ball possession game that provides players with the freedom to create and attack space and make plays by reading the defence. The concept requires the group of five on the playing surface to play as a collective and connected group to triangulate off the puck without using set plays.

The triangle offence requires offensive players without the puck to separate from defenders to get open and establish inside body and stick position to set a passing lane to become a play option. The concept requires constant player movement and quick puck movement. The timing of puck and player movement is key in the execution of the triangle offence because passing lanes open and close in split seconds.

A short video on the triangle offence in basketball is shared below but the triangular structure is used the same way in soccer and in hockey, it’s a game philosophy to support the puck/ball in space and is an integral part of the possession game. The concept features 3 execution keys:

1. Spacing,

2. Decision-making,

3. Reading the defence.

The Triangle Offence

Principles of the Triangle Offence

Triangular positioning is a foundational concept of the puck possession game, serving as a primary structural mechanism to maintain control of the puck/ball. The CORE principles of the triangle offence:

1. Passing Lanes: Forming a triangle gives the puck carrier at least two immediate, distinct passing lanes (left and right), preventing blind alleys or trapping defenders.

2. Positional Support: Players without the puck move into adjacent spaces to support the teammate under pressure, creating an automatic out.

3. Numerical Advantages: Triangles naturally create 2v1, 3v2, 4v3 overloads/outnumbering against defenders making it easier to progress and distribute the puck safely.

4. Flexibility: The triangular framework expands and contracts dynamically on defensive pressure and the movement of the puck.

5. Creativity: Players are encouraged to use their read and react skills against the defensive pressure to make plays as a collective and connected group without set plays, take what the defenders give you as an offensive group.

6. Use of Space: The triangular framework allows the offensive group to create and attack space using the width and depth of the zone, triangulating off the puck to run switches, cycles (high, low, reverses), give and goes and change of direction plays and other tactics.

7. Continuous Motion: Constant player and puck movement in space to create chaos for defenders and to create and attack space as a collective and connected group.

8. Filling Spots: Timing of player and puck movement in space is essential, it is a fluid system rather than a rigid set of plays, any player can rotate to fill different spots in the zone (playing surface) at different locations. The triangle offence allows the group to play in layers or levels in the zone.

9. Creating Triangles: Player movement constantly re-forms the triangle at different locations in the zone.

10. Spacing, Passing and Reading the Defence: The triangle offensive structure features all three elements spacing. passing and reading the defence. Fostering player creativity based on the key principles is the foundation of the puck possession structure.

Play Animation Low to High Offensive Zone Video

Play animation is an excellent teaching tool. In the videos below you see the principles of the triangle offence being executed.

NHL Videos of the Triangle Offence

Video is one of the best teaching tools in a coach or player’s toolbox. In the series of videos of the triangle offence being executed in the offensive zone you get the opportunity to identify the key principles being executed. Playing as a collective and connected group in all three zones of the ice surface is key to running the triangle offence. The structure supports breaking out DZ pucks, attack rush play exiting the DZ, regroups/reloads in zones and in increasing time of possession in the offensive zone to create scoring chances.

You must support the puck as a collective and connected group to manage the puck effectively and to increase time of puck possession and control. The game of hockey is fast paced with read and react skills (sport intelligence) key to execution. The triangle offence fosters player creativity, player movement, quick accurate passing and working together as a group.

Kevin Bieksa and Colby Armstrong in the video below talk about the play of two highly skilled offensive defensemen in today’s game, Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders and Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens. Have a listen because these two NHL former players and hockey analysts narrate the skills these two young defensemen possess that make them a threat to score every time they are on the ice surface. In the video these two young defensemen create and attack space with their feet and puck control skills, they attack defenders 1:1 with their speed to back them up to create space and they work with their forward group tactically to create offensive scoring chances.

These two defensemen are an example of today’s mobile defensemen who support the puck offensively and defensively extremely well because of their strong technical hockey skills. Gone is the day of the stay at home defensemen. Every NHL team is trying to build a roster where every defensive pairing going out on the ice has a mobile highly skilled player to support the play as well as a forward.

Kevin Bieksa & Colby Armstrong Video on Hutson & Schaefer

Hutson and Schaefer aren’t the only highly skilled defensemen in the NHL who can play like forwards, we are seeing a movement to build rosters with defensemen who can play as defensemen and as forwards in interchangeable roles.

Cale MAKAR is a perfect example of the new NHL mobile defensemen whose technical hockey skills and hockey intelligence and competitiveness is on par with the best forwards in the league. MAKAR is a model defensemen young defensemen should be trying to build their game after.

In the video clip below titled “Offensive Zone Play 01” you see defensemen in the clip playing like forwards in support of the puck offensively and defensively. You get to see mobile defensemen skating the puck, handling and controlling the puck and their ability to read and react to defensive pressure to create and attack space at an elite level with their teammates.

Video # 2 Offensive Zone Play as a Collective & Connected Group

Top 16 NHL Defensemen

A listing of mobile defensemen in today’s game who support the puck offensively and defensively because of their strong technical hockey skills, hockey intelligence and competitiveness.

Today’s Game

There’s a right way to play the game of hockey, it’s not new, its been around for decades. Some teams play the Puck Possession Game better than others for a variety of reasons.

The team that wins the Stanley Cup every year is the best Puck Possession Team in the league. The top teams manage the puck, set the pace of play and control the game better than the rest. When they turn pucks over they quickly and efficiently check back the puck as a collective and connected group. The best teams build a speed roster but the roster also includes players with hockey intelligence and competitiveness to play as a collective and connected group, you seldom see them disconnected as a group giving up odd man rushes or odd man situations.

To play as a collective and connected group you need mobile defensemen who can support the puck offensively like the best forwards. You play the game as a FIVE player unit, the strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf.

PRESSING rushes decision-making and forces the team with the puck/ball to quickly move the puck to beat collective group defensive pressure which isn’t easy to do. FLA pressures up on the player with the puck and closes gaps on players without the puck to check back the puck. Watch how quickly and efficiently FLA then counter attacks as a collective group to take advantage of the OILERS group being out of position to defend.

Catching a team in transition from supporting the puck offensively to exit the zone into their defensive positioning to defend a quick counter attack as a collective group is good strategy and tactical play. In the clip FLA’s quick counter attack is the result of excellent collective group play to support the puck offensively by:

• outnumbering in space to create a player advantage (2v1,3v2,4v3).

• less position focused more puck support focused play as a FIVE, weak side FLAD3 drops down into open ice below the circles to score separating from defenders,

• quick accurate puck movement to take advantage of the OILERS struggling to get into defensive position.

VIDEO CLIP - OFFENSIVE ZONE PUCK SUPPORT

PRESSING is an effective principle of play in the game designed and executed to win the puck possession game. The team that sets the pace of play generally wins the puck possession game and plays more on their opponent’s half of the ice surface than their own. Let the opponent set the pace of play and your team will spend more time on your own half of the ice surface defending as the result of being out worked and out played.

The more competitive team always wins the Puck Possession Game. Don’t tell me you want the puck, show me you want the puck as a collective group by your actions, your habits.

An excellent video is shared titled “Interchangeable Principles”. In the video clips you see the team with the puck playing as a five player unit to support the puck possession and to create & attack space to create scoring. Players need the flexibility of movement to support the puck and they can’t be restricted by their position on the ice surface as a D, C, RW, LW to support the puck possession. Players have the hockey intelligence (hockey sense) to cover for each other (rotation) when they relocate to win a race to a loose puck or move into open space to set a passing lane/seam for a player with the puck.

Players should be encouraged to use their skills and abilities to play as a collective group in all three zones to support systems and tactical play in their execution, it’s a better game to play and watch. You need numbers and puck support structure to retain puck possession and to create offence.

The team that wins the time of puck possession game, generally, wins the hockey game. You only win the puck possession game when you’re playing as a collective group to manage the puck and check it back quickly and efficiently as a collective group when you’ve lost possession.

Constant player and puck movement is a key principle in the ability to create and attack space by using the width and depth of the ice surface breaking out a defensive zone puck, getting through a neutral zone regroup or in creating time of possession and offence in the offensive zone.

Support interchangeable positions and being less position focused. Good Coach teaches players to want the puck, how to manage the puck and how to get it back quickly & efficiently by staying connected as a group. Simple game, hard to play.

When you win the Time of Puck Possession Game (TPPG), you generally win the hockey game. The team that executes these interchangeable principles of play better than the other, generally wins the TPPG. Those interested in developing the technical hockey skills and abilities of players and teams should focus on teaching and developing these principles of play with their students. For the best development results teach the TPPG to players and teams because there is nothing more important to their development. Teach players how to compete to win the battles within the game which are the key principles of play.

Everyone has likely heard the saying: “the game of hockey is a game of battles” but what does that mean? As a former player, coach and fan of the game, the enjoyment of the game has always been about the the battles within the game and the level of competitiveness players must play with to execute the tactics and systems play in all three zones of the ice surface to win the hockey game.

The game’s about who is the better team at managing the puck and checking back the puck to regain puck possession and control quickly and efficiently without giving up too many quality scoring chances in transition from offence to defence in the process.

Players must possess strong technical hockey skills but equally important, if not more important, is the competitiveness of the players to do what it takes to be better than their opponent in executing the principles of play.

The graphic in this article shares the 10 interchangeable principles of play which both teams compete to play better than the other. Both the offensive and defensive groups on the ice surface compete to execute these principles of play in all three zones better than their opponent. The principles of play are defined in the article and an explanation provided as to their importance in winning the TPPG. These principles of play have been part of the game of hockey forever and will never change:

1. Group Collective Responsiblity,

2. Inside Body & Stick Position,

3. Group Structure,

4. Transitional Play,

5. Less Position Focused,

6. Playing in Layers,

7. Setting the Pace of Play,

8. Outnumbering or Overloading,

9. Puck Battles,

10. Puck Possession.

#1 Collective Group Responsibility

The best coaches teach players how to play together as a team. The teaching of a team to work together is the work of the coach. Players don’t truly understand Rudyard Kipling’s law of the jungle unless they’ve played on a good team. You need to experience collective group play responsibility as a player on a team to understand how important it is to winning the TPPG. The 2025/2026 Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup Champions played in all three zones with and without the puck as a team and it was special to watch.

Every player on the ice surface has a collective group responsibility to win the TPPG. Rudyard Kipling’s “for this is the law of the jungle”, the strength of the wolf is the pack and the strength of the pack is the wolf and the team is everything must be taught and developed. Team play is working together to execute the principles of the game better than the opponent. Every player on a team has a responsibility to make their teammates better. A team’s performance hinges on the group playing together offensively and defensively better than the opponent in the execution of these principles of play.

Hockey is a simple game but it’s hard to play. Even strength or short handed the responsibility of the collective group on the ice is to execute the principles of play better than the opponent. Playing as a FIVE even strength in all three zones and not becoming disconnected as a group is the key to winning pucks, retaining puck possession and in winning the time of possession game. Once a group becomes disconnected they are outnumbered and the opponent has a numerical advantage which is a strategic advantage in play.

Every hockey player’s development is enhanced by playing on a team that plays together as a collective group. Every team’s development is enhanced when the team plays as a collective group to control and manage the puck in all three zones.

A Championship Team is built on the concept of team, there’s nothing more important than the team.

#2 Inside Body & Stick Positioning

You can’t make a play on a puck offensively or defensively without first establishing inside body and stick position on the puck. An individual player doesn’t win a 1:1 puck battle without establishing inside body and stick position on the puck in his battle for the puck against his opponent. A group of players doesn’t win their puck battle for puck possession against the opposing group unless they win the battle for inside body and stick position on the puck and on their opponent. Winning inside body and stick position requires a player to move their feet first to establish body position 1st and stick position 2nd.

It doesn’t matter where the battle for space is being fought, net front, outside the dots on the wall or in the middle of the ice surface the player who wins the puck wins body and stick position on the puck.

#3 Group Structure - Structured Puck Support

Group Structure is an important principle of play because you want to win the TPPG and support of the puck as an offensive group or defensive group requires a structure that keeps the group connected and in position to make an offensive play on a puck or a defensive play on a puck.

The Triangle Offence is a multi-sport offensive structure to support the puck/ball in hockey, basketball and in soccer. The triangle as a geometric shape in space provides the ability to outnumber to create a numerical advantage in space to retain possession and to advance to create offence with the use of the structure.

Group structure is a key principle in offensive and defensive tactics and systems play to best win situations within the game. Structured support of the puck as a collective and cohesive group is necessary to retain puck possession and quickly and efficiently regain puck possession checking. The structure is used offensively to create and attack space as a group and to take away ice and contract the ice surface to create a smaller area to defend.

When a group becomes disconnected on the ice there’s an absence of structure in support of the puck offensively and defensively. The offensive group uses structure to control the puck on the perimeter of the ice surface outside the dots and to attack the middle of the ice surface inside the dots at the right moment to attack. The structure of the group is key to the ability to support the puck properly offensively and defensively.

Triangle Offence a Multi-Sport Structure

#4 Transitional Play

The ability to transition from defence to offence and offence to defence is critical to winning the TPPG. A good team will counter attack quickly whenever possible as a collective group to take advantage of an opponent being disconnected and out of position to defend as a collective group. A good team will transition from offence to defence as a collective group seamlessly with numbers quickly and efficiently establishing defensive position transitioning from offence to defence in all three zones.

A good team is able to transition from offence to defence to regain puck possession quickly and efficiently by working together and managing the puck as a group. The importance of being able to transition as a group is coached, the group must know the importance of positional play and managing the puck to be in position to transition efficiently and quickly to support the puck.

#5 Less Position Focused More Puck Support Focused

Positional play is essential to manage and control the puck in a zone as well as being able to quickly and efficiently win (check) back the puck on a loss of possession. Being less position focused allowing for players to interchange positions on the ice surface to support the possession or to regain puck possession is a must. Teams use constant player and puck movement in a zone to create and attack space which requires an offensive group to be less position focused. To defend against constant player and puck movement in a zone you must also allow players to interchange positions to defend in situations.

It is essential that a team supports the puck by allowing a player or players closest to the puck to support the puck situation whether it’s an offensive situation or a defensive situation. You see defensemen join the rush out of the defensive zone all the time or dropping down into the offensive zone to retrieve a puck or be part of an offensive play in the zone to create a scoring chance. Playing as a collective group requires a less position focused approached to playing the game.

If you want to win the TPPG you must provide players with the flexibility to play situationally, less position focused with rotational coverage in effect so players can cover for one another in different situations that allow the group to retain possession or regain possession of the puck.

#6 Playing in Layers in the Zone

To defend an offensive team that creates offensive scoring chances by playing in layers the defensive group must defend in layers. The offensive zone can be broken down into the layers or levels. The graphic below of an offensive zone provides a breakdown of areas within the zone that are used to take advantage of the width and depth of the zone to create and attack space by outnumbering or overloading to create a player advantage. The offensive group will create and attack space in a zone in layers so the defensive group must be able to defend in layers with a 2nd and 3rd level responsibility when a layer is breached in a zone by an offensive group.

There’s constant player and puck movement that creates and attacks space in a zone in layers so the defending group must defend in layers, no offensive player should get between a defensive player and his net.

#7 Setting the Pace of Play - Don’t Let the Opponent Set the Pace of Play

If you let your opponent set the pace of play you’ll spend more time playing on your half of the ice surface than the opponent’s half. You’ll spend more time without the puck defending than you will spend playing with the puck on offence. The TPPG is won by setting the pace of play, being first to loose pucks, winning races to loose pucks as an individual and as a group. You won’t win inside body and stick position on a puck if you’re not setting the pace of play.

In possession of the puck you need numbers to retain puck possession and control and to create and attack space, that only happens when the offensive group with the puck is setting the pace of play and creating and attacking space, you gotta move your feet to set the pace of play and have strong read and react skills. A player who is strong reading and reacting to situations should be setting the pace of play with the group to win the TPPG.

When you see a team struggle to regain puck possession it is often times the result of the group not being able to set or even match the pace of play of their opponent. A team that struggles to maintain puck possession and control often isn’t supporting the puck well enough with numbers as a result of not playing fast enough.

If you want to win the TPPG, set the pace of play in all three zones.

#8 Outnumbering/Overloading in Space

Outnumbering also referred to as Overloading is an important offensive and defensive principle of play in the game of hockey. It’s providing a numerical player advantage in space to provide a group with a competitive advantage. The principle is part of the team, the wolf pack working together to win a play to win a moment in the game where having a player advantage is the key to exiting the zone, winning a puck, exiting a tight space or winning a battle for a puck. Outnumbering or overloading is key to making plays in tight spaces and bigger spaces.

One of the reasons teams counter attack quickly whenever possible is because they have numbers often and a numerical player advantage to attack a team/group disconnected without numbers to defend the attack.

#9 Puck Battles - Puck Battles Decide Who Wins the TPPG

The game’s about hunting and winning puck battles in all three zones. A competitive player takes pride in their game and is really good at winning their share of puck battles. You don’t win a puck battle without establishing body position 1st and stick position 2nd on the opponent and the puck to win a puck. You hear TV Analysts talk about a puck battle being a 50-50 proposition, but a good player should win at least 75% of their 1:1 puck battles by using the right technique in their execution. The same applies to group puck battles, a good group wins more than 50% of their puck battles because of their execution, skills and competitiveness to establish position on a contested puck.

#10 Puck Possession

The game of hockey like basketball and soccer are possession games. The team that wins the time of possession game generally wins the game. Winning the TPPG requires a team to do two things really well:

• Manage the puck because it is critical to winning the TPPG. Yes the puck is gold and you must manage the puck if you are going to win the TPPG.

• Check to win is the recipe for winning the TPPG. In order to regain puck possession and control you must be able to check back the puck quickly and efficiently as a collective and connected group on the ice surface. You have no chance of winning the TPPG if you are not a good checking team.

Video Evidence of the Principles of Play

Video is one of the best teaching tools in the toolbox. Every player should be a student of the game and video provides an excellent opportunity to learn important information on how to play the game the right way. The videos shared in this article were prepared by Coach Kyle MacLennan who produces excellent videos on X formerly Twitter (@Maclennan28). When you study the video clips examine them from the “Principles of Play Lens” to see what principles of play are being displayed and who wins the shift, the play on the puck by executing the principles of play better than their opponent.

The sooner a player learns that the principles of play are the battles within the game that need to be won to win the TPPG the better. Talent and athleticism get a player only so far, it is a player’s competitiveness and character that drives their performance. The players who want the puck will show you they want the puck by their habits on the playing surface.

As a player you want to be really good at managing the puck, making good decisions with the puck. You also want to be a really good checker and you should take pride at being really good at both.

The Videos of the Principles of Play

The video below shares the principles of play to create and attack space in the offensive zone, however, the principles apply to all three zones, some of the principles of play from the video below:

• the puck belongs to your teammates, pass and immediately make yourself available for a return pass,

• outnumber in space to create a player advantage at different levels in the zone, create two on one and three on two situations in space to create a player advantage,

• create and attack space in layers in the zone,

• use the width and depth of the zone to create and attack space,

• constant player movement to create space and confusion, be hard to defend against,

• use different tactics like the give and go, change of direction and cycling of the puck (high, low and reverses), turn backs (delays),

• find the right moment to attack the net based on reading and reacting to the situation and what opens up as a result of the player and puck movement,

• battle for inside body & stick position,

• get to the inside of the ice surface between the dots to attack inside the defensive structure,

• quick puck movement to catch the defensive group out of position to defend,

• set the pace of play and out work the opponent,

• be less position focused and more focused on interchangeable positions and rotational coverage to support the puck,

• set a goal to create 12-15 shots on goal per period.

Players should be encouraged to be creative, create and attack space using the key principles, take what opens up from the execution of the principles.

Encourage read and react skills to take advantage of situations that present by following the principles. The principles are necessary to breakout defensive zone pucks, execute neutral zone regroups/reloads, attack rush play and getting out of any tight space.

Review the video clips in this article with a player group to have the players identify the principles, see what they come up with on their own, engage them, get them thinking. Engage them and they will learn, tell them & they forget.

Hockey intelligence enables players to play at a faster pace to support the puck offensively and defensively.

Offensive Principles Video {Offensive Zone}

The offensive concept is necessary to breakout defensive zone pucks, create an attack rush through the neutral zone, and to create offensive zone time of possession and scoring chances in the zone.

The video clips below are examples of how the offensive group creates and attacks space as a five player unit/group. The players without the puck on the possession take ice by driving lanes (middle and outside lanes) and finding soft spots in the defensive group’s structure to become a passing option by setting a clean passing lane.

To win the time of possession game you must take care of the puck and the best way to manage the puck is to support the puck, the more passing options for the player with the puck under check pressure the better.

In the video clips you will recognize players without the puck on offence attacking space with their feet to get open by taking ice to force coverage and become a passing option. The players without the puck on offence are trying to get open by establishing inside (offensive) position on their defender. As the Forwards drive the zone space is made available for the D pairing to join the attack.

To retain puck possession and advance the puck to create scoring chances you need numbers, it is the responsibility of the offensive group to support the puck to create and attack space and be hard to defend against.

Tactical Play

• Taking the puck wide and deep into the offensive zone,

• Setting the pace of play,

• Use of delays, turn backs and change of direction,

• Cycling the puck low, high and reverses in the zone,

• Give and Go plays in the zone,

• Deception to get into soft spots within the structure.

Kyle MacLennan on X has some excellent videos to support the teaching of these concepts and principles, recommended follow.

Q. What specific acts created space in the zone?

Q. Did the offensive groups create & attack space?

Q. Did creating & attacking space cause the opponent to become disconnected as a defensive group?

Videos from Coach Kyle MacLennan (X account @MacLennan28)

Taylor Hall Attack Rush Play Against Two Defenders

An excellent teaching video on the 1:2 Attack Rush Play is shared. Taylor Hall picks the puck up off the wall in his own zone, smartly heads into middle ice (between the dots) gaining speed through the neutral zone to attack Jack Eichel (VGKF9) who is skating backwards covering for the D caught up ice. Instead of attacking space Taylor attacks his defender with speed to put the puck under his stick to retrieve it on the other side of Eichel to establish inside body and stick position on Eichel to make a play on net. Eichel is penalized on the play for getting his stick into Hall’s hands.

On the 1:2 play the Puck Carrier attacks the defender not space. By gaining speed attacking his defender he has the option of putting the puck through his defenders legs or under his defenders stick skating past the defender to pick up the puck on the other side of his defender. The other option is using his defender as a screen and shooting through his defenders legs or on either side of the defender to get a quality shot on net then proceed to the net for a rebound opportunity should there be one. There’s no better option for a Puck Carrier 1:1 or 1:2 to attack the defender vs space. The speed play putting the puck through the defender is a good hockey play.

Taylor Hall 1:2 Attack Rush Video

The 2025/2026 Carolina Hurricanes winning the Stanley Cup was the culmination of years of planning. There was a vision and plan with specific goals and objectives to be worked over the years to achieve the ultimate goal which was being the best team on the planet. Have a listen to Rod Brind’Amour’s 2025 pre-camp talk to the players, there should be no doubt after listening to the speech that the team had a plan to be the best team on the planet.

Some of the key elements of the Carolina Hurricanes plan:

• Get the right players on the bus and in the right seats and get the wrong players off the bus.

• Share the team’s identity, the style of game that needed to be played consistently.

• Use of analytics to measure performance in the key areas of the game to achieve the plan’s goal(s) and objectives and to tweak the plan along the journey.

• Teaching/Coaching of players the skills, tactics and systems to play the team’s identity (style of game).

• Working the development plan of individual players, groups of players and the team.

• Managing adversity and the challenges that are going to be part of the journey.

• Build a depth roster with every player and group of players put out on the ice being able to play the style of game that the team needed to play.

• The right leadership group on the team. A team can’t have too many leaders. You hear the importance of leadership in Rod’s speech to the players, the leaders of a team must bring every player into the fight to be the best.

• Clear standards of play and expectations of every member of the team, and holding every member of the team accountability for performance.

• The player additions were significant changes because the players added improved team performance. TAYLOR HALL, NIKOLAJ EHLERS, LOGAN STANKOVEN, K’ANDRE MILLER.

There’s a right way to play the game of hockey. There’s the right identity/style of game that must be played to be the best team on the planet. Rod Brind’Amour’s Carolina Hurricanes identity is the check to win game. Checking is the recipe for winning the time of possession game and the team that wins the time of possession game generally wins the hockey game. The Carolina Hurricanes play a relentless puck pressure game as a collective group offensively and defensively, they’re always around the puck in all three zones and they set the pace of play.

The NHL has been described as a copycat league. RBA’s style of game has been replicated by recent NHL teams that have won the Stanley Cup by playing the RBA style of game better than his team for a variety of reasons. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers and the Vegas Golden Knights have all be in your face check to win teams.

All NHL Stanley Cup Championship teams are strong checking teams that also manage the puck extremely well, they play as a collective group to win the time of puck possession game.

This style of game being played I call Total Hockey which is the Possession Game, we check press defending in all 3 zones, we defend skating forwards more than backwards to apply pressure on the puck to regain puck possession. When you’re in possession the puck you manage the puck as a collective group.

Total Hockey, The Possession Game should be the standard of play in hockey at all levels. A fun game to play and watch.

The Carolina Hurricanes will be tweaking their plan in 2026/27 and the years that follow but don’t look for them to change the style of game or their identity because that’s never going to change, it’s the recipe for being the best team on the planet. The elements of the plan will constantly be tweaked but never the team’s identity.

If you want to win the Puck Possession Game you need to be a good checking team up and down the roster. There’s no more important technical skill in the game of hockey than checking. Body checking and stick checking both require establishing body position 1st and stick position 2nd.

You can’t win a puck battle one on one or as a group without establishing body and stick position on your opponent. It doesn’t matter if you’re angling a player, boxing out a player net front or in a puck battle on the boards, you must establish body position 1st stick position 2nd. You can’t make an offensive play or a defensive play on a puck without establishing body and stick position.

K’Andre Miller CARD19 - Demonstrating Inside Body & Stick Position, Body Position 1st Stick Position 2nd

What Happens When You Don’t Establish Body & Stick Position Checking

Proper Angling Technique - The Use of Body & Stick Positioning, The Right Technique

Checking is under coached in hockey and it’s the most important technical skill in the game. The team that wins the time of possession game wins the hockey game. You don’t win the time of possession game as a team without being the better checking team in all three zones and in all areas of the ice surface.

There should not be excessive use of force and there should always be respect shown for the opponent being checked.

The first goal was textbook CANES defending against a 3 on 2 Attack Rush play by VEGAS. The CANES D pair played tight gaps in the neutral zone because of the good back pressure tracking support from CANES forwards STANKOVEN and BLAKE, CANES D SLAVIN wins the loose puck and quickly moves the puck to HALL who has gotten in behind the VEGAS D pairing. HALL goes in all alone and puts a wrist shot past the VEGAS goalie.

The CANES shut down the neutral zone in game 6 by press defending to eliminate the skill and speed of VEGAS. By killing plays in the neutral zone it sets up their quick transition game from defence to offence, often catching the opponent out of position to defend. With the back pressure support from the two CANES forwards the CANES outnumbered the VEGAS forward line 4v3 to regain puck possession and quickly counter attack. The CANES defensive game fed their offensive game.

Video of the CANES 1st Goal - Shutting Down the Neutral Zone

The CANES 2nd goal was an offensive forecheck goal by the STANKOVEN, HALL and BLAKE line. The CANES offensive zone and neutral zone forecheck game is all about defending up ice to hunt the puck, win the puck and quickly counter attack once they regain puck possession as a group. On the 2nd goal the CANES forward unit (3) outworked the VEGAS group (5) in their defensive zone, which can’t happen.

You never want to get scored against when you have numbers to defend. VEGAS struggled to get numbers on the puck and to get body and stick position on the puck to regain puck possession and control against a forward group that was determined to make a play.

Video of the CANES 2nd Goal - Defending Up Ice

on the Forecheck to Create Offence

The Carolina Hurricanes played to their identity in game 6 and in every series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026. Marty St. Louis’s description of the CANES “Playing on top of you” accurately described the CANES press defending system, they defend in layers as a collective group and play tight gaps as a collective group defending skating forwards more than skating backwards.

The CANES are a group that set the pace of play because they want to play more with the puck than without the puck and they want to play more on their opponent’s half of the ice than their own.

Look for an article coming out on the CANES style of game. Rod Brind’Amour has been teaching this style of game for many years. Many of the NHL teams have studied the style of play and replicated the style of play to win Stanley Cups by playing his system better than some of his past teams.

Every good offensive player will use their speed, skill and competitiveness to get to the inside of the ice to make a play, to create a scoring chance by getting inside body and stick position or making a pass to a teammate who has established inside body and stick position on their defender in the middle of the ice.

In the two video clips below you see two excellent examples of an offensive player using speed, skill and competitiveness to get to the inside of the ice (middle ice) between the dots, often referred to as the “guts of the ice surface”.

In the 1st clip DALLAS is in the offensive zone on the cycle and the WINGS defenders get beat to the inside of the ice surface and are scored against. DALF22 drops the puck back on the high cycle to a teammate following in behind DALF53 who executes the turn back to avoid DETD23 and takes the puck to the net to score. DAF22 meanwhile after making the drop pass makes a tight turn to get to the middle of the ice to beat his defender to the inside. DALF53 chose the best option which was to make the play himself to score.

In the second clip that follows you see another turn back play executed by SJSF71 low in the corner of the offensive zone, he turns back to create space and then spins around to put a puck on net for SJSF51 to rebound after establishing inside offensive body and stick position on his opponent to score.

The principle of establishing inside body and stick position is both an offensive principle and a defensive principle in hockey. It’s both a one on one and group battle principle to make an offensive play and a defensive play.

Inside body and stick positioning is essential to winning puck battles and making a play on a puck in all three zones of the ice surface.

The principle is underrated and under coached in hockey. We must do a better job of teaching key concepts and principles of the game that haven’t changed in decades and will never change.

There’s no greater thrill in the game than winning inside body & stick position to make a big play. Simple game, hard to play.

Body Checking is defined “as an intentional hit meant to separate an opponent from the puck”. There’s more body checking in playoff hockey than in the regular season because it’s part of the strategy and tactics of winning hockey. Playoffs are about winning hockey and the teams that advance are willing to do what it takes to win.

Body checking, the use of the body and stick to separate a player from the puck is essential to winning a puck and creating space. The hits don’t need to be “concussion type hits” with overwhelming use of force, there only needs to be sufficient force to separate the opponent from the puck, create time and space and take the opponent out of the play to create a numbered player advantage, even if it’s for split seconds.

In this article there’s two different body checks shared from game 5 of the STF. The first video is Jordan STAAL’s 1st goal scored on the forecheck 5 on 5 in the offensive zone. STAAL the F1 forechecker closes in on the D to rush his decision-making with the puck. The D passes the puck up the strong side wall that’s blocked off by the forecheck group and the pass is intercepted by the CANES D pinching down the wall. The puck pressure applied by STAAL closing on the D rushed the puck play causing the turnover and change of possession to score a goal.

STAAL finishing his check on the D with a solid body check took the D out of the play to defend against him after the hit. STAAL immediately leaves the strong side corner after the body check to separate from the D and establish inside body and stick position in the INNER SLOT for the tip/redirect shot pass play net front. The body check by STAAL was responsible for creating time and space for him to establish offensive position in the good ice to score an important goal. The play by the CANES “C” STAAL was a big play in the game that resulted from a clean body check.

In the video clip that follows the STAAL hit you see the CANES D WALKER level VGKF21 with a solid shoulder check that kills the VEGAS offensive zone play in the CANES end of the rink. The play kill resulted in a full ice counter attack goal scoring chance by the CANES. The body check caused a play kill, eliminated a VEGAS player from the play and trapped the VEGAS forward unit below the puck to defend against a quick counter attack by the CANES. The effective use of a body check killed an offensive zone play and disconnected the VEGAS group on the ice from defending against a quick full ice counter attack. The body check by WALKER was an effective defensive play that created an offensive play for his teammates.

Watch in G6 for the increase in body checking because body checking (finishing checks) is a big part of winning the time of puck possession game. Body checking is essential to creating time and space, winning pucks and creating outnumbered play situations that result from the team that’s killing plays with clean body checks.

Body checking is a lost art in today’s game. Playoff hockey brings back body checking into the game because it’s a necessary skill and tactic to win puck possession. The team that wins the time of puck possession game generally wins the hockey game so look for lots of hits in G6 & G7, if there’s a G7.

Clean body checking without excessive force is a big part of the game of hockey. It’s too bad it takes playoff hockey to see an increase in an essential part of winning hockey.

If you’re a hockey player interested in advancing in competitive hockey you must develop your skill level body checking. There’s no need to use excessive force only sufficient force to accomplish the goals. When you become a good body checker you become closer to becoming a complete player. You determine the competitiveness of players by watching them play. The best players are good body checkers.

In the video clip below T.J. Oshie describes the CANES press defending system as overwhelming to play against. It’s like you’re playing against 10 players instead of 5 because of the constant pressure.

The CANES identity is their “Defend to Win” strategy, the press defending system is the tactic used in all 3 zones of the ice surface. The CANES defend more skating forwards to contract the ice surface in all three zones to create a smaller area to defend. The constant puck pressure is by design, the system makes their opponent manage the puck or turn the puck over which creates offensive scoring chances off the quick transition from defence to offence.

The CANES like to play on their toes and make their opponent play on their heels by constantly applying pressure at the point of attack (POA). The CANES strategy is to set the pace of play so they can play more on the opponent’s half of the ice surface than their own. The press defending system pressures the puck and eliminates passing lanes by gapping up on players without the puck to force turnovers. There’s a risk reward to the press defending system as we have seen, there are times the aggressive puck pressure has exposed the CANES defensive system with quick puck movement to get the puck above the defensive structure with numbers which catches the CANES disconnected as a FIVE out of position to defend as a group.

T.J. Oshie’s Description of the CANES Pressure Defensive System

“You feel like there’s 10 guys on the ice, it’s very overwhelming to play against”

Game 5 - Two of the Four Goals from Defending Up Ice Press Defending

1st Forecheck Goal - AHO

Martinhook applying F1 pressure on the puck executes the stick under D’s for the stick tap up to get his stick on the puck and quickly relocates the puck low to high, quick puck movement to AHO going to the net, AHO skilled play on the puck, skate blade to stick blade and goes up top to score by getting to open ice inside the dots. Puck pressure forcing a turnover and using the puck win to quickly transition and attack on offence. Shorter the distance to the net the better to create scoring chances, the defensive group has less time to get into position to defend the counter attack.

2nd Forecheck Goal - JORDO

F1 is JORDO who rushes the pass by the D up the strong side wall, D pinches down to support the forecheck, F2 wins the loose puck and relocates to F3 high in middle ice who immediately hits JORDO going to the net for the tip/redirect goal. JORDO beats his man into the INNER SLOT and gets body and stick position to make the play.

The CANES press defend with a strong forecheck in the offensive zone and neutral zone defending skating forwards to take away ice and create a smaller area to defend. The CANES apply the same puck pressure, press defending system in their defensive zone pressuring the puck and playing man coverage in the zone. The speed to the puck to close on pucks individually and as a group is their identity. The CANES want to play more with the puck than without the puck and that’s why they press defend. The press defending system feeds their offensive game while also facilitating the ability to win the puck possession game.

The key to the defend the win game is press defending, applying puck pressure at all times in all three zones. Throughout the CANES lineup everyone plays the same system because they defend as a collective group and play offensively as a collective group. It’s like they play on top of you, it’s like you’re playing against 10 guys instead of 5 guys. Simple game, hard to play.

The press defending system, the strong forecheck puck pressure defending system is the key to winning the puck possession game. You should want the puck, you should want to play with pressure on the puck at all times as a defensive group of five. The best teams hunt and win pucks. The best teams defend the guts of the ice by skating forwards angling and pushing pucks outside the dots to win back pucks. Backing up isn’t defending, you back up when you’re out of position to defend as a collective group.