Insane defenseman: Please, I need HELP!!!

[az]

There is a guy on my team who thinks he's playing defense. We'll call him "Todd."

Now, Todd has only been playing hockey for 2 years, and has NO background knowledge of the game. He doesn't understand the roles of center, wingers, or defense, he doesn't understand how the game flows, he doesn't understand positioning. NOTHING. Todd should be playing in our developmental league in order to grasp the game. Unfortunately, Todd is an awesome skater and has decent stick skills--so the developmental league moved him up to our "A" division and put him on OUR team. We only have 6 players, so he gets to play a LOT.

The only thing Todd does when he's playing is chase the puck. Chase the puck. Chase the puck. Now, while this works great for him in the developmental league since he is so much faster than everyone else, in our division--where all the teams have decent skills, skate decently fast, and know how to pass to each other, this doesn't work so well.

Think about it. Imagine playing behind a defenseman who does NOTHING but chase the puck.

On every rush coming into our end, if it is a 2 on 2, he will make it a 2 on 1 since he will leave his area and chase the puck carrier. If it is a 2 on 1 and he's the one defenseman, he will create a 2 on 0 because he will chase the puck and not play the pass. If it is a 3 on 2, it will become a 3 on 1, etc.

If my team is back on defense, Todd will chase the puck everywhere, even if the puck is in the other defenseman's corner. Even if the puck is at the point. Doesn't matter. He never fills his responsibility to protect my slot area. So, usually the center and a winger must come down to cover the opposing players in front of me. So, there are constantly 3 opposing players open somewhere in our zone. Everytime. In tonight's game, I gave up a goal where 2 opponents were stationed right in front screening me and ready for one timers. Where was Todd, my "defenseman" when the puck went in? Behind the net, watching the guys hack at rebounds, useless. That happens at least 4 or 5 times a game. I can go on and on about all the problems Todd creates for us, but you get the idea.

First, I begin yelling at him, giving directions. "Todd play the pass!" "Todd, there's two guys in front!" "Todd get back to the middle!" Doesn't help. In fact, he thinks I'm yelling to be mean to him. In fact, my whole team has given me the rep of being a nasty yeller, and I'm not trying to be at all. In fact, he comes by during the game telling me to calm down and concentrate! ARRGGHH!!!!!

Next, I try to explain to him in the locker room, clearly and politely, how to play certain situations, like the odd man break. Since he has no way to translate that info to the ice, it doesn't help.

And the rest of my teammates are just wusses and won't tell him anything, even though Todd makes them just as angry. No one else wants to play defense since I now have the rep of yelling nasty things to my defense--when I'm not trying to do that! And Todd's a really nice guy, overall--no one wants to tell him that he doesn't know what the heck he's doing out there.

It's gotten to the point where Todd distracts my focus during the game. Like the time Todd tried to jump over me while I was in my ready stance--from BEHIND--and basically cross-checked me flat on my face. He was chasing the puck. Too bad we were trying to kill a penalty. Another goal against me...

At this point, I've just decided to give up. I don't want to yell at Todd, really--it's hurting his attitude, and it doesn't make him better. I've just accepted the fact that I'm going to look bad, I'm giving up 8, 9, 10, goals a game, I'm going to see 2 on 0s and 3 on 0s constantly. I've accepted the fact that I have become a distracted, jumpy goalie--the worse goalie in a league I used to dominate. It's just a game, right? Who cares that I get spanked all the time? But this isn't working either. Tonight I really hurt my bad shoulder and rib cage sprawling to make a desperate save on a one timer--a pass Todd should have blocked if he wasn't stuck behind my net. I have done splits and sprawls this season that I haven't done in 10 years, just to try to make desperate saves on all the open back door plays and open one timers that I face. I've started to see a chiropractor (a friend) just so I can get back on the ice for the next ordeal. I just can't physically keep up anymore without minimal defensive help.

I don't know what I should do. I need help. I can't keep dealing with this.

[bedris]

You got that new blocker for a reason.

Sorry I couldn't offer anything constructive. I'm just a destructive individual, you know what I mean? Sorry, bud, hang in there.

[froggy chaos]

Boy sounds familiar i play alot of pickup games. ya know 5on 5 hockey with no defensemen whatsoever. so i deal with this a lot. first of all i would talk to yer coach or other players to cobnfront him. make sure he understands that he has potential to be a good defensemen. other than that you cant do anything but have fun with this season. i mean it will be a differebnt team next season. and youll come out a better goalie. if you pull out saves in these situations just think hopw much better you will play with real defensemen. and if all else fails throw blunt objects atr his head

laterz
froggy chaos

go avs

[sloth2946]

Do you have anyone willing to video tape a game??? If not you should invest in a hockey rink dry erase board for the team and diagram what is going on with him. Diagram certain situations where he is chasing and challenge him to think. Give him a situation and ask him if he were playing offense where would he like the puck to go and what would he want the defenseman to do in order to give him a prime scoring opportunity. See defense is simply offense reverse engineered. Also explain to him that as a defenseman he should make all his plays going backwards and that he also has to go to where the puck is trying or going to go not where it is. That is all I have for you.

[Old Swiss2]

Does Todd watch hockey? Would it be a help to take him to a game as a social event so he can see how defense is played? (By the way, don't take him to a Caps game. I went last night and the Washington defense looked like it was involved in a pick-up game.)

[canesgoalie]

"First, I begin yelling at him, giving directions. "Todd play the pass!" "Todd, there's two guys in front!" "Todd get back to the middle!" Doesn't help. In fact, he thinks I'm yelling to be mean to him. In fact, my whole team has given me the rep of being a nasty yeller, and I'm not trying to be at all. In fact, he comes by during the game telling me to calm down and concentrate! ARRGGHH!!!!!"

For the millionth time I am reminded, "I guess I'm not the only one with that problem." My d really tries, and they generally do a great job, but the higher the stakes in the game, it seems the worse the whole team plays. I am forced to seek a high level of calm and a sense of what I can and cannot do to change the situation when things get FUBAR on the ice.
My teammates do not share my intensity level or dedication to the game, and when I express that intensity verbally, they tell me to calm down. I am getting tired of playing women's hockey. I need a co-ed or men's team.
7 skaters of a possible 12 showed up for a winnable game last week, and I got really angry. I can only imagine what would happen if the team never knew if I would show up for a game or not.
If I am not bearing the weight of work/school/home/car in shop I generally remind myself to try to control what I can and let the rest go. Talk to Todd and see what you can both do to make each other's job easier on the ice. That way, it sounds like a win-win situation, and Todd might not be inclined to get defensive. Also, if Todd is such a great skater and likes to chase the puck, why don't they make him a forward? Put the speed to good use. He doesn't sound genetically inclined to defense. He may not be smart enough to be a good defenseman.

[Goalienerd]

I have to agree with Canes, it sounds like Todd might make a good center. Alot of coaches put the best skaters back at D, when they really should not be back there. Believe me, playing womens hockey I have seen coaches put figure skaters back at d because they can skate backward but they have no hockey intelligence.

One of the teams I am on this year has a entire green D-core. What I have found works well with them is just to talk with them, let them know where I need them to be. This has taught them about where they are supposed to be. Now two of them have gotten the idea and are playing well. It took them a few monthes but they got it.

[sloppy]

az,
Sounds very frustrating. However, you've seen that "Todd" doesn't learn, isn't about to any time soon, so focus on your game. You can't change what you have no control over. If teammates aren't speaking up and you're looking like the mean guy, then it's time to bite the bullet.

I say still offer instructions to defense, but just, "man open left wing" or "clear these two in front please!" Something simple. Don't pick on any one defenseman, see who answers the call for help. Hey, most people want to help.

As for those screening you, I say clear them yourself. I just skate right into them hard, so they lose their balance, start falling backwards, but keep looking around them to see the puck. Believe me, they won't be in your face for much longer. Keep bowling right into them. If anyone objects, mention you're cutting down on the angle, you're in my way.

In the room, tell the team you'll be calling where the open man is. Tell them that you'll get the puck, they get the open man so he can't get at the puck. Stick with the man and the puck will eventually come to him.


I repeat this as a mantra to teams I play with, as a reminder, it takes a bit of time but eventually they grasp it.


Good luck and focus on your own game, do the best you can and have fun, right?!

[TartanBill]

How old is Todd? We've already established that he has no hockey experience or sense. Younger players have a real hard time learing hockey smarts. Until they are about 18, the white board is useless.

The first problem here is that communicating with the defense is just that, communication. It's not instruction. Someone without hockey sense is not capable of properly responding to on ice directions. They cannot put even simple instructions into the proper context. The second problem is that you aren't going to learn much playing full ice games. You don't get the kind of repetition needed to reinforce good behavior and punish poor behavior.

If you want Todd to get better, find a small gym and play 2-2, 3-3. The constant short side match ups will teach positional discipline in a way that full ice, the white board, and bench talk cannot.

[MaskedMan]

Would it help to have the team convert him to a center?

[blackman34]

I've got a D on my team who has a good shot, but can't skate very well and doesn't know positioning at all. He spends most of the time in the corner while I try and clear his man out of the crease. When he joined the team, we moved one of our D up to winger to make room for him. 1/2 way thru the season I asked him politely if he wouldn't mind trying out playing up. His response, "Oh, I couldn't play up, I'm not good enough. That's why I play D. Then he jokingly added "Hey, maybe since I can't skate very well I should try goalie!"

My mind exploded and I just walked away....

[TartanBill]

A defensive buddy of mine told me that there are three types of people who think they are superior skaters,
1) Canadians
2) New Englanders
3) Goalies.

I reminded him that I never cross the blue line,... into the attacking zone. But hang back if I do.

Seriously though, a clueless center will hurt just as much as a clueless defenseman. It just won't be as obvious. He may be tempermentally better suited to another position, but the root cause is either ignorance or stupidity. Ignorance can be cured, stupidity cannot.

[linkbelt238]

I agree that a move to center could be just as bad. What about a move to wing? perhaps you have a defensive winger who could be moved back? That would be my recomendation

[Colin]

You shouldn't be doing this. This is the Team Captain's job. Your team captain needs to step up and move this guy to wing or get him to understand the game.

[az]

Thanks for the replies!

Colin: Our team captain had back surgery several months ago. He's out this season. And, no, there is no assistant captain. Really, there is no leader--that's a big part of the problem to start.

I'm going to keep trying to teach him off the ice as much as possible. However, Tbill's suggestion is probably the best. Unfortunately, none of us have time to organize that sort of extra practice. I've used visual aids like "rink chalk boards"--nothing seems to stick with him.

I'm going to suggest to the team that Todd play wing more. However, keep in mind our entire team has 7 players. We are so short handed on our roster we don't even bother with lines. It's pathetic really. The problem is that my team lost its 2 best defenseman from last year--and the league gave us Todd in response.

Todd also plays on my summer league team, which is a completely different team in a different league. That summer team has a full roster, sponsored uniforms, a team bus, etc. For a rec team, that team is extremely organized and well funded. As such, we have set lines for offense and defense. Todd plays wing ONLY on that team. He's a good winger since he has no fear of digging in the boards...