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- 3 Keys to Hockey Defense: Dominate the Defensive Zone by Jackson Chlebowy
- 4 Hockey Skating Drills for Youth Players: Building Speed, Balance, and Agility by Jackson Chlebowy
- 4 Hockey Passing Drills to Improve Team Performance: Mites to Peewees by Jackson Chlebowy
- Mastering the Hockey Forecheck: 6 Keys and Strategies by Jackson Chlebowy
- How To Coach Hockey: Creating a Winning Culture by Jackson Chlebowy
- 5 Principles of a Successful Hockey Power Play by Jackson Chlebowy
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- Journey into Strength and Conditioning with NHL athletes to everyday people with Ryan Van Asten: Two time Stanley Cup Champion and Current Calgary Flames Strength and Conditioning Coach by Clarence Paller
Mastering the Hockey Forecheck: 6 Keys and Strategies
In hockey, an aggressive and well-structured forecheck can be the difference between a good team and a great one. The forecheck is a strategy or system teams use to pressure their opponents in the offensive zone. The goal of the forecheck is to apply pressure, take away time and space, and force turnovers. The forecheck is a crucial part of the game, it helps dictate the pace of play, disrupts the breakout, and creates scoring chances for your offense. Whether your team plays a more conservative passive forecheck, or a high-flying aggressive one, understanding and executing the key concepts of the forecheck will elevate your team's play.
Understanding the Forecheck
When do you forecheck? What even is the forecheck? The forecheck is a combination of pressure, positioning, and communication between players in an effort to dispossess the opponent and create offensive zone pressure. The forecheck starts after your team loses possession in the offensive zone or when attempting to regain possession of a dumped puck. There are a variety of hockey forecheck strategies to choose from. The most common being:
1-2-2 Forecheck – A balanced approach that provides pressure while maintaining a defensive structure.
2-1-2 Forecheck – A more aggressive forecheck designed to apply immediate pressure.
1-3-1 Forecheck – A trap system that clogs the neutral zone and limits the opponent’s transition.
Passive Forecheck (Left Wing Lock) – A more conservative system that relies on patience and counter-attacks.
The systems you decide to install and play should depend heavily on a few different factors.
The first factor to consider is your team's strengths and weaknesses. If you have fast and active forwards who like to get up the ice and apply pressure, the 2-1-2 forecheck might be a good option for your team. If your team is particularly skilled in the transition game, a more passive forecheck like the Left Wing Lock might be a good choice.
The second factor to consider when choosing what forecheck to use in-game should be your opponent's strengths, tendencies, and strategies. If your opponent has fast forwards and attempts to beat the forecheck with speed or with long stretch passes, it might be best to adjust your strategy to be more passive. Dropping back in a more neutral position to force the opponent to play through your defensive structure will help stifle your opponent's breakout.
The third, and final factor to consider when choosing which breakout strategy to use is the game situation. If your team is up 1 goal in a close game with minutes left on the clock, it wouldn’t be smart to run an aggressive forecheck like the 2-1-2. While the heavy pressure from the forwards can create turnovers, it can just as easily lead to odd-man rushes and scoring chances for your opponent. This forechecking strategy might better be used in the inverse situation when your team is pushing for a goal near the end of the game.
If you’re looking for in-depth analysis and more information on how to properly employ these 4 most common forecheck strategies (as well as a few more advanced options), Coach Nate Leslie has a forechecking master class in his course ‘How to Play Hockey Module 4: Offensive Zone Tactics’. Coach Leslie is the owner and director of Leslie Global Sports and West Coast Hockey Prep Camp. Coach Leslie is also a former professional hockey player, turning his focus to youth hockey development following his professional career playing in Switzerland, England, and Scotland.
Each system has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Regardless of the forechecking strategies you decide to install, they all require an understanding of common key concepts for the forecheck to be executed properly.
1. Pressure and Puck Pursuit
One of, if not the most important aspect of an effective forecheck is relentless pressure. The first forward (F1) in the zone is the one that will dictate the pace and pressure of the forecheck. The first forward has to attack the puck carrier with speed, taking away their time and space. The F1’s goal is to force and pressure the puck carrier into making a bad decision. Typically, this means forcing the puck carrier to the short side of the ice, eliminating time and space, and forcing them to get rid of the puck quickly. This is an incredibly effective way to force turnovers, bad passes, or for the defense to dump the puck to avoid pressure from the F1. The F1 must be aggressive but disciplined so they do not get caught out of position or over-commit to the attack.
As the F1 pressures the puck carrier, the 2nd and 3rd forwards (F2 and F3) should read the play and react accordingly to support. This typically means the F2 is working to take away passing lanes for the breakout while also closing space and applying secondary pressure on the puck carrier. F3 plays a coverage role, not applying direct pressure to the puck carrier but taking away passing lanes and being ready to jump on any loose pucks or bad passes.
2. Strong Stick Positioning and Body Angling
A successful forecheck requires more than hard skating and physical play. It takes a lot of intelligent and intentional positioning to apply pressure and limit the opponent's options on the breakout. A well-placed stick is extremely important in the effort to break up passes, cover passing lanes, and poke the puck loose for a turnover.
Players should attempt to use their sticks as a way to direct play. A well-angled stick in pursuit of the puck can force the puck carrier to skate themselves out of space and into making poor decisions with the puck.
Additionally, players should be intentional about the angles they take to the puck. Instead of skating straight at their opponents, forecheckers should close down space and force the puck carrier to the wall. This will limit their options for the breakout, and take away their time leading to more turnovers and mishandled breakouts. Steering the puck carrier with good body angling and stick positioning will help dictate where the play goes, further helping the support forwards ability to recover pucks and create turnovers.
3. Communication and Awareness
Each player on the forecheck has their own roles and responsibilities. It is important that the players on the ice communicate with one another so that the forecheck, as a unit, can effectively do its job. Communication is key in the game of hockey, particularly so on the forecheck. Players need to constantly be talking to each other on the ice, calling out checks, signaling when and what position to cover, and where opposing players are on the ice. Good communication between the forechecking unit will limit mistakes, improve the defensive structure of the unit, and ensure players are not getting lost in coverage. Players need to be on the same page, working together to coordinate their attack, increasing their odds of creating turnovers.
Beyond verbal communication on the ice, players need to be situationally aware of what is going on around them. This means knowing where pressure needs to be applied, what direction to force play in to take away the puck carries options, and anticipating passes and breakout attempts. Part of being situationally aware is understanding what tactics or tendencies your opponent is using. Pay close attention to your opponent and what they do on the breakout, and you will be able to adapt your forecheck to match and defend their tendencies more effectively. A well-coordinated and aware forechecking unit will be able to keep the pressure on the defensive unit and force them into simple mistakes.
4. Defensive Support and Backchecking
An aggressive forecheck is only effective when there is a strong defensive structure supporting it. Defensemen should be active in the forecheck looking for opportunities to hold the blueline and keep the puck in the zone to maintain Ozone pressure. That being said, defensemen have to pick their moments properly when trying to contribute on the forecheck. A bad pinch from the defenseman can lead to easy breakout passes and fast break opportunities headed toward your goal.
Defensemen need to be aware of where the play is. If a defenseman can jump down the wall, and meet or beat the defensive player to the puck they should do so. Especially if they have a winger or secondary defensive help circling back to the point to protect from an easy breakout. The defenseman is the last line of defense on the forecheck, so the defensemen must make smart decisions when jumping up into the play. If the defenseman does get burned on their pinch attempt, the F3 or high forward in the zone needs to backcheck as hard as possible to chase down the play and even up the numbers. A hard-working back checker can chase down the puck carrier or catch up to passing options allowing the lone defenseman to handle the remaining attackers.
5. Adaptability and Reading the Play
As mentioned previously, a forecheck is not a one-size-fits-all system. What system you choose for your team will largely depend on the situation and your opponent's strategies throughout the game. Hockey can sometimes be a chess match, making it increasingly important that you and your team are knowledgeable enough to change and adapt your playstyle to outmatch your opponents.
It is also important to note that not every forechecking opportunity is the same. Sometimes, the puck might be down in the corner or behind the net allowing for a fully aggressive forecheck, while other times the puck might not get below the circles. It is important to understand that every forechecking opportunity is different. It won't always be possible to aggressively pursue the puck carrier and set up a defensive structure in the Offensive zone. Sometimes it is best to give up the breakout in favor of preparing your defenses in the neutral zone.
6. Conditioning and Tenacity
To be effective on the forecheck, players need to be high energy and have good endurance. The forecheck is a high-energy, high-intensity play that requires players to sustain high effort to maintain their Ozone pressure. The best forechecking teams are relentless, not giving their opponents an inch of time and space. Over the course of the game, if your team is able to sustain a high level of effort and is willing to take/make hits to make a play they will wear down the defensive unit leading to lazy mistakes. Throughout the game, if the forecheckers maintain their high effort and finish their checks (or are making body contact if playing at younger age levels) the puck-handling defensemen will get worn down, and scared of contact. Getting in your opponent's head is a good way to cause completely unforced and unnecessary mistakes for your benefit.
Conclusion
Mastering the forecheck is essential for any successful hockey team. By applying pressure, using proper stick positioning, communicating effectively, and maintaining defensive awareness, teams can create chaos for their opponents and generate scoring chances. Understanding and executing a well-structured forecheck can be the difference between controlling the pace of play and constantly chasing the puck.