Thinking and Competing "As A 5-Person Unit"

In Today's Post--Paul Lubanski Reveals A Can't Miss "WINNING HOCKEY" Strategy For Youth Hockey Coaches Across North America:

THINKING AND COMPETING "AS A FIVE-PERSON UNIT!"

Another MUST READ For Coaches, Parents & Players At ALL LEVELS...

By Paul Lubanski

I recently read a comment by  Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock referencing the team's preparation efforts for an important home game against St. Louis and to paraphrase he said the following: "We have to get to competing and playing as a five-man unit as much as possible. When we move up and down the ice like that, we have the most success."

Very cool.

Why?


It is something that I personally have preached and taught for many years--just haven't heard it from others to often. So to have it come out of a  respected leader's mouth like Mike Babcock--it feels good.

So, what exactly does it mean to be playing "as a five-person unit" and why is it important to strive to do so?

Quite simply, what we are talking about is moving up and down the surface playing offensively or defensively in a traditional three forward and two defense-person alignment.

You see, doing so gives any team the chance to play the highest potential degree of unified/elite-level play.

Again, why?



Primarily because playing in-concert with the four other players (actually "five" if you have an active an alert netminder that can pass the puck) on the ice allows for the BEST hockey--in its purest sense--to be manufactured.

Specifically how?

Well, let's first discuss offense. If all five players are within a proximity that allows for inter-changing of positions at a moment's notice--some wonderful things can take place. Think about it for a moment, if you have two defenseman on the surface that have no qualms about jumping into the play and acting as pseudo-forward (or vice-versa) then amazing puck-movement will occur. One only has to harken back to the old days of the Red Wings "Russian Five" to grab ahold of a clear picture of what I am referencing. Five players moving in-and-amongst each other (regardless of the zone) in awesome harmony and with a real, identifiable, scalable sense of purpose. Now--THAT was beautiful hockey as it was "meant" to be played and couldn't have been performed if the players weren't not in the "FPU" alignment/mode I reference.

Defensively--this is even easier. Five-players positioned strategically--all within clear eye-sight and EAR-shot allow for the required COMMUNICATION to take place that fosters switch-offs at a split-second notice. What results when executed efficiently-- is a "smothering" effect of the opposition. A "blanketing" (eliminating their time and space through gap control) of any high-powered scoring machine can take place with the "support" created by this style. If your goal is to win via defense-first, this is the way to do it. Always be reminded that when your team possesses the biscuit, you/they are actually playing offense and defense simultaneously--what a concept! What a bonus!

Best of luck.


BONUS TIP

You should also take the time to consider the "five-person unit" theme as it relates to a PP breakout. Why on earth would you want to try and stretch the defense with a north-south "bomb-breakout pass" to gain entry when you can crash-in-unison with five players? That sort of trickery rarely results in sound possession and/or effective/efficient odd-man rush. Quite the contrary. So stick to the most intelligent and tenacious five competitors you have and let them enter with the simplicity of the "FPU" mindset. It will will pay big dividends-trust me.



Connect with Paul directly via:  The PPP/Paul's Puck Pathway's Youth Hockey Consulting Company he formed in partnership with Chicago Area Youth Hockey Blog.

You can find his children's books--"Bonky, a Moose and the Magic Hockey Stick" and "Just Leave it to Coopie" on www.amazon.com--keyword Lubanski.





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