How to play D at the highest level

Earlier this week I spoke with a U.S. prep-school coach who was unsure how to handle an overabundance of offensive-minded defensemen on his roster.

There’s nothing wrong with having Ds who want to play with speed and skill, so long as they can develop understanding with their partners in all three zones and on both sides of the puck.

In the modern NHL, teams are less likely to employ the classic combination of a fast puck-mover with a slow stay-at-home D.

Instead, we more often seen duos such as Devon Toews-Cale Makar (COL), Mattias Ekholm-Evan Bouchard (EDM) and Shane Gostisbehere-Sean Walker (CAR), featuring two versatile Ds who can read off each other.

In today’s workshop:

Highly effective D pairs operate in specific and repeatable patterns, patterns that you may not yet be familiar with:

1. The Spread

2. The Squeeze

3. The Slide

4. The Cross

5. Cover Middle

Watch the video workshop at the top of the page to see some of the NHL’s best play-driving D pairs move in synchronicity.