Small, but big tips thread

[Pittsburgh Proud]

most of what's been said here is really good advice.



i agree with your original advice of 'position, position, position'. but learning via NHL11 seems like a bit of a gongshow. to be honest, i haven't played a lot of be a pro mode, but what i have played has had arrows telling me to play like i'm on a foosball table a lot of the time. and seems to lean extremely heavily on offensive cheating.

i guess it might be a useful tool if you're completely unaware of where you should be. but i wouldn't put a whole lot of faith in it if you want to apply it to the real world.


but positioning is easily the most important aspect of hockey. you might be able to skate like the wind, but if you don't have a clue where you're supposed to be...it does pretty much no good at all. and vice versa,

I see what your saying. I play center on it and if focuses more on defensive play. But I used to play wing on it and I thought it was pretty accurate. I think it depends on the way you look at the arrow. When it gets real long it doesn't mean you have to be there right at that moment but it will show it on quick rushes and such. I still back my original opinion. Have you played it on 11? The computers are in position are they not? It's the same deal but it's "suggesting" where you go. That game wouldn't work if the makers didn't understand the positioning. And to be fair I said decent idea and better idea of where you need to be on the ice. Never said it's a cure all but it is a real easy way to get tips. And I've been playing for 10 years and it helped me. For sure better than that simulator. I tried to use that and it works real weird; maybe that was just me though haha.

 

[Devil Dancer]

I played my best game ever yesterday thanks to this tip. I literally didn't worry about getting the puck taken away from me. If someone approched, I either pivoted or did some stick work that I didn't even know I could do. I feel like the game of hockey has finally opened up to me. No more a grind, but a display of skill and teamwork.

That's an awesome feeling. You find yourself pulling off some move you had never even considered, and you say to yourself "where the F did I learn that?" I noticed myself doing that a lot more this year.

 

[Holy Jokinen]

That's an awesome feeling. You find yourself pulling off some move you had never even considered, and you say to yourself "where the F did I learn that?" I noticed myself doing that a lot more this year.

I think the best thing you can do, aside from constantly getting on the ice as much as possible, is to watch hockey. I think that's where a lot of these "surprising" skills come from. Monkey see, monkey do.

For those wondering about positioning, this is also a good tactic. Next time you go to a game where any sort of higher level guys are playing (whether in your local league, or NHL or whatever) pick one guy and watch where he is in the defensive zone, and how he transitions to offense.

 

[Jarick]

The first time I read this thread title, I thought it said big HIPS, and the next time, I thought it said something else entirely.

Here's a fun one: spread out.

 

[Samuel Culper III]

You probably have more time than you think you do.

Bingo.

Most mistakes come from rushing or forcing a play. If you play hard and have decent fundamental skating, shooting, handling and passing skills, the only reason you should make mistakes is because you don't realize how much time you have to make a smart play.

 

[Ribosome]

I played my best game ever yesterday thanks to this tip. I literally didn't worry about getting the puck taken away from me. If someone approched, I either pivoted or did some stick work that I didn't even know I could do. I feel like the game of hockey has finally opened up to me. No more a grind, but a display of skill and teamwork.

Awesome, I'm glad the tip helped. I tell it to every new player that will listen. All it takes is that one sentence and a newbie's game is completely transformed (like you mentioned).

Also, it sounds like you had a good time -- which is what it is all about!

 

[ComradeChris]

Shooting power is more about core strength than arm strength. You're arms should control the pucks direction (follow through and lift) while your core puts in the power through the weight transfer. Slapshots are harder because more core energy is being used as the potential energy builds up to be released as you wind up for the slapper.

 

[Czar]

Whenever you get the puck, your line of thinking should be (in order of priority):

1. Can I shoot on net? If no, go to 2...

2. Do I have room to maneuver? If no, go to 3...

3. Is there a teammate open?

It works, trust me!

Some others...
-Utilize the point
-Blind passes are generally a bad idea
-NEVER pass across your crease
-Head on a swivel
-Don't be afraid to get creative
-Always keep the feet churning
-Stick on the ice
-Learn the boards
-Dump and chase works

 

[gojacketsgo61]

For basic forward positioning:

As a winger, in the Defensive zone, your hover from between the hask marks and the point on your side and move with the Defender to cover that pass.

As a centre, help out the defense or stand infront of the net to block the cross crease pass.

In the offensive zone:

Centre usually will pressure the puck, and whatever side the puck is on, that side winger usually helps him out. Other winger sits infront of the net hoping for rebounds, deflections and screening the goalie.

 

[Skraut]

Non check doesn't mean non contact...

 

[Waltah*]

Non check doesn't mean non contact...

got a wake up call in my first roller game last night. pretty physical around the net and during faceoffs for a no check league.

i was on the wing and my teammate on D told me to not be afraid of stepping into the opposing winger on the face off. 20 seconds later, no joke, they re-do the faceoff after an unfair drop. I step into/inside my opponent, ball is won to our side, i stick check my opponent, ball goes to my feet, kicked it up to my stick, took a couple strides and wristed it right off the inside of the far post! first goal of my first competitive hockey game. so freakin awesome.

dont be afraid to make contact.

 

[Waltah*]

tip i learned last night, dont wait to get possesion of the puck back or wait for the other team to give it up. make plays or smart decisions to get it back .

 

[beth]

I have a little tip that I learned from my coach in practice...

When the puck is whipping around the boards, you can catch it by putting your butt to the boards with your heel of the foot (farthest from the puck) tight against the boards, toe pointing outwards, with the other foot ahead out of the way. The puck hits the inside of back skate and ricochets right onto your stick! It's a pretty cool trick, I don't know how practical it is.

 

[beth]

first goal of my first competitive hockey game. so freakin awesome.

Nice, Waltah! I was just wondering if you'd had your first game yet!

 

[Waltah*]

Nice, Waltah! I was just wondering if you'd had your first game yet!

i updated the noob thread but my head is going 100miles a minute thinking about the game. hope it makes sense. it was so much fun.

 

[ekcut]

1) Never chase a player behind the net...you'll never catch him...go in front of the net and meet him at the other post.

2) Watch his belly button. His head, hands, shoulders and feet may make 100 moves in different directions, but he isn't going anywhere without his belly button going there first.

3) Learn the boards...not just for a safe clear, but learn your angles and start something with a safe clear by hitting a winger with a bounce pass.

4) If your the last make back, always make the safe play...there will be other times to get creative!

 

[mfd1068]

Try to play with a fast pace. Always hustle and back check hard. A couple of weeks ago I played in a tourney with a local +30 team. In our 3rd game we played a team that had 7 skaters while we had 3 lines. I knew right from the start we'd lose because our team did not have the discipline to take hard short shifts. We played there pace, which as you can imagine was to slow the game to a crawl. I'm not suggesting you race around like say a Jason Blake for a minute, just elevate your pace and maybe your team will as well.

 

[Trojan35]

Look around before the puck comes to you.

It makes the game 5x easier.

 

[ponder]

I have a little tip that I learned from my coach in practice...

When the puck is whipping around the boards, you can catch it by putting your butt to the boards with your heel of the foot (farthest from the puck) tight against the boards, toe pointing outwards, with the other foot ahead out of the way. The puck hits the inside of back skate and ricochets right onto your stick! It's a pretty cool trick, I don't know how practical it is.

It's very practical, this is definitely the most common way to deal with a puck coming up the boards as a winger trying to break out (i.e. when you're at the boards roughly around the hash marks, and your dman rifles the puck up the boards to you trying to start a breakout). Ideally your dman should be looking to make a tape to tape pass instead, but sometimes they put it up the boards, in which case you're forced to do this. Make sure to stay real tight to the boards so there's no space for the puck to slip through, while also being ready for any weird bounces that may cause the puck to leave the boards, cause if you fail to stop the puck you're often giving the opposing dman an open point shot, something I've had happen to me way too many times!

 

[ComradeChris]

-Be unpredictable. Change your style of attack. Works from 1 on 1 moves to systems. Have certain lines run different forechecks.

For example Line 1 = 3-2 Line 2 = 2-1-2 Line 3 = 1-2-2 Low Line 4 = Trap/Left Wing Lock

 

[ATLhockey437]

The best tip I ever got from a coach who is actually Kesler's uncle. Regarding always keeping your head up.

When your controlling the puck or just practicing your stickhandling on the ice, instead of keeping your head down, use your farsightedness focus on the yellow bricks on the bottom of the board. You'll still be able to see the the action in front of you while being able to see the puck on your blade (barely) but well enough to where it wont throw off your vision. It will all depend on how close or how far your stickhandling from your skates but will help tremendously.

 

[OilerNut*]

Whenever you get the puck, your line of thinking should be (in order of priority):

1. Can I shoot on net? If no, go to 2...

2. Do I have room to maneuver? If no, go to 3...

3. Is there a teammate open?

It works, trust me!

Some others...
-Utilize the point
-Blind passes are generally a bad idea
-NEVER pass across your crease
-Head on a swivel
-Don't be afraid to get creative
-Always keep the feet churning
-Stick on the ice
-Learn the boards
-Dump and chase works

That's a big one I noticed when I play, see players trying to force a pass across the ice to centre/winger through 3 guys when the defenceman is standing all alone at the blue line. Another big thing is if you need to clear the puck, put it out along the boards, off the glass if you have to. Seen so many goals scored against where a guy tries for the long pass up the middle of the ice.

 

[Razzmatazz]

Don't stop moving your feet when turning the corner on the defenseman while driving to the net.

 

[2faded]

I think the best tip given so far is you have more time than you think. But, ill go opposite of that as well. Stop waiting till the last second to move the puck!!! Drives me nuts.

Just because there's no one around you or you arent in danger of losing the puck to someone doesnt mean you cant move the puck...in ALL situations. How many times have you seen this:

Person has the puck with no one around but a forechecker is closing in. Person with the puck waits until the forechecker is right in his face to try to pass and now has pretty much no options and most of the time makes a crappy pass or a pass that the forechecker tips.

TIP: The closer the forechecker gets to you the less options/angles you have.

Or how many times have you seen this:

2 on 1. Instead of making tic-tac-toe passes and confusing the hell out of the D and the goalie, forward with the puck just holds the puck until both players are pretty much in the crease and then tries to pass it across. The D knows what youre gonna do, the goalie knows what youre going to do...everybody knows what youre gonna do.

TIP: The longer you wait the less options/angles you have.

I think what happens is that the inexperienced player thinks the only way to beat the opposing team with the puck is to wait till they're close. Because then once you pass it away there is no way the opposing player will get to the puck. In reality, you can pass it much earlier and there is still no way the opposing player will get to the puck.

 

[SnowBlue]

Yeah, my team likes to take long shifts too. Especially if it’s the PP, the pace is not the same so people will play even longer.

One of the simplest positioning tips I recently learned.

In the offensive zone, position yourself closer to the boards. Or if you see your player pressured move to the boards to open yourself up. Most teams will not cover them as much as the front of the net and it’s easier to maintain possession. When I started playing I thought that the front of the net was the best place to be. So most of our players without the puck (me included) would just float in a highly trafficked zone with little chance of scoring or receiving pass. That's not to say not to go to the net, but just know when to do so.

The thing about the boards is that they are a bit scary, not due to the physicality but because it 'seems' like there is less space than open ice.