Ian Taylor is the Executive Director of the OMHA and former Director of Hockey Development. A proud hockey dad of two, Ian has over 25 years of instructional and coaching experience.
When we use the term TOTAL hockey, we mean all five player working together, reading off each other and interchanging positions – to manipulate defenders and create confusion.
In previous Video Coach sessions, we have looked that the Total Hockey in the offensive zone featuring the Tampa Bay Lightning and Chicago Blackhawks but lets change gears and look at a concept that features the OZ rotation of the Colorado Avalanche using the high cycle and forced-switches to attack open ice.
Watch the video, then look at each sequence broken down frame by frame to focus in on the rotation and look at how it helps these players in creating time and space, creating passing and shooting lanes. Included in the bottom is a drill you can run at your next practice to teach this concept.
This zone entry and offensive zone sequence illustrates the importance of creating mis-matches, manipulating the feet of defenders, quick and close support and the danger of attacking off the wall with speed. It also shows how quickly the defending team can go from controlled structure to breakdown.
Here as the puck carrier moves the puck along the boards, the defencemen at the point activates, skating between the puck carrier and the boards. As they meet, the puck carrying forward leaves the puck for the defenceman then attempts to take the opposing defender with him, creating space for the puck carrying defenceman to move into or pass.
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Ian Taylor is the Executive Director of the OMHA and former Director of Hockey Development. A proud hockey dad of two, Ian has over 25 years of instructional and coaching experience.