The Flyers forechecking strategy

[Flyerss]

It’s the offseason and i was getting bored so i decided to do some research about the Flyers strategies/system unfortunately I couldn’t find anything online, so decided to do a little bit of research to find out

according to Berube comments from the Flyers town hall meeting

it is a trap style called a center lock which he said is built on a system he saw used in Detroit. He says that you need big centermen supported by big defensemen to clog up the neutral zone to take away time and space from the opposing players.

-The only thing i'll be talking about is the forcheck.

*The "Center lock" uses a 2(RW-LW)-1(C)-2(RD-LD) formation
Should look like this:

This strategy relies about moving fast, thinking fast and being on the same page to avoid wasting time when executing.
( I advise you to read the whole paragraph first before watching the clips to understand what's everyone role and how are they supposed to react).

Once the puck is dumped in the space behind the opposing defense:

1-the wingers will fore-check aggressively with speed pressuring opposing defenses to retrieve the puck, usually the wingers attack from opposite side.
2- The center will position himself around the high slot area covering the middle of the ice which allows him to have a great scoring opportunity if winger can recover the puck and pass it to him.

Here is an example: http://gfycat.com/ActiveDazzlingDragonfly

-if the other team recovers the puck first and tries to breakout the center will take away time and space from the opposing player by steering the play to the boards which forces the guy trying to breakout to act fast in a small space (2nd scenario).

Here is an example: http://gfycat.com/SickForsakenHarvestmouse

3-RD will cover the right side of the ice and the LD will cover the left side preventing the puck from getting out of the offensive zone.

Some other examples:
-http://gfycat.com/HopefulQuestionableAfricanpiedkingfisher
-http://gfycat.com/FickleBleakCirriped
-http://gfycat.com/BriskFortunateAmurminnow


*Third Man high :

It’s the same strategy as the center lock, the only difference is: if the last forward to enter the offensive zone is a winger or the center is closer to the puck, the winger will take on the center’s role and center will take on the winger’s role.
This strategy prevents losing time.

-Some examples:
-http://gfycat.com/PartialEnergeticAmethystinepython
-http://gfycat.com/MedicalWindingDoe
-http://gfycat.com/ImperturbableParallelCapybara
-http://gfycat.com/GlaringEverlastingHerring

*Defensemen role
As you know by pinching the Dman can keep the play alive and sometimes it could lead to some dangerous odd man rushes, to prevent those odd man rushes the third forward (center/winger) moves near the blue line when the weak side defenseman pinches and he (third forward) have to play as a defenseman if the opposition player breaks out.
DP1: http://gfycat.com/ScalyInstructiveFrillneckedlizard
DP2: http://gfycat.com/EcstaticBareEthiopianwolf


*How other team usually beat this strategy: moving the play to the other side since there is space (remember the center will pressure the puck carrier so the other side will be open) and you could have a 1 on 1 match-up with the weak side Defenseman:

More examples:
-http://gfycat.com/NiftyBowedBrontosaurus#
-http://gfycat.com/SkinnySandyEeve
-http://gfycat.com/EarnestFrayedCanine


*And finally here is some clips of the Flyers doing a very good job sustaining pressure by using all strategies mentioned above:
-http://gfycat.com/ZealousShabbyAcornwoodpecker
-http://gfycat.com/RepulsiveImpoliteChipmunk
-http://gfycat.com/DistantGiddyBalloonfish


Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you have anything that could improve this writing please let me know.

Click to read more...

 

[Garbage Goal]

Bravo.

Media and even fans don't really ever talk or explain systems much. In fact the most anyone ever really hears about overlying systems is the trap lol.

That's a nice breakdown. Good to know too.

 

[The Couturier Effect]

Great job

I appreciate all the time and effort you put into this.

Like Garbage Goal pointed out, you don't really hear this discussed in the media and in the fanbase. It's really good to know.

 

[StandingCow]

Really appreciate the time you took to do this. Agreed with others, it would be nice if a little time was spent explaining systems to people.

 

[usahockey22flyers]

This is one of the best threads to ever be on the Flyers forum.

Thank you!!!!

 

[chupanibre]

Great post man, very informative

 

[Curufinwe]

Lavi used to send three men below the goal line.

 

[Garbage Goal]

Just a question since this is a great basis for a thread and it's a legit question I have, the OP had a quote from the town hall meeting about what Berube said and therein the quote it says there's a need for "big centers" and "big D". Just wondering if that's Berubes own vision, a misquote of sorts, or if that is the standard for a center lock system. I get why big centers would make most sense since they're more involved in the attack and maintaining pressure then the D (by a bit, from what I gather). Since the D are the last line of defense and there's usually a weak side D to exploit you would think mobile D would be ideal. Which is the opposite of that, mostly.

Genuinely curious.

 

[SgtJoseph*]

Excellent presentation ! Thank you !

 

[Striiker]

no no no no no no no no no dear god no

I don't know who it was who linked this thread to that website that we're not allowed to mention, but please I'm begging you, don't do that. If people from that site start coming over here it will completely ruin this board and any hopes for decent discussions. You see the arguments that start over Rinaldo? Imagine that but x100 worse.

I'd completely understand if OP wants a lot of people to see this since he obviously put a lot of time and effort into it, but trust me you don't want a migration of users from there. Not all of them are bad but so so so many are.

 

[Funf]

no no no no no no no no no dear god no

I don't know who it was who linked this thread to that website that we're not allowed to mention, but please I'm begging you, don't do that. If people from that site start coming over here it will completely ruin this board and any hopes for decent discussions. You see the arguments that start over Rinaldo? Imagine that but x100 worse.

I'd completely understand if OP wants a lot of people to see this since he obviously put a lot of time and effort into it, but trust me you don't want a migration of users from there. Not all of them are bad but so so so many are.

Honestly, yeah, I agree. That place is friendly enough, but it's barely a step above the Flyers Facebook page in terms of hockey knowledge. I tried arguing that the Flyers scouting department was actually pretty good at some point last year over there. Didn't end well...

 

[jbones6287]

Very interesting. Awesome read

 

[Flyerss]

Just a question since this is a great basis for a thread and it's a legit question I have, the OP had a quote from the town hall meeting about what Berube said and therein the quote it says there's a need for "big centers" and "big D". Just wondering if that's Berubes own vision, a misquote of sorts, or if that is the standard for a center lock system. I get why big centers would make most sense since they're more involved in the attack and maintaining pressure then the D (by a bit, from what I gather). Since the D are the last line of defense and there's usually a weak side D to exploit you would think mobile D would be ideal. Which is the opposite of that, mostly.

Genuinely curious.

Other teams that uses a similar version(formation)of our forecheck are the Blues and the Redwings.
Berube worked with Hitchcock and is still in contact with him and Babcock according to this article

http://www.nj.com/flyers/index.ssf/...hcock_mike_babcock_for_coaching_pointers.html

so I'm not surprised that we have similar forechecking system to those teams.

when i've read about Blues forecheck or 2-1-2 forecheck nothing is mentioned about players frame, the characteristic that usually come up are being good,fast skater and good defensivley.

so i would say he's adding his own twist.