How to Defend Faster Players in Hockey – Youth Defensive Skills by Nick Brusa

How to Stop Your Opponent's Speed Before It Begins

No doubt hockey is getting faster and players are becoming more skillful. Learning how to defend faster players in hockey means your ability to process the game must also speed up. It gets to a point where you begin to anticipate, you begin to understand the next step.

As a defenseman you don’t want your opponent to get a step on you when your defending a line rush. New era forwards are masters at making defenseman move laterally and burning down the wall using their speed.

As a defenseman the thought of getting beat wide can keep you up at night.

If you’re looking for a solution for not getting beat wide 1v1. Introducing, “exit kills” where defenseman shut the play down before it turns into an entry. Essentially, you kill the play on your opponent’s attempted breakout exit.

In this clip below, look at the initial positioning of the USA defenseman in the light colored jersey in the top right corner of the screen, he starts out of his opponent’s eye sight, at the last second swoops in turning his skates parallel with his opponent and goes stick on stick, punching the puck while maintaining defensive body positioning.

Upon doing so, he shuts down the wide speed before they get a chance to start up.

In the next clip below, watch how the USA defenseman angles his opponent, anticipating and using timing to his advantage when mirroring the pass. He also positions his stick and body, steering the opponent up the wall. Notice his body positioning, he remains on the defensive side the entire time. There was no big hit, he swooped in, punched the puck and made the play. It is also important to note if the USA player timed his route too early, his opponent would have been discouraged to make that pass.

The same concept also applies for the weak side defenseman. Watch how the USA defenseman in the dark colored jersey positions himself on his initial approach. He’s a step behind his opponent in order to build up speed, eventually ending up skating parallel side by side, until he can punch the puck.

How to Deny & Defend Space from Faster Players in Hockey

Watch how to apply this concept in another situation as the USA weak side defenseman quickly takes away the puck carrier’s space and passing lanes as he skates forward. Angling his opponent with an excellent gap, his opponent does not notice his dangerous proximity until it’s too late.

For many youth players, defenseman may struggle with staying mentally sharp and playing ready. Meaning that in order to be successful on your exit kills, you’re required to play with an intense focus, anticipating your next move, finding your man and calculating your decision to gap up or find space. You have to be a master at recognizing puck possession along with reading and reacting.

When you don’t have the puck, notice in all of the clips above, the USA defenseman were never standing flat footed, they all had some momentum. Ask yourself, “If the puck went to my opponent am I already in a perfect position to shut the play down without him spotting me beforehand?” It is sort of like the childhood game of kick-the-can or capture-the-flag, you have to ambush the player and catch them by surprise.

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