Next, to effectively break out of the defensive zone, which is the key to avoid having to defend, the defensemen must be willing to take a hit to make a play. When your players are being forechecked, they want to break out on the weak side. Every once in a while, if someone can turn it up the ice directly and go, that’s great. But when being pressured, players should get the puck to the weak side as quickly as possible.

There are two ways to do this. One is a simple corner-to-corner pass behind the net to the weak-side defenseman as the strong-side defenseman is being pressured (figure 11.1). This is called a bump. The puck-carrying defenseman will look for his partner to peel off into the corner for that pass once that weak-side defender makes certain his partner has the puck.

In figure 11.1, the attacking right wing (RW) is forechecking hard on the left defenseman (LD), who has the puck. In response to the pending pressure, the right defenseman (RD) moves behind the goal line to receive a bump pass from the LD. The pass is banked off the end boards.

FIGURE 11.1 Corner-to-corner pass behind the net to the weak-side defenseman when the strong-side defenseman is under pressure.

One change made in recent years is to position the wings as close to the blue line as possible so they won’t have too far to go to get the puck out of the zone when puck battles erupt there. With the wings high and the weak-side defenseman dropping down to be available for the bump pass, the center must come down low to provide support. You always want the center to be a source of support, but it is particularly important on the breakout.

The defenseman with the puck has to make a crucial read here. If he is under pressure from only a single forechecker, he will make that bump pass to his partner. But if he becomes aware of an aggressive forecheck from two opposing forwards, so that not only is he under pressure but his partner is as well, then he will do a hard wrap of the puck past his partner all the way to the weak-side wing (figure 11.2). After receiving the puck, the weak-side wing should have options, most notably the center curling up or the other wing cutting into the neutral zone for a pass. He can also chip it into the neutral zone, forcing opposing forwards to clear the offensive zone.

In figure 11.2, not only is the attacking right wing (RW) forechecking hard on the left defenseman (LD) who has the puck, but the attacking left wing (LW) is anticipating the pass to the weak-side defenseman (RD). In response to the pending pressure of two forecheckers down low, the LD sends the puck hard behind the net, deliberately past his partner and the second forechecker, with the intent that his RW will retrieve it and be able to break out on the far side.

FIGURE 11.2 Defenseman executes a hard wrap of the puck to the weak-side wing.

The initial strong-side defenseman who has moved the puck—either by the bump or the wrap—should get himself up the ice as quickly as possible. You want four players on the rush whenever you can. Sometimes on the wrap it will be the weak-side defenseman who was not handling the puck who turns up ice first, rather than the first defenseman who had the puck. What is important is that you have at least four players transitioning to offense as quickly as possible.

In summary, the objectives of the breakout are as follows: