from Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe,
... the NHL is shifting toward a league that rewards speed and skill all over the ice. Teams want fast, quick, skilled forwards who can play creatively with and without the puck.
Naturally, defenses are changing, too. General managers are acknowledging that loitering in your own zone increases the chances of pucks slipping into your net. Big, strong, and stationary defensemen do not excel in fishing pucks out of danger.
It is no coincidence that Los Angeles and Chicago, the league’s two best teams, emphasize blue-line mobility over shutdown girth. Their blue lines include Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin, Slava Voynov, Alec Martinez, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Johnny Oduya, and Nick Leddy. They are all just as comfortable retrieving the puck, pushing it forward, and supporting the attack as they are at standing up forwards and grinding in the dark-alley areas.
They’re not just good skaters. They know where to be.
“If you look at the good teams, they have speed because they’re moving the puck quick and they’re positioned quick,” (Hal)Gill said. “I think that’s the thing people don’t realize. Positionally-wise, the game is on top of that. You can’t take a loop. You have to take a quick stop and start to be in the right spot.”
more plus additional hockey notes....
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