What should the Jets do to counter Nashville's use of the Neutral Zone Trap?

[Jetfaninflorida]

Put slow, plodding players like Hendricks in for fast, skill guys like Perreault.


Do I need to smiley face that one?

 

[BigZ65]

Most of what the Jets do is very predictable and that doesn't help.

Having more options for stretch passes and flip plays across 2 zones could help.

 

[Ducky10]

The Preds are unlikely to bring out the trap without being in the lead. So the best thing the Jets can do to counter the Lavy Trap is to score first and get up early. This series will be crucial in scoring first. Lavy has learned after being up by 3 and losing by 3 that he needs to trap us to contain our offence when he has a lead.

Dump ins are really the worst thing you can do against a trap team with a mobile defence and active goalie like the Preds. As was demonstrated last night. This is how the old Devils did it. You will not beat mobile D and an active goalie this way consistently no matter what kind of speed your forward core has.

Best way to beat it is to have your D skate right into the neutral zone with a forward just ahead on one side and a forward behind on the other. It forces the opposition to either press on the D man to one side and force a trap to that side but that is where you can have your trailer busting up the other side to pass back to which makes the other team scramble to get back to the other side. It's actually something my team learned in online NHL play when the opposition tries a neutral zone hard press 1-4 (1-2-2) blueline trap like the Preds did last game. Either you you force the other team to pick a side to press to and the trailer likely gets through. If they cheat to the trailer you now have numbers on the other side.

Yep, you beat it on the weak side, whichever side they decide that is going to be. The key is the trailing forward so that the puck carrier has options when the puck gets funneled into the trap at the wall.

 

[Daximus]

Yep, you beat it on the weak side, whichever side they decide that is going to be. The key is the trailing forward so that the puck carrier has options when the puck gets funneled into the trap at the wall.

Yeah and I imagine since we haven't really seen a trap like this all season let alone in the playoffs that Mo should be on top of explaining to them how to counter it. I mean weak teams trap all the time but none of them really have the mobile D and active goalie to make the dump and chase an issue with our speedy forwards outside of Ottawa last year but we didn't play them much.

 

[SCP Guy]

Chip and chase.....and if they beat you to the puck hammer them into row 4. After being smashed 3 or 4 times defenseman tend to not like it very much

 

[Duke749]

I would like some more finished checks. Especially on the D

 

[ATLbound]

Whatever Little and Tanev did. They kept beating it and getting chance. Watch that game tape. Others just need to work a little harder, dump and chase. Light chips, or come back into our zone as unit and all pick up speed together. Most of our young guys just got frustrated and tried to do it all them selves and dangle through it. And everyone else stood at the blueline clueless hoping for a lucky stretch pass. But obvious answer is score first and keep pressing.... and definitely do not fall behind more then 1 if you do not score first

 

[VictoriaJetsFan]

I either read or heard once that he way to beat the traps as follows:

1. have the puck carrier chip it off the glass, softly, at the blue line.
2. Have forwards enter the zone with speed and get puck possession as the puck comes off the glass.

This could be total crap, I don't know. The trap was so boring I never really understood it clearly so ways to beat it I paid attention to even less.

Looking forward to feedback.

 

[BrokerD]

I would like some more finished checks. Especially on the D

Staple gramps to a press box seat and pound the D with speed and pressure. Stay away from the fancy BS and get a stronger net front presence.

Good Buff will help too

 

[winnipegger]

The first and foremost thing is just play good hockey. Yes that game was a trap fest but the Jets made a lot of unforced errors. They can play better and they will.

 

[Jeffsrig]

 

[meedle]

1. get lead
2. shoot it at the goalie with speed so he holds it. It will be at least a 50/50 for a faceoff and you don't burn too much time with them just keep dumping it out.

 

[The Blue Baron]

Score first

 

[Eyeseeing]

Roll 4 good lines.
Similar ice time if possible.
Finish EVERY check hard.
Make THEM hesitate.
Let them adjust to us not the other way around.

 

[SensibleGuy]

Speed and skill
Speed and skill
Speed and skill
Speed and skill



...on all 4 lines

 

[Eyeseeing]

Speed and skill
Speed and skill
Speed and skill
Speed and skill



...on all 4 lines

Common theme here

 

[Royale With Cheese]

Dump it in and go get it. Jets have some of the fastest forechecking forwards in the league. Maurice should have adjusted to this IN GAME last game.

 

[HannuJ]

I would like some more finished checks. Especially on the D

after last game, that would be a nice change of pace.

also, flip passes and more Ehlers rushes

 

[Daximus]

Dump it in and go get it. Jets have some of the fastest forechecking forwards in the league. Maurice should have adjusted to this IN GAME last game.

It just doesn't work on them. A team with mobile D and an active goalie like the Preds have is going to counter that every time. It's what won the Devils so many games and a few cups back in the day. You aren't going to beat a trapping team dumping it in on a goalie who will 99% of the time get to it before you, especially in his barn where he knows the bounces more.

 

[bustamente]

I sent this to Maurice today , and your welcome

 

[Daximus]

I sent this to Maurice today , and your welcome

That's pretty much what we did all game but Rinne kept coming out and stopping the puck and ringing it around the boards.

 

[WPGChief]

• Don't let Rinne handle the puck.
• Cause more chaos in the neutral zone; don't always just go north-south.
• Keep up the speed to be able to retrieve pucks down low. Go east-west in the zone so when the puck gets dumped/chipped into the zone you're not starting from a stop.
  • IIRC this is what Tanev and Little were doing so well and why they had much success.
  • Laine / Wheeler / Scheifele fall prey to this. They go to the blue line and wait for someone else to go in with speed.
• Cause battles in their own end. Two players to the puck every time, not just one (which allows them to chip it back out).
• On the topic of neutral zone chaos: set up non-obvious picks. Criss cross and leave the puck behind for someone else to pick up and enter the zone with possession.

TL;DR - keep up the speed game and don't make dumb passes.

 

[Farmboy Patty]

It just doesn't work on them. A team with mobile D and an active goalie like the Preds have is going to counter that every time. It's what won the Devils so many games and a few cups back in the day. You aren't going to beat a trapping team dumping it in on a goalie who will 99% of the time get to it before you, especially in his barn where he knows the bounces more.

That is why they should dump the puck in the corners. Rinne can't act like a 3rd dman outside the trapezoid. Dump the puck in the corners and forecheck fast and hard. Finish every single check and make Josi and Subban look behind their shoulder. Play simple and hard.

 

[Daximus]

That is why they should dump the puck in the corners. Rinne can't act like a 3rd dman outside the trapezoid. Dump the puck in the corners and forecheck fast and hard. Finish every single check and make Josi and Subban look behind their shoulder. Play simple and hard.

Easy to say. Tough to do. Plus we only have a few guys that are actually punishing hitters. Ehlers may be fast but very few guys are going to feel a sting when he tries to plaster them. Tanev, Copp, Armia, Scheif, Wheels, Perreault can all forecheck hard. Laine can but he often isn't quick enough to get on them.

 

[Farmboy Patty]

Easy to say. Tough to do. Plus we only have a few guys that are actually punishing hitters. Ehlers may be fast but very few guys are going to feel a sting when he tries to plaster them. Tanev, Copp, Armia, Scheif, Wheels, Perreault can all forecheck hard. Laine can but he often isn't quick enough to get on them.

Nothing is easy at this level a flip dump into the corner isn't too hard to execute. What the Jets need is a set play where they attack the zone with speed when the puck is out of reach for Rinne. It's a quite small adjustment to the play where they rimg it around the boards, really.