STRENGTH OF TEAM AND DEFENSE

[grandmeadowhockeyfan]

I have enjoyed watching hockey since i was rather young, but have not gotten into in depth analysis of hockey teams until about five years ago. I thought that shoring up your own end of the ice is the first priority for a team to progress to becoming better. Having a good defense and goaltender seems to be what puts teams deep into the playoffs. Often we read about how a good goalie can carry a team. I would imagine that a terrible goalie or an average one would also bring a team down fairly quickly. On the other hand many teams have goal scorers that put up great numbers, but dont make it far at all in the playoffs and never get a sniff off the Xcell in March. So which comes first good defense or good offense, or am i oversimplifying things. I really want to be educated on this topic.

[Wrister]

Most all of the great hockey coaches believe that you build a team around good solid defenseman. The other team can't win, if they can't score.

[starmvp]

Goaltending has to be one of the most important factors to a great playoff team. Solid goaltending not only keeps pucks out of the net, but it also puts confidence in the defense so they don't have to play on their heels.

[grandmeadowhockeyfan]

Most all of the great hockey coaches believe that you build a team around good solid defenseman. The other team can't win, if they can't score.

I am currently working on figuring out what a good opponents shot on goal average is. I have listed all 157 teams based on strength of schedule. From there i grouped all the teams into groups of 20 and found an average of opponents shots on goal for the different groups. What is a number that a solid defense would shoot for as a goal for opponents shots on goal or is there another number like goals against that coaches use as a goal. Or is there something else they use as a marker.

[grandmeadowhockeyfan]

Goaltending has to be one of the most important factors to a great playoff team. Solid goaltending not only keeps pucks out of the net, but it also puts confidence in the defense so they don't have to play on their heels.

Thank you for the insight. Also is there a goal that would be considered a bad goals against average or save %, and likewise is there a bad save % or goals against average where you say that they need a different goalie

[underthenbar01]

You know what they say...Defense wins championships

[Wrister]

You need a solid team all around but add a couple of very good defenseman to the mix and you just increased your odds of having a really great team.

[ilbok]

Kids naturally will gravitate toward the glamor and fun of scoring;

it's the same when they grow up and become coaches.

That's why you see so many of the most successful coaches were goalies and defensemen,

coaches who get offense-minded kids to focus on team defense.

[PoniesDad45]

Good solid Dmen who protect their own end but hesitate to step up are always overshadowed by these kids who constantly rush the net, even if they leave their goalie hanging in the wind. I have seen it over and over throughout the years.

[High Flyer]

Good solid Dmen who protect their own end but hesitate to step up are always overshadowed by these kids who constantly rush the net, even if they leave their goalie hanging in the wind. I have seen it over and over throughout the years.

yea, one should ever expect a goalie to stop the puck with out anyone in front of him or expect a forward to drop back when a d-man steps up..

[High Flyer]

I have enjoyed watching hockey since i was rather young, but have not gotten into in depth analysis of hockey teams until about five years ago. I thought that shoring up your own end of the ice is the first priority for a team to progress to becoming better. Having a good defense and goaltender seems to be what puts teams deep into the playoffs. Often we read about how a good goalie can carry a team. I would imagine that a terrible goalie or an average one would also bring a team down fairly quickly. On the other hand many teams have goal scorers that put up great numbers, but dont make it far at all in the playoffs and never get a sniff off the Xcell in March. So which comes first good defense or good offense, or am i oversimplifying things. I really want to be educated on this topic.

I really enjoyed watching edina and hill last year during the state tournament. Edina seemed to control games with a strong forcheck by thier forwards in the nutral zone and offensize zone. Hill controlled the games in the nuetral zone and d-zone, with a forward always back checking, helping thier defensemen out. In both cases, I thought it was the defensive play of the forwards that was having the greatest impact of thier game.

[ilbok]

Good solid Dmen who protect their own end but hesitate to step up are always overshadowed by these kids who constantly rush the net, even if they leave their goalie hanging in the wind. I have seen it over and over throughout the years.

Give Housley a break already!

Agreed, HF, in that forwards who play good defense are key to winning championships.