WildCard Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 Alright having a big debate with my buddy. Is it better/worse to invert your defensemen? I.e. if they are a right handed shot, play them as a LHD, and vice-versa. The idea is so they can come up in the offensive zone and cut in to shoot left. Full disclosure, I think it's the dumbest idea. Yeah you can now cut in and shoot, and you can 1-time it. THAT'S IT. Playing catch in the d-zone with your partner? Way harder. Moving the puck up ice? Way harder. Pinching the puck? WAY HARDER. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Flagg Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 In general yeah, you probably don't want to have them play the opposite side. Lots of times you're forced to, because for a while there were very few available good RHD. A few players have found success on their "wrong side" and much prefer it. Hjalmarsson, I believe Daley, and some others I can't think of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 Not sure about that. You want to keep guys to the outside and it is better to prevent put sticks on puck in the seams. So yeh I think its better on D to play on off side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTS Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 The biggest impact is when having to work the puck along the boards. After that it doesn't make much of a difference except when it comes to one-timers. At least for cross-ice passes because it's next to impossible to one-time a puck that has to go across your body. So, if you deal with picking up the puck on the boards in either zone, getting it on the back hand can cause a problem and make it harder to move. The playing catch piece of it really isn't that big of a deal as players, especially in the NHL, should be able to catch a pass on the backhand easily. In a lot of cases, if you are playing on the off hand then you put your body between a forechecker and the puck and still play it on your forehand as well. Bottom line is I think it boils down to the preference of the player, but since many players are slotted into the left or right by coaches they grow accustomed to playing one side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 I prefer defenders to play their off-hand side and the reason is for offensive zone pinches to maintain possession. If you're playing your off hand side you can use your body to take away the outlet pass on the boards and your stick to cover the outlet up the middle. If you're on your normal side your stick is against the boards and the middle opens up. This also works for the defensive zone. If you're transitioning from backwards to forwards skating as a player comes down the wing you use your body to keep the defender to the outside and use your stick to cover up any pass to middle or the point. The only shot you're giving him this way is a tough angle shot as he gets deeper into the zone below the circles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampD Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 (edited) I don't think it matters one lick. More and more plays take place these days where guys are facing the "wrong" way that I think the advantages of one over the other have evened out. Edited May 1, 2018 by SwampD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taro T Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 The biggest impact is when having to work the puck along the boards. After that it doesn't make much of a difference except when it comes to one-timers. At least for cross-ice passes because it's next to impossible to one-time a puck that has to go across your body. So, if you deal with picking up the puck on the boards in either zone, getting it on the back hand can cause a problem and make it harder to move. The playing catch piece of it really isn't that big of a deal as players, especially in the NHL, should be able to catch a pass on the backhand easily. In a lot of cases, if you are playing on the off hand then you put your body between a forechecker and the puck and still play it on your forehand as well. Bottom line is I think it boils down to the preference of the player, but since many players are slotted into the left or right by coaches they grow accustomed to playing one side. Well stated. And if Dahlin is more comfortable on the RD rather than his strong side; really don't have a problem w/ him staying there. It would allow the Sabres to break up Scandella-Ristolainen towards the end of this season or sometime next year. Based on who the Sabres have, once Dahlin is acclimated to the NHL game and comes into his own (whenever that happens) would rather still have Scandella on the top pairing rather than Ristolainen. Also, isn't DeHaan a lefty? (Really expect the Sabres to make a play for him.) Even w/out him, there is a bit more of a glut on the LD than the RD. (Pilut, Guhle, & McCabe are all lefties.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabel79 Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 The increasing scarcity of right handed shots in general probably impacts this a bit as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pi2000 Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 It's a personal preference, some guys are more comfortable on the other side. Wherever they're most comfortable is going to benefit the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 Back in the day alot of D men played their off side. D men were paired up based on role, side be damned. It has only been in the last 10 years or so that a concerted effort was made to pair players up on the on side. I'm pretty sure that advanced stats fueled the change to consciously pairing D men on their on side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnkirishone Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 I had a preference to play the off hand side both on wing and D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 Left shooting RW here. Didn’t play nearly as much D, but preferred the left side there. Much better for forcing attackers to the outside and slinging the puck around the boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LikeEich Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 IMO, it's a fantastic thing when you have puck possession, and can turn out quite horribly when you don't. The worst is in the ozone watching buddy try to pick up the puck that's wrapped around the boards on his backhand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 IMO, it's a fantastic thing when you have puck possession, and can turn out quite horribly when you don't. The worst is in the ozone watching buddy try to pick up the puck that's wrapped around the boards on his backhandOften results in a look out pass... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LikeEich Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 Often results in a look out pass... Sorry not following... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Buffalo Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 (edited) On offhand your back is turned toward a pinching D to receive puck on forehand and you have two choices... turn to the middle to stay on your forehand not a good thing too easy to take away or peek and switch puck to backhand. Either way you need too look out because it is too easy to get nailed. On forehand same side facing out you can let the puck get by you a bit and easier to keep an eye on the defender in front of you and pass to a teamate or just flip clear the puck. More a winger issue but D to D deal easpecially with pucks behind the redline. Edited May 2, 2018 by North Buffalo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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