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For one, the defenseman must surround the puck by getting his feet around it while moving it quickly to his forehand, regardless of whether he collects it from along the boards or in open ice. A defenseman must also look back over his shoulder, or shoulder check, to determine if oncoming pressure is being applied by the forechecking team. Last, a defenseman must use the net as an obstacle to fend off the opposing forechecker. These are three skills important for a defenseman’s success, and he hasn’t even attempted to pass the puck yet.

Special teams, including the power play, have become an important part of any successful hockey team. Time spent developing these plays and drilling them is time spent well. Successful special teams require team coordination and individual skill and effort. A coach should evaluate his players and create a unit of five players who complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

For power-play breakouts, simple is often better. Take advantage of the unequal numbers on the ice to create two-on-one situations. Develop breakouts in consideration of your opponent’s penalty-kill forechecks. Common penalty-kill forechecks at the youth hockey level include the 1-1-2, the 2-2, and the 1-2-1. Options such as three back and five back can be used to overcome penalty-kill forechecks.

Once the breakout successfully moves the puck into the offensive zone, the power-play team regroups to take advantage of their position and score goals. Regardless of the team’s strategy, the power-play team must always take shots from the house, find the shooting lanes, screen the goalie, and crash the net for rebounds. Two setup options include the umbrella setup and another in which a right-handed player is playing the left point and a left-handed player is playing the right point.

Both team and individual drills are necessary to develop special teams skills and prepare players for taking advantage of these situations. Drills can feature a competitive element to increase player interest and create more gamelike situations. Teams that practice hard and plan well will be in the best position to use power plays to their advantage.

CHOOSING PERSONNEL

At the higher levels of hockey, a significant amount of time is spent determining the correct personnel to use for a team’s power-play units. Initially this is done by looking at each individual player and assessing strengths and weaknesses, which will eventually lead to your creating units of five players whose strengths will complement one another. Youth coaches may not have the luxury of assembling two equally talented units. However, strengths exist on each team, and with a little creativity, support players can fill in or supplement the top two or three players. This tactic is even used at the NCAA and NHL levels.

When the Detroit Red Wings ran their power-play breakout during the Nick Lidstrom era, they intentionally tried to get the puck into Lidstrom’s hands because they knew he had the best chance of making a successful first pass up the ice. In addition, this first pass wasn’t intended to end up in Johan Franzen’s hands: The targets were either Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg. Franzen’s role on that first power-play unit was not to carry the puck up the ice or make fancy plays in the neutral zone. His role began once his unit gained entry into the offensive zone, and that was to screen the goalie and score rebound goals, two jobs that fit his strengths perfectly.

This example shows the various types of players in the NHL, which translates down through the youth hockey levels as well. Certain players have vision and the ability to pass the puck or make plays. Others may have strength or size, while others have a natural ability to shoot the puck and score goals. The coach’s challenge is to create a power-play unit (or units) while taking each of these factors into consideration.

Typically, the creation of a power-play unit starts with your best player. Ask yourself the following questions: Where do I see this player being most productive on the power play? Does he have the speed and skill to carry the puck up ice, or is he more of a playmaker? Will he show poise and have the ability to make quick decisions under pressure, or does he need more time and space to make the right play? Depending on the maturity level of the player, these issues can be discussed with the player directly.

A player who requires more time and space will likely have more success playing at the point by the blue line. A player with tenacity and the ability to battle for loose pucks will have the most success playing down low when the power play is set up in the zone. Good coaches can identify their players’ tendencies and place them in the right position on the ice for the best chance of success.