Why Do Offensive-Defensemen Become D In The First Place?

[bigd]

Usually, at the youth level, you put your best skaters at D. Many parents and kids think it's a demotion but, as a coach, it's a decision made for the betterment of the team. It's unfortunate that some kids don't understand that and refuse to learn the defensive side of the game. There's no glamor in playing defense.

 

[Riptide]

Defensemen do not impact the game more, unless you are very bad.

Disagree. A hockey game is 60 minutes. A high end winger might play 20-21 minutes. The highest wingers in the NHL for TOI is Stone and Marchand - both just under 21 minutes a night. Most wingers are in the 18-19 minute range. On the flip side, there are 73 defensemen who are averaging more minutes a game then MS/BM. And while many of them are not more impactful to the game then those two... many of them are - and have the same amount of points as Marchand/Stone. But more importantly, they're playing 4-6 minutes more per game then those two. Which means in addition to them being highly skilled and productive, they're on the ice more, allowing them to have a larger impact on the game simply due to their overall minutes.

 

[Riptide]

I understand what OP means, I think?

Like I still don't really understand how some defenseman can't play defense by like age 25, like your main job is defense and you don't know it, I don't get it. A guy being drafted out of the CHL not being the best defender I can understand because you can get away with a lot in junior as a d-man, but if you've been in the NHL for a number of years as a d-man, how can you be so bad in your own zone?

Maybe they're just not that good? Some players will never be able to think the game and read/react to what's happening fast enough to excel in this league. Something to keep in mind, is that things are happening much faster on the ice then they appear to be when watching on TV.

I know from playing some high level soccer that there were levels that I could play at and excel, and then levels where I could not play, simply because I wasn't good enough, and that I couldn't think/react to the game fast enough to play there. I wasn't "terrible", but the mistakes that were being made were never ones I'd make in a lower level. They didn't even have to happen all the time - you could have great games then shit games. But it's mostly a mental thing. It's no different in hockey or any other sport. The difference is in the NHL, you have a contract, or you bring something to the table that makes the coach want to keep you around, or they see some potential in you that make them think you're worth it. Or they just do not have anyone better, and have to make due - or some combination of the above.

 

[Not So Mighty]

I understand what OP means, I think?

Like I still don't really understand how some defenseman can't play defense by like age 25, like your main job is defense and you don't know it, I don't get it. A guy being drafted out of the CHL not being the best defender I can understand because you can get away with a lot in junior as a d-man, but if you've been in the NHL for a number of years as a d-man, how can you be so bad in your own zone?

Well because there are other players on the ice trying to beat you, and if you're out-matched in skill against your opponent...

 

[King In The North]

When you look at a guy like Karlsson, he pretty much dictates his team's offense while also being responsible for shutting down the top opposition. A lot of players growing up want to do that.

 

[Atas2000]

Is it because of the old 'Johnson, you're playing defense from now on" when we were all little kids and then it sticks?

I understand some start out as forwards, but for those who were Defensemen for the majority of their playing since they were little, why be defensemen to begin with?

No offense to D- I was always D.

It's a mindset thing too. I love playing D. Making the opposition's best forward lose it is priceless No, seriously, you have a different perspective to the game as a D-man. Some people like to score goals and break trough defences, some like to stop them.

It's not like I don't like to score or pass though. Or the big slapshots. They are fun. And you get to do them more as a D-man. I also never understoid how wingers play with them short sticks.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

I played defense growing up because I was out of shape, a little on the chunkier side ( but still one of the fastest on my team) and I got approached to play forward but my stamina was to low and I couldn't forecheck and hustle for too long because I would be out of breathe well before the other players on the ice were.

 

[Nsjohnson]

If you're asking a question like this, maybe actually learn the first thing about hockey before coming here...

Why is Steph Curry the highest scoring NBA right now but he plays point guard????

I've been around hockey my whole life- you simply didn't understand the question.

Oh, and tell me, what's the first thing about hockey?

Arrogance at it's finest.

 

[sr edler]

Because all that juicy ice time.

 

[PunkRockLocke]

I've been around hockey my whole life- you simply didn't understand the question.

Oh, and tell me, what's the first thing about hockey?

Arrogance at it's finest.

Why thank you.

First thing: score more goals than the other team. Offense from the Defensemen helps with this. Defense from the forwards helps equally; that isn't the topic of the thread, however.

 

[TheOtherOne]

choosing your position isn't just a matter of "do i want to score or not." It's about a whole mentality of how you see the game. I enjoy playing as an offensive defenseman in indoor soccer because i like to control the play from the back, see everything in front of me, but be responsible enough not to leave a massive opening for a counterattack. I am better at quarterbacking the offense than i am at one on one defending, but playing defense helps me utilize my own offensive strengths best.

I think it has a lot to do with are you a better one on one player or a big picture guy.

 

[jbeck5]

Defensemen do not impact the game more, unless you are very bad.

They do if they're equally as good and play more.

Player A being a winger and playing 17 minutes vs player A being a defenseman and playing 23 minutes.

6 more minutes of impact.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

I played defense because it was more fun stopping someone than scoring.

in the NHL world, opportunity and money. Most offensive D-men would be 3rd liners at best. A lot more $$ as a top 4 D than a bottom 6 F

 

[WJCJ]

Is it because of the old 'Johnson, you're playing defense from now on" when we were all little kids and then it sticks?

I understand some start out as forwards, but for those who were Defensemen for the majority of their playing since they were little, why be defensemen to begin with?

No offense to D- I was always D.

As a kid I always wanted to play forward, right wing was always where I though I did best but either wing was good. In my high school age years twice, each time with a different coach, they tried to convert me to D mainly because i am a big guy and not the fastest skater to put it mildly but I think I actually had good positioning. One year I played D for the entire year but during the 2nd year we were short forwards for some reason that I can't recall and when I was put at wing I played the best hockey of my very short career and was never moved back to D.

For me it was the "you're playing D" scenario.

 

[maacoshark]

For the same reason that most high end young kids in juniors are "centers". When you're young and very good (an above average player (or better) among your peers), your coach will want you on the ice as much as possible, playing the most important position possible to have the largest impact as possible on the game. Which typically means either as a center or as a D. Not everyone moves to those spots, as sometimes the team already has players for those roles. Other times coaches will move players around (D-F, F-D, etc) to see what 'suits' a player. Sometimes despite being able to produce offensively, they still do not create offense the same way as a center/winger might. Look at Muzzin for example. He's not someone I'd describe as an "offensive D" (compared to say Ghost, Yandle, etc), yet he's producing very well and is on pace for 50 pts. On the flip side, Drouin is on pace for 53pts, yet people would use words like 'dynamic' and highly 'offensive' to describe him (and they wouldn't be wrong).

For me, I played D in soccer because I wasn't highly offensive. I could read and predict plays extremely well, and I was fast. But my game was always very defensive minded, and as I got older and played in more competitive leagues, playing there was more and more natural to my style of play.

So while sometimes I think it is simply "Johnson you're playing D"... while other times the coach can see how a player plays, and will try different things to see what works and what doesn't. I mean Brett Burns was drafted as a winger, and was only placed on the blueline once he turned pro. Hard to imagine that now after a Norris win as the best D in the league. I imagine that size and skating play a part in this with regards to hockey.

The reason Burns was moved to defence was to take advantage of his big shot. Burns has a big wind up so the is better suited to shoot from the point. BTW Burns really isn't a complete defenseman. He is big and had a big and has a big shot. He has a lot of weaknesses though. No one turns the puck over more than Burns.

 

[SenzZen]

Well because there are other players on the ice trying to beat you, and if you're out-matched in skill against your opponent...

You French Fry when you're supposed to pizza?

 

[PK Cronin]

Defensemen do not impact the game more, unless you are very bad.

They do, at least the better ones do. Defensemen get more ice time.

I understand what OP means, I think?

Like I still don't really understand how some defenseman can't play defense by like age 25, like your main job is defense and you don't know it, I don't get it. A guy being drafted out of the CHL not being the best defender I can understand because you can get away with a lot in junior as a d-man, but if you've been in the NHL for a number of years as a d-man, how can you be so bad in your own zone?

Talent and smarts.




A lot of great answers here, so I'll just list the ones I agree with.

1) Many better skaters go on defense when they're younger.
2) Defensemen get more playing time, so putting your best player on defense makes sense.
3) The style of offense generated by forwards and defenseman are very different and require different skill sets.

I've always believed in putting your best player at defense because of the ice time and their ability to read/dictate the play a lot more. Putting the fat kid there almost never works out.

 

[Alex Jones]

From my experience, there are generally three-four reasons kids get put on d.

1. They can skate. Most players at the youth level are not very good, so finding kids that can skate well enough to not get beat with speed defensively is pretty important. Players that are better skaters are also more efficient, so they are actually a better choice to play longer minutes without tiring. I would suspect this is the biggest reason why a lot of offensive defensemen play defense.

2. They can read the game. Every player is innately programmed to play a certain way. Some kids are just automatically programmed to shoot. Some kids seem automatically programmed to never shoot. Some kids just understand how to read the game and defend. This trait is quite rare among kids, and a ton of players that show an ability to read the game from a young age end up on defense.

3. They are large. Perhaps this is changing a bit in the modern NHL, but when I was more involved in the sport you would usually put big kids on defense, especially if they have decent mobility. The idea back then was that you wanted guys to clear the front of the net, but idk if that menality has really changed now at the youth level.

4. Some kids ask to play D. Obviously you don't have to do this for them, but generally happy players are good for your team. Plus we're talking about kids, none of the games really matter, lets kids what they want.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

They do if they're equally as good and play more.

Player A being a winger and playing 17 minutes vs player A being a defenseman and playing 23 minutes.

6 more minutes of impact.

They play more minutes at the cost of a lesser impact per minute.

 

[Erz8771]

As a kid in minor hockey my coaches didnt really give a choice where i played. I wanted to play forward because I wanted to score goals. But once I hit my young teen years I was very happy they put me defnce. If youre one of the better players you get to play in every game situation. Power plays...penalty kills and 5 on 5. Some games pkaying juniors I was playing around the 30 min mark a night and I absolutely loved it. Also loved starting a play in my own end and watching it develop all the way down the ice.