devilsblood
Registered User
- Mar 10, 2010
- 30,364
- 12,760
No. A back pass is not a drop pass. Those are 2 very different things and have the 2nd wave skating with speed right behind the front attack. That is what we did last year, we didn't hit the red line and suddenly turn around and throw it back into our own zone. That's what they're doing now EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE OPEN ICE to skate freely into the zone because it's been scripted to force the pass. The correct way is to skate to pressure and then if finding pressure back pass to the supporting wave. Now they don't even wait for true pressure, they just do it and the PK knows it's coming and fast attacks getting a turnover at best, a complete regroup and killing 20 seconds of the PP at worst. It works 1/3rd of the time I'd say and it's laughable they keep sticking to it. You have to mix it up as 1 of 3 distinct zone entries - straight skate in and pull up waiting for others to flood down low, the dump past the stand-up and beat them with speed to the puck, and then the back pass.
Not this again my butt. The difference between what other teams have done successfully with an outlet pass with speed following the primary puck carrier is so evident I can't believe I have to explain myself here.
We often see teams give half/faux pressure, to the D-man skating with the puck because they know the drop is coming. Then that fore checker is in decent position to defend that 2nd wave.
Butcher does it well. Vatanen doesn't.
Butcher has a keen sense on where the actual pressure is, where he can catch Hall or Palmieri in stride, and when he should just gain the zone and ignore the forwards. Vatanen is a train wreck though and does everything you said.
Butcher though is not a threat to skate the puck into the offensive zone. Teams know the drop is coming and defend accordingly.