Why do forwards/centers run the offense in hockey?

[Dr Beinfest]

well...Its a lot more like a half court offense

For sure, I was just saying that, in addition to that comparison, the idea that the person in the back of the court (guard) or in the back field (QB) has visuals on everyone down court/field + the net/end zone. Same with a PP QB.

 

[blundluntman]

Because the NBA doesn't have offsides or allow goaltending. Defensemen have very little room for error handling the puck, plus 80% of their shots are blocked and usually result in stoppage of play or turnovers.

 

[amnesiac]

Why is hockey played on ice while the NBA the game is played on a hardwood court?

because dribbling a ball on ice is more difficult than carrying a rubber puck with a stick and blade?

I mean its just a game that was invented for the winter time. It made more sense to play on a clean sheet of ice than snow. The rest is just details.

 

[ESH]

NBA center is a similar type player to a defenceman in hockey.

Whereas Point Guard is more similar type player to a center in hockey.

I think it's just the words/titles that are tripping you up.

It’s really nowhere near as simple as that.

Just one example would be the 76ers, with point guard Ben Simmons being their best defender and playmaker and center Joel Embiid being the main offensive piece.

 

[JPeeper]

Because they're two completely different sports that share pretty much nothing in common?

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Because they're two completely different sports that share pretty much nothing in common?

they share quite a bit in common, your imagination is lacking.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

The best powerplay’s usually are run from the point. Kinda why it’s referred to as a PP quarterback position. It’s more about puck possession and not putting the play offside 5v5 so we don’t typically see the same.

 

[RandV]

I think cherry picking wouldn't be an issue, if you won't gain possession if you are outnumbered on D.

But you are right, it's a product of the conservative, risk adverse mindset that hockey has. I think some of it is to prevent player injuries but most of it is because they never want to change the game, only slightly improve it. Getting rid of icing is sacrilegious because we've always just icing-ed.

You're making the mistake of equating the NHL with the broader sport of hockey. While things tend to trickle down from the top there are plenty of other organizations like Hockey Canada and all the other equivalents that have a much broader say in how things are play. Regardless of how we got here, things like off sides and icings have just become a part of the game. Any random beer league is free to scrap these rules, and some make modifications, but the general structure is kept in place for good reason.

A loosely related anecdote, my casual rec soccer league (no ref, half field, 7 aside, co-ed) has been back in action for 2 weeks, and they've changed the rules from 'call your own offsides' to 'no offsides'. Two games in and I can safely say as a dman it sucks

 

[Seanaconda]

The best powerplay’s usually are run from the point. Kinda why it’s referred to as a PP quarterback position. It’s more about puck possession and not putting the play offside 5v5 so we don’t typically see the same.

Some teams like the pens also use their forwards as the pp qb as in malkin , you run your pp through whoever is the best passer be it side wall or point . I don't think that answers the question tho

Most teams run 4 forwards for powerplays and some go with five. Its getting less common to see a normal 3 and 2 unit

The sharks are one that would do that because their defense are their best offense , maybe Minnesota because they have no centers?

 

[North Cole]

Because the NBA game has shifted so that offense begins at the 3 point line. If you go back to the Russell/Chamberlain era of basketball, the best players and highest scorers were usually centres. Basketball was an interior physical sport, but modern basketball is foul centric and the threat of insane 3 point shooters keeps the defense from just sitting back in the lanes. Pick plays are also legal in basketball, which makes driving the bucket much easier. Im sure if forwards could just interfere in the NHL while in the ozone, then you'd probably see more guys like Makar just running wild toward the net because you'd get a free release off interference everytime...

Beyond that, its a hell of a lot harder to score from far away in the NHL. If the NBA allowed goal tending then you'd probably see 3 point shooting go down by 90%, and then the centres would reign Supreme again. If the NHL net was empty all the time then maybe you'd get more offense from the backend.

 

[SomeDude]

Because they’re different sports. Why don’t goalies kick the puck down the ice like a punter in the NFL?

 

[ISensFanI]

Erik karlsson on Ottawa ran the offence big time

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I can't believe I have to say this, but hockey and basketball are completely different sports.

 

[Eisen]

I honestly have no clue what the rationale was behind the creation of the offside rule. I mean, I like it myself. I think it forces teams to play more structured instead of just leaving forwards down in the offensive zone goal sucking. But as to what the specific intent was with the rule, idk.

Some rules are just rules. Offside was in the game before the forward pass.

 

[PROGFAN66]

It's the opposite in the NBA. Guards or backcourt usually run the offense despite its name suggesting "guards" or defenseman. Why is it rare to have the D man run the offense in the NHL? On the other hand forwards/centers rarely run the offense in the NBA unless you're Lebron/Jokic/Embiid/Giannis maybe.

Can't defenseman who are in the back of the ice have better guard-like skills such as puck handling or shooting or speed? I've noticed that forwards are more offensively skilled than defenseman in NHL but in NBA it's the opposite where guards are more skilled offensively.

There are many instances in Hockey where the defensemen are the quarterback.

On power play where the terms of positioning change there are many defensemen who play lead or the quarterback in the 4 forward and 1 defenseman system.

In the controlled breakout strategy which is very much like Football and based on pre-determined routes. Usually run by the defensemen is the quarterback who knows the routes of the skaters and read which is the option to pass to or just carry the puck themselves. Maybe try to investigate this tactic.

However, Basketball is a slower game, more reliant on pre-determined called plays like Football.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Simple answer: Because in the NBA, defense is almost an afterthought and something only occasionally employed by championship teams (and only a rare few of those). See, e.g., James Hardin

More complex answer: Because guards are shorter and thus largely confined to shooting outside the arc, and the big men down low often have their backs turned to the basket and thus can't see the entire court, it is natural for the guards to run the offense.

Even more complex answer: In basketball generally, unless a team is desperate in the final minutes, the bringing of the ball over the center line is almost never contested.

Most complex answer: Outside of power point goals, probably most goals in hockey are scored on odd-man advantage rushes, and for that "the offense" shouldn't consist of a defenseman at all unless they were horribly out of position to begin with.

Point to ponder: What hockey would be like if there was a 24-second shot clock.

 

[VivaLasVegas]

Some rules are just rules. Offside was in the game before the forward pass.

Eliminating offsides would make for a much more offensively-minded game -- you'd probably have a lot more 10-8 final scores than 2-1 final scores. The purists would certainly hate it, but the average fan would probably love it.

IMHO, if instead of icing the non-icing team was allowed to bring the puck up through the center zone uncontested, that would lead to better games as it would both deter icing and eliminate all the stoppages in play.

 

[PROGFAN66]

Simple answer: Because in the NBA, defense is almost an afterthought and something only occasionally employed by championship teams (and only a rare few of those). See, e.g., James Hardin

More complex answer: Because guards are shorter and thus largely confined to shooting outside the arc, and the big men down low often have their backs turned to the basket and thus can't see the entire court, it is natural for the guards to run the offense.

Even more complex answer: In basketball generally, unless a team is desperate in the final minutes, the bringing of the ball over the center line is almost never contested.

Most complex answer: Outside of power point goals, probably most goals in hockey are scored on odd-man advantage rushes, and for that "the offense" shouldn't consist of a defenseman at all unless they were horribly out of position to begin with.

Point to ponder: What hockey would be like if there was a 24-second shot clock.

I don't think the OP does not understand that in Hockey forwards play closer to the net and defenseman up near the blue line in the offensive zone and in the defensive zone the forward play up near the blue line and defensemen near the net.

In basketball its the other way around and it doesn't change in both ends.

 

[PROGFAN66]

Eliminating offsides would make for a much more offensively-minded game -- you'd probably have a lot more 10-8 final scores than 2-1 final scores. The purists would certainly hate it, but the average fan would probably love it.

IMHO, if instead of icing the non-icing team was allowed to bring the puck up through the center zone uncontested, that would lead to better games as it would both deter icing and eliminate all the stoppages in play.

I would keep the offsides rule you don't want cherry picking. I think it would make the sport less strategic.

I wish the NHL would do the following.

Eliminating the icing or clear rule for the penalty kill team and give a penalty.

The full two penalty or even double minor should be played out.

Make 3 on 3 play the full five minutes.

Widen the net and length of the rink.

One crazy idea would make the 2nd period 4 on 4.

 

[amnesiac]

It's the opposite in the NBA. Guards or backcourt usually run the offense despite its name suggesting "guards" or defenseman. Why is it rare to have the D man run the offense in the NHL? On the other hand forwards/centers rarely run the offense in the NBA unless you're Lebron/Jokic/Embiid/Giannis maybe.

Can't defenseman who are in the back of the ice have better guard-like skills such as puck handling or shooting or speed? I've noticed that forwards are more offensively skilled than defenseman in NHL but in NBA it's the opposite where guards are more skilled offensively.

simple answer, more movement and room on a hockey rink, therefore Dmen have to stay back more to defend.

If Dmen went to the net they would get caught half the time.

 

[8999]

Time for the NHL to put in a "1.5 Goal Line" so the D will score more like guards in the NBA.

 

[HF007]

It’s creates a mismatch if the d man messes up, you really have to be a high end offensive d talent to outweigh the liabilities which is rare

 

[Refuse]

The offsides rule is a pretty obvious reason to me.

Pet peeve of mine
Offsides is the plural as in when "our team has problems with offsides". Singular Offside as in "The offside rule has to be looked at"

Offside (ice hockey) - Wikipedia
National Hockey League rules - Wikipedia

 

[Treb]

I think cherry picking wouldn't be an issue, if you won't gain possession if you are outnumbered on D.

But you are right, it's a product of the conservative, risk adverse mindset that hockey has. I think some of it is to prevent player injuries but most of it is because they never want to change the game, only slightly improve it. Getting rid of icing is sacrilegious because we've always just icing-ed.

You see it all the time after a PK. You would definitely get more breakaways every game.

 

[MessierII]

I think cherry picking wouldn't be an issue, if you won't gain possession if you are outnumbered on D.

But you are right, it's a product of the conservative, risk adverse mindset that hockey has. I think some of it is to prevent player injuries but most of it is because they never want to change the game, only slightly improve it. Getting rid of icing is sacrilegious because we've always just icing-ed.

Getting rid of icing would actually slow the game down and lead to less offence.