Here's how I play defense.
I'm not the #1 or even #100 player in the world so the question comes up, "why should I take what you suggest seriously?" I'll say this: I've won 23 of my last 25 D1 games. I've won three titles in a row. I regularly limit people to 0-4 shots per period (****ty "point shots for rebounds x infinity" guys aside). I can win a D1 title with a team of cheap players or uber elite players. I've coached a fair amount of people who have found my advice helped them move divisions. I don't mind the PK one bit. In short, if one part of my game is solid it's probably defense. It doesn't mean there's NO scissors to my paper, but it does mean I usually attribute wins to defense. The fewer shots on goal your opponent gets, and especially high % shots on goal, the fewer opportunities they have to score.
Grab a coffee, or bookmark it and read a bit at a time. Skip around if you like, reading sections you find to be of interest to you. I would have included a wikipedia style intra-document shortcut index if I could, but I don't think that's possible on reddit. We're going to start at the top here (being in your offensive zone), and work our way all the way down past the goal line. Offensive advice is out of the scope of this guide.
Mandatory tip: Turn off auto back skate. Do it now. The worst thing is when your defender loses a bunch of momentum switching between forward skating and back skating when it's not the right move. Vision control is now how you back skate.
How to defend, split up by zones
When you're in your offensive zone
It's important here to not give up an odd man rush. What gives up odd man rushes?
D to D passes WITHOUT a clear passing lane
Trying to straddle the blueline, and getting knocked off the puck
Those are the big ones. On offense if you can avoid these you're doing well so far.
When you lose possession in the offensive zone
Here your main objective is two fold
- Strip the puck off of them. You do this most successfully with positioning, and often comes as a reaction to the puck carrier committing to a bad pass or skating to a closed off lane. Close off their passing lanes and you're free to walk up and try to take the puck while they squirm to find a way past you.
- Back skate if there's no hope of getting to the man for a check or "run up poke check" and you're looking to intercept a breakout pass. Figure out who they want to pass to, and be the reason they can't make that pass.
When you're in the neutral zone
- If you neglected my initial suggestions or otherwise end up chasing down a breakaway, skate hard and fast in a straight line with the intention of poke checking their forehand RIGHT before they shoot. Trying to change directions incrementally WILL let them burn you, since that slows down your skating. Pick the direct angle to defend where their shot will come from and hustle skate there in a long straight line.
- When they're juuuust out of their own blue line they usually have about as much space as possible, but that doesn't mean you let them walk it up to the blue line and enter your zone unchallenged. What I prefer to do here is take away their best passing lane. People will often force a pass, leading to a turnover. If you find that they're comfortable just skating the puck forward instead of forcing the play, you've found a good player. You'll need to pressure the puck carrier by reducing the gap between you and them and try to force them to the outside.
- If they've made it to the neutral zone, your next real choke point is the blue line. I'm not a fan of playing the 0-5 (1-4, but keeping your pressure man on the blue line). It's effective but I find it a bitch *** beta move. What I do like doing is the 1-4 where you take control of the pressuring man. You're trying to steer him into a spot where you can strip the puck (crowded with AI, little open ice). I'll always settle for trying to disrupt passes.
- Drive them to the outside. If you're going against an absolute rocket skater (Bure, Kane, Duchene, Hall, Bobby Hull, etc.) you'll want to prioritize your ability to recover when they do blow by you. What do I mean by that? Instead of getting close to maybe hit them along the boards (low %) focus on staying between the puck carrier in the net. Respect their speed.
When they're in your defensive zone, off the rush
Ok, they've gotten in. We weren't successful in our attempts to get the puck back and they've made it through our blue line defenses. What now?
- Don't play the man, play the man's handedness. Defend the shot from their strong side, first and foremost. Stay between that and the net.
- The biggest thing you can learn on defense besides being in the way, is gap control. What is gap control? Gap control is how far away from the defensemen you are. How far away should you be? That's entirely dependent on the speed of the puck carrier and the speed you're going. Think of it like driving, the appropriate follow distance when going 10mph is much different from the appropriate distance when going 90mph.
- It's hard to put into words, but essentially you want to leave your options open and reduce theirs. Too far away and they have the space to deke your socks off, and you'll be too far to poke check their shot attempt or pass. Too close and you're susceptible to dekes too where they end up far away in a heartbeat, and your attempts at recovering the puck will lead to tripping penalties.
- If it's an odd man rush 2v1, I like to try to force the puck carrier to commit before I do. I try to stay in the middle of the shooting lane and covering the pass for as long as possible. This often makes them wait too long to make either choice. When forced to commit one way or the other, I often trust my goalie to make the save and take away the passing option using the pass block button where you kneel down. I usually try to do this so that I take up the most vertical space (hit the button while skating straight back).
- If a shooter is going to take a shot and you're in reach of that shot, first I set my defender between the shooter's forehand and the net. I then poke check the puck. If I connect on my poke check the puck will come free leaving me the ability to pick it up. If my poke check does NOT connect but I time it with the shot the puck may glance off my stick flying up into the netting. If I messed up my poke check or mis-timed the shot, there's still a good chance my big fat *** will be in the way to block the shot.
- Do not player switch over and over and over and over
When player switching, start by skating straight back. It's rarely 100% certain which player you'll control, so take the safest course of action and retain backwards momentum
When they're no longer on the rush, but remain in your defensive zone (cycling, setting up the high slot 1T, short side snipe, figure skating, etc.)
Here's where D1 goalies get hung out to dry the most. If you've made it into D1 you're fairly good at NOT letting people walk all over you defensively, and so they're likely setting up in your zone (instead of burying breakaways and the like)
- Who do you control? That's a large part of good defense. For me I break this down in two sections. If they're anywhere near a good shooting % area of the ice or with access to pass to one, I control the player closest to the puck. If they're in a very poor shooting % area of the ice, I control a player that roams around the mid/high slot area looking to scare them off of entering or passing through the slot.
- My preferred play style is to NOT let players in my defensive zone go unchallenged. This doesn't mean I chase and charge, this does mean I try to reduce their open ice to the bare minimum.
- In a nutshell I suggest you stop letting Karlsson have free roam of the upper ice. He's not a grazing cow, he's a predator. Don't chase him for a hit up near the blue line, but do keep in his shooting and have the ability to put your stick in his passing lane. Don't commit and come up to the blue line yourself, keep a little extra space and try not to overreact. Guys who use their defensemen as offensive weapons are usually very good, and are looking to force you to overcommit.
- Along the sideboards is where I let people have the most space. The way I see it they either make two passes for the cross crease one timer (not immediate), or they will try to walk it into the slot. I'll usually be on their side of the high slot between them and the goalie, focusing on preventing them from walking into the slot.
- I will often player switch when a pass is made (zone coverage), and if they drag a player across the ice I'll skate to defend them (man coverage)
- People who hold puck protect and circle: Play positional defense first. By charging them and drawing yourself out of position you'll both fail to get the puck AND leave them open. Here's when you play patient defense and wait for a good opportunity to get the puck back (easy check, easy poke check, blocking a pass or shot)
What to do with they're at or below the goal line along the boards (setting up the cross crease usually)
This really does deserve it's own section. It's where most D1 players make hay. If you've been playing D1 you know the story. Skate into the corner, put on a spinny show that'd make the Bolshoi proud, and either slide a pass across the crease for a tap in, or walk into the slot for a short side snipe. It's deadly effective against most opponents, and when I lose 9/10 opponents are extremely proficient at making this strategy impossible.
- If they're here often, use collapse and "protect net".
- 75%+ of the time this works on people, it's because they chase. They're in good position with a defender in the slot blocking the pass, the guy with the puck does a little shimmy, they try to check or have to sprint to them to poke check, and the puck carrier's closed lanes are open like a highway at midnight.
- I'd rather play gap control and stand my ground. Let them have the impossible angle while you protect the high shooting % area. Let them commit first, let them come to you.
- When they do come to you from the side boards/corner, retain gap control by challenging the puck. My first instinct is to poke check, and if that fails I back up slowly and try to stay in their shooting lane.
- If they're behind the goal line let them be, NO checking here. They're no threat with 0% access to the net. If you miss your check, you're toast, there's a clear and open path to the net for any number of high % scoring chances.
- When they're back their towards the middle near the post focus on challenging any attempt they make to walk the puck past the goal line. If they're sticking to the post coming out with little speed go for the poke check while skating at them. They shouldn't have the speed to blow by you. If your poke check misses you can still check them.
- If they're in the actual corner (where the goalie can't go) they're probably looking to pass across the crease. Stay in their passing lane, with enough gap control to move to block them from taking a short side shot if they walk it in to center.
- It's pretty ****ing meta, but once in a blue moon I'll find someone that walks it in close juuuuust outside my defensive bubble and snipes one bar in short side. It's intensely rare, and it's an acceptable loss when you'd have to sacrifice a one timer or a slot entry short side snipe.
After they get a shot off, and the goalie gives up a rebound
Here's where garbage goals abound, and people start eyeing the LPS on their goalies. The truth is all goalies who allow a rebound are in pretty rough shape, and rely on you to have quick reflexes and good positioning.
- Priority #1 - Skate into the slot towards the puck. This assumes you're controlling a player in that area already. You'll get a chance to do several positive things. You can pick up the loose puck. You can box out an opposing player so your goalie or another defender can.
- Priority #2 - Prevent them from getting the puck. Now I didn't say "get the puck" for a reason. You need to add time so that your goalie can pick himself up and get back into position OR smother the puck.
- Priority #3 - Get the puck. When you pick up the puck you add another required action between an opposing player and a goal, namely getting it from you.
- Priority #4 - Get the puck to a safer area. Skate it behind the net, pass it to the boards if there's an open lane to an open player. Whatever you do, get it out of a high shooting % spot of the ice into a worse shooting % area.
Here are some more general tips
Checking (body)
Most games I do very little checking. A check from me is a clear indication that you should have done something very differently, because I only check when it's a 95%+ change to hit you. I think checking should be reserved for when you've funneled someone into the boards, loose/recently-acquired puck battles, or when you catch someone absolutely flat footed. I get too many offensive opportunities sidestepping the other guys checks to want to make that a defensive staple for myself. Some people do this well, and they'd probably write you a very different guide. I do not do that "switch away and let the AI finish the check" thing.
Stick checking vs. stick lifting
- I use a stick lift when I want the puck not to move, but for my opponent to not be able to corral it for a second. It's especially useful when fighting loose puck battles along the boards. I find you have to be closer to your opponent when using this than you do with poke checks, or you'll get slashing penalties.
- I use poke check when my goal is to disrupt the play and cause them to lose posession. I'll definitely use it to block shots and passes (if I don't have time to use the 'block pass' button). I'll use it to "push" it away from my opponent. I find this has a longer reach than stick lift. The danger here is that if you poke check when the puck carrier is too close or in the middle of a deke you'll be heading to the box for tripping.
When's a good time to take a penalty
Whenever you think the likelihood of them scoring is greater than their likely to score on the power play. I avoid at all costs causing a penalty shot against me, preferring instead to recite blood prayers in foreign tongues in order that my goalie may save my bacon. I foul a decent amount, and usually end games with 6-10 minutes of penalty time.
Figure skaters
I said it a bit above, but your main challenge with these players is being patient and maintaining both gap control and patience. I'll let someone have 11 minute TOI to my 7-8 minutes (rare, but it happens) so long as their TOI is mostly spent with a very low percentage chance to score. If you can be patient and force them to commit, they'll often lose the game.
Aren't you advocating "skill zone" defense
I encourage you to switch players when sensible, and pressure the puck. That said good defense mostly required you be between the puck and the net or the far side man (if down low). Call that whatever you like.
Defensemen selections
Who do I think should be on your squad? It's not so much a list of "yes", as a list of "no".
- I don't use big clunky defensemen. Chara and Byfug come to mind specifically. I find Hedman and Burns usable, especially upgraded. Burns is at the floor for this metric, Hedman is a bit above it.
- I don't use light (usually speedy) defensemen. They're great for playing catch up, but if a Hossa or a Benn can box you out of a loose puck or make you lose possession when you're breaking out you have no place on my squad. Upgraded Karlsson is absolutely my floor for this.
When to dive
I do this extremely rarely. I see a lot of other people do it more often. While diving can eat up a lot of physical space it leaves you vulnerable to patient snipers. I'll often let someone dive and slide, stop, and then wait half a second and have a clear shooting and a clear passing lane. I will use this as a last ditch effort to save a 99% goal like a wide open net with a fallen goalie.
When to pin
Pinning people along the boards in NHL '16 is a pain in the ***, and rarely works. I don't really suggest it unless it's a loose puck battle you know you're going to lose and your other option is a boarding penalty.
When to use vision control/backskate
You should face your opponent every chance you get, unless that would ruin your defensive chances. Facing your opponent makes you MUCH more likely to intercept passes, be in range for poke checks and stick lifts, and generally defend more fluidly. The real question is when should you NOT face your opponent. The answer to that is when you need to be where they are ASAP, which is usually when you try to catch up on a breakaway or need to get to a loose puck.
Some notes on strategies
Many people do many different things here. This is just what I do. It works well for me, but you have to think of it as a system. If you don't pressure like I do, or gap control like I do, a suggestion below may fail miserably for you. Do what works for you. Make sure to try different things for a span of games (10-15) before saying "this doesn't work".
- Forecheck: I run the 2-3. I find this gives a fair amount of pressure to funnel the puck carrier into rushing passes that I can pick off.
- Neutral Zone: I run the 1-4 (neutral zone trap). I definitely take the "1" seriously and find that forcing the puck carrier without much space to squeeze by me often doesn't give them a clean zone entry. If they make it past the blue line they're usually left with little open ice.
- Trap/Forecheck: One right of middle (default?)
- Offensive Pressure: Aggressive. I want my defense to take some chances.
- Defensive pressure: Contain puck. I want to block shots and for my AI to be in solid foundational position when I switch to them.
- Defensive Strategy: Collapsing. I usually start with this unless I recognize the name as a top 100 player. Most people try to cross crease and short side snipe, and this clogs that area.
- Penalty Kill: Passive Box. Same idea really
- PP: Shooting: I have no idea
- PP Carry/Dump: All the way left, I never dump the puck
- Defensive pairings: I put the Cycle/Shoot in the middle, and the Hold Line/Punch two clicks right of center towards Pinch. I want active defensemen willing to drop down a bit and open up for high slot one timers.
Are these strategies what you leave it at?
No! I will often change my defensive strategy and defensive pressure depending on how my opponent plays. The most common change is switching to Staggered if they aren't just hammering on low slot one timer attempts. I'll also ramp up the aggression and set my strategy to Tight Point if I'm down late in the game, the theory being that my wingers are up higher and more ready for a fast breakout.
Some tips
- Auto back skate, turn it off.
- Patience before all things, once they commit your choice becomes easy. Stay inbetween two equally risky decisions until they commit, so you can stop the choice they make.
- Defend the forehand.
- Gap control. Gap control. GAP CONTROL. Like following someone in a car you need to maintain enough space to react and continue to live.
- Control the man closest to the puck carrier 90% of the time. If you're skilled you'll fair better than the AI 99.9% of the time.
- Back skate in the neutral zone, anticipating and intercepting passes.
Let me know if this ends up helping you, or you learn to correct a mistake. I'd be interested to hear it.
05-13-2016, 12:57 PM
Re: How to Defense - Amazing guide by reddit user ananmarmot
