Advice: Improve as a Playmaker or Keep Shooting?

[tarheelhockey]

Just to be clear, ideally you want to glide laterally rather than stop. That keeps the dman honest. I wish I had a vid, but Crosby does it really effectively.

 

[STC]

Going into my 6th year of rec hockey, low level C league. Always been a shoot first player. Get up the ice fast and get a shot on net. I've been scoring more and more over the years but rarely get assists.

I'm always hearing about the importance of those who can make everyone around them better. I tend to do the opposite, hog the puck, and neutralize my linemates. Some guys complain, others don't mind, and my captain keeps telling me to shoot the puck as much as possible.

The thing is I'm one of the faster skaters on my team, so I tend to lead the rush and can't see anyone with me. If I slow up to let them catch up, the defenders come back too. If I try and drop pass, usually my guys take off in the other direction. And I'm awful at passing on the 2-on-1.

When I play up a level, it's easy to do, since the guys are so fast you can keep them in your peripheral and they handle pucks really easy.

As it is, usually I get on a line with some of the weaker skaters/players on the team and rely on beating the defense for a rush a handful of times. We almost never cycle or pass the puck at my level because most just don't send or catch passes well.

If you were in my shoes, would you keep trying to score as much as possible and pretty much never pass the puck, or would you pass as much as possible to try and improve that side of your game?

I don't think its a matter of choosing one path or the other. What it comes down to is just getting better as a hockey player. You've only been playing hockey 6 years and it sounds like you've found a nice niche as a north south player who can shoot the puck.

Becoming a better playmaker isn't so much a conscious choice as it is a natural byproduct of becoming a better skater and player. The more comfortable you are on your skates when it comes to starts/stops and tight pivot turns, the more time and space you'll find created for yourself. More time and space means you'll have more opportunity to pick your head up and see the ice and play developing.

Nothing wrong with shooting when you're open, however coming down the side boards and blasting 30 foot bad angle slappers is not exactly good hockey.

Here's a tip...next time you get a full head of steam and find yourself alone on the attack, take the puck wide and circlie behind the net, give your teammates a chance to fill in the passing lanes, by the time you get around the net you take a look and you might find a teammate all alone streaking to the far post for a tap in.

As for your poor passing on 2 on 1s, go hit up some rat skates and practice...tons of odd man rushes in rat hockey.

 

[Jarick]

After last night, priority #1 is getting into somewhat better shape.

 

[STC]

After last night, priority #1 is getting into somewhat better shape.

but that would defeat the whole purpose of men's league hockey

 

[Macak]

I'm in the same boat as you, but in the other way. Too much pass. But with time, I realize that people like to play with me and it's the purpose of the game (having fun WITH friends). Or if you want something more competitive, go one level up. You gonna have to work harder to have the same numbers of chance to shoot.

 

[Joe Cole]

Scoring a goal is as much fun as setting up a nice scoring play, but the latter rarely happens...



I have tried this but usually what happens is the backchecking forward from the other team catches up first and then strips the puck from me or at least forces me to ring it around the boards. I do try this a couple times per game but rarely does it work.

Maybe it'd be better if I instead of looping towards the boards just stopped? Maybe if I'm more focused on backing off the defenseman than evading him...

Use you body to angle yourself to protect from back checkers. A dead stop could work too.

So...skate between the two defensemen on a 1-on-2 situation? How does this work on the rush? Any way I'm envisioning this, I'm looking at less ice...I come in at one side or the other and then skate to the far corner with the defenseman, my guys are still behind me...

Not between the two D, across them. Make them change assignments on you.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I was the same type of forward as you when I played. I scored more goals than assists. It was usually a 2-1 ratio.

If I couldn't beat the defenseman 1 on 1 in a foot race to the net off the rush i would do one of two things.

1) Cut towards the middle a little, slam on the brakes and curl towards the half boards. This gives me a few seconds to look for a passing opportunity. If none exists and a forward or defenseman is putting pressure on you, i would dump the puck into the corner and behind the net allowing my teammates to try and retrieve the puck and start the cycle.

2) The other thing I would do is cut hard to the net taking the defenseman with me by leaning into him while protecting the puck.

Kinda like this:

Then you use the net as a pick to gain separation from the defenseman. This puts one defenseman completely out of position and it opens tons of passing lanes. When you come out the other side of the it looks like this:

Depending on where your teammates are you can do a cross-crease pass, feed someone in the top of the slot or set up a one timer from the point with a screen if your teammates can get to the front of the net.

 

[Richard]

Im a forward who is a pure playmaker, I have a great wrist shot and a good snapper. My problem is a pass all the time, I'm big so I slow the play down and hold the puck and I always find the open man. I love playing on the boards and behind the net.

See, I have the opposite problem, my captain came to me and said I needed to shoot more. It came in a game where I made a between the legs drop pass for a goal-which is nice but I was on the breakaway with a defender all over me. I was "hot dogging" it evidently.... but I really wasnt.

I have open shots all the time but I just dont take them. Im the pure opposite of you and from my experience you just gotta play your game.

 

[Joe Cole]

I was the same type of forward as you when I played. I scored more goals than assists. It was usually a 2-1 ratio.

If I couldn't beat the defenseman 1 on 1 in a foot race to the net off the rush i would do one of two things.

1) Cut towards the middle a little, slam on the brakes and curl towards the half boards. This gives me a few seconds to look for a passing opportunity. If none exists and a forward or defenseman is putting pressure on you, i would dump the puck into the corner and behind the net allowing my teammates to try and retrieve the puck and start the cycle.......

This is what I meant as well, in my option #1. Although the cut to middle I can only assume is a fake before you cut to the half boards.

 

[Thesensation19*]

Im not one for pass more than shoot or shoot more than pass, its about being a smart hockey player and being overall good at everything so your ready for any situation and making the right call when the situation happens buttttt

If your not good at something than you must practice... repetition is key.

Static drills
Drills where you stand stationary and aim for a target through passes. Try a few times with a forehand, then backhand, saucer. Do it enough times for long enough and u will see improvement.

But dont just sit there
Also work on your dynamics. Move forward, sideways, on the left side, on the right side, backwards, during a turn toward or away from your target.

Do both for targets that dont move and then move onto ones that do move...

Practice receiving a pass and then dishing one back. Practice receiving a pass from one player or one source and then sending it to another target.

As you can see my point is to repeat and repeat and challenge yourself. If you cant be on ice for it, go on roller blade. Do both! And add in some drills on your feet.


Remember to work on all forms of passing and remember to challenge your body so its always being tested. Failure will happen, keep it up until you pass.


Have fun with it tho...