Why NHLers "forget" how to defend

2025-26 NHL trends: MTL & STL DZC low 3v3

Ever wonder why, in certain instances, NHL players look as if they’ve completely forgotten how to play in the defensive zone?

The problem isn’t one of memory, but one of attention: focusing on the wrong cues, or becoming too overwhelmed to focus on the right ones.

Here are two examples from last night’s Montreal-St. Louis game, which featured some of the most amateurish defending you’ll see from the best players in the world.

First, here’s what a successful defensive switch looks like at the NHL level.