Define "hockey sense"
- Thread starter Brain Hemorrhage
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As soon as I saw this, I thought puck presence 
Seriously, I think of it as making very good choices, knowning what his happening not only with you but other people on the ice, and having the ability to project what will happen, and reacting accordingly to that.
Basically, it's being smart, and knowing what to do.
Seriously, I think of it as making very good choices, knowning what his happening not only with you but other people on the ice, and having the ability to project what will happen, and reacting accordingly to that.
Basically, it's being smart, and knowing what to do.
Barnaby
Registered User
Puck poise will make you a god... just look at Martin Skoula.
Hockey sense to me is on ice intelligence, vision, etc... General phrase IMO.
Hockey sense to me is on ice intelligence, vision, etc... General phrase IMO.
Hockey sense is your understanding of the game and capacity to apply it in game situations. Hockey sense develops with experience, but to different degrees for every player. Some will never be able to combine their understanding of the game with their in-game reactions, which is two seperate things. When the 2 are successfully merged, we refer to it as hockey sense or instincts.
More specifically, to me, hockey sense is your ability to read the play (at the ice level) in advance in order to react to it, whether be it in an offensive or defensive manner. To anticipate where your teammate is going to be or where you should position yourself to create a scoring opportunity. It's also being able to anticipate and intercept a pass from the other team, read the play as it happens and know what's going to happen next. Read the other player's game and outsmart him. In other words, read the game.
As a side note, Sheldon Souray said himself he developed his hockey sense during the time he was injured (year and a half) by watching a lot of hockey. He said it gave him a different perspective on things to watch the game from above, and anyone who one day played hockey, at any level, knows this is true. This is probably in part why he broke out last year.
More specifically, to me, hockey sense is your ability to read the play (at the ice level) in advance in order to react to it, whether be it in an offensive or defensive manner. To anticipate where your teammate is going to be or where you should position yourself to create a scoring opportunity. It's also being able to anticipate and intercept a pass from the other team, read the play as it happens and know what's going to happen next. Read the other player's game and outsmart him. In other words, read the game.
As a side note, Sheldon Souray said himself he developed his hockey sense during the time he was injured (year and a half) by watching a lot of hockey. He said it gave him a different perspective on things to watch the game from above, and anyone who one day played hockey, at any level, knows this is true. This is probably in part why he broke out last year.
Lou is God
Registered User
When I read that someones has hockey sense I think of one who natural understands the game and is not needed to be told what to do in some situtations twice. In other words Joe Sakic has hockey sense, Alexei Kovalev doesn't.
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
rt
The Kinder, Gentler Version
Barnaby said:
I dunno, as far as puck poise goes, I think Skoula is overrated. He doesn't hold a candle to Dustin Rose!
Lou is God said:
Alex Kovalev has a boatload of hockey sense. Players will always need to be told what to do, sometimes more than once, especially when they don't see eye to eye with their coaches and their game strategies or are a bit free spirited (to put it gently).
Hockey sense isn't about missions on the ice or responsabilities, it's about understanding what's happening as it is happening. Kovalev has more instincts than 80% (if not more) of the players currently in the NHL. His problem lies elsewhere (dedication and will to pay the price on a constant basis).
Well of course this is only my opinion, so feel free to disagree.
Lou is God
Registered User
I can't recall a player that I have seen look so lost on the ice as much as Kovalev, to me that's not someone with good hockey sense as Joe Sakic who hardly ever looks lost out there, that's how I define hockey sense anyway.
clefty
Retrovertigo
Hockey sense is the antithesis of Rico Fata.
God bless him, he tries his hardest, but damn....
The Kovalev I know (he's spent most of his career as a Penguin, or at least the best part of his career a Penguin) is very coachable and dedicated, he's a brilliant trainer. He does lack hockey sense, he does succeed in making boneheaded decision.
God bless him, he tries his hardest, but damn....
The Kovalev I know (he's spent most of his career as a Penguin, or at least the best part of his career a Penguin) is very coachable and dedicated, he's a brilliant trainer. He does lack hockey sense, he does succeed in making boneheaded decision.
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Brain Hemorrhage
Registered User
Munchaussen that was a fantastic definition. But what do you mean "Some will never be able to combine their understanding of the game with their in-
game actions, which is two seperate things." That confused me a bit. Otherwise I thought that was a great reply!!! You are a good writer!!!
game actions, which is two seperate things." That confused me a bit. Otherwise I thought that was a great reply!!! You are a good writer!!!
Aaron Vickers
FCHockey
octopi said:I'd add gretzky, Wayne, but he didn't seem to have a defensive game.
This comment is inconclusive.
At this time it is not known whether or not Wayne Gretzky had a defensive game. We're reviewing tape, but can't seem to find an instance where he wasn't in the offensive zone.
octopi said:I'd add gretzky, Wayne, but he didn't seem to have a defensive game.
Yeah, joking, but! I think Wayne actually showed good hockey sense, since he was arguably most useful for his team doing just what he did, helping his team by making them score incredible amount of goals.
Without reading anything but the title of this thread, hockey sense to me = patience and awareness.
The Old Master
come and take it.
me2
Go ahead foot
Munchausen said:
Pretty much nailed it.
Read the play
anticipate the next move
calculate a suitable response
I'll add response doesn't have to be the same.
A defenseman might have jumped up into the play and is caught near the opposition goalie.
A defensive minded forward might spot that their defenseman is now missing, and the an opposing forward is cheating up ice hoping for a breakout, he'll drop back to stop the breakaway.
An offensive minded forward might spot the gap about to be left by the cheating oposition forward that tried to break out early, then moves into the now open space to take a shot.
Both saw the same play, both anticipate the play, and calculated different responses.
Brain Hemorrhage said:
Hey I just need to look in the mirror to know what I mean.
I always understood the game pretty well on a theoretical level, but when I was playing the game, I would regularly take bad decisions on the ice. It's one thing to be able to analyse the game, and an other to be able to react to it properly. It might be because of a lack of creativity, low panic treshold, not mentally sharp enough to react with the correct timing, etc. to more physically specific deficiencies like bad hand-eye coordination.
It's also very different to interpret a play when you're on the ice from when you're in the stands or watching it on a screen. It's easier to see the play unfold from above since you can see all the elements at once. A player has to anticipate without always knowing where everybody is on the ice. That's why you'll see certain gifted players do brilliant passes sometimes without looking, just because they anticipated the position of a teammate properly. That takes a sharp hockey sense.
So the game of hockey can be thought, but the way you react on the ice based on that knowledge is an other thing. That is what I meant by two seperate things.
Luigi Lemieux
Registered User
- Sep 26, 2003
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awareness, creativity, vision, anticipation, patience are the five words that i think should be used to define hockey sense. varying degrees of the five apply to all players. someone like gretzky, excels in all five categories.
Hockey Sense & Skill
I would add that integrating your skill set, based on what you can pull off in a game against a certain opponent, is important as well. Integrating your skillset into the game is really important. Some highly skilled players might try to do too much and fail as a result or maybe they don't do enough. Then you have other average skilled players playing within themselves, not trying to do too much and making really good decisions and create good opportunities for themselves and their linemates in their own unique way.
I would add that integrating your skill set, based on what you can pull off in a game against a certain opponent, is important as well. Integrating your skillset into the game is really important. Some highly skilled players might try to do too much and fail as a result or maybe they don't do enough. Then you have other average skilled players playing within themselves, not trying to do too much and making really good decisions and create good opportunities for themselves and their linemates in their own unique way.
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