The changing style of hockey...

[Benttheknee]

Hockey seems to be moving to players that can play all positions. You basically play as a 5 man unit all taking over for their teammates depending on the current play.

As a fan of Ottawa, I frequently see defense being played by forwards and vice versa and not just Karlsson. This is quite apparent in the O zone where the first attacker could be a defenseman, then a forward falls to the point and effectively becomes the defenseman.

Ottawa has also been drafting a ton of centers and avoiding wingers. This means their forwards are capable of playing all forward positions more easily.

Not sure if other people have noticed this, but it makes sense as it means your team is more organic and they are not fixed to a single position.

Click to read more...

 

[Tripod]

Tortorella came out a week ago that he doesn't se Werenski as a Dman, but more as a rover.

 

[NyQuil]

Tortorella came out a week ago that he doesn't se Werenski as a Dman, but more as a rover.

That's a bad word around here.

 

[Tripod]

That's a bad word around here.

It was Torts exact word:

“I don’t even call him a defenseman, I call him a rover,” John Tortorella said of Werenski. “That’s what we are trying to turn him into.”

 

[NyQuil]

It was Torts exact word:

“I don’t even call him a defenseman, I call him a rover,” John Tortorella said of Werenski. “That’s what we are trying to turn him into.”

Yeah, don't let HFers hear that. It means he's terrible.

 

[Tripod]

Torts, the forward thinking genius?

 

[Rebels57]

Torts, the forward thinking genius?

Meanwhile in Philly

"We want our defensemen joining the rush but never leading the rush." - Dave Hakstol

 

[Viqsi]

Meanwhile in Philly

"We want our defensemen joining the rush but never leading the rush." - Dave Hakstol

Oy. We've had goals scored when the first two guys on the rush were Werenski and Jones.

You just need forwards who are really, really dedicated to backchecking and have enough of a clue to cover the point. We do pretty decently in that regard.



EDIT: Video of the example I was thinking of in that first sentence:

 

[NyQuil]

Torts, the forward thinking genius?

Fourth-forward thinking?

 

[Mickey Marner]

The past few seasons defensemen (like Karlsson) have really started to utilize the additional two feet that was added to the defensemen's end of the offensive zone in 2005. Think about how often do you see a defenseman strafe along the blue line to create an offensive chance. Pre-2005 that's offside.