The Trap Thrives in 2006 Olympic Games

[Ola]

is a complete joke....

I can also promise you that if US won this Olympics it wouldn't be a joke for the 25.000 hockey leaders in USA. Or every young kid in USA who play the game. I am pretty sure they would be darn proud and IT WOULD AFFECT ALLOT MORE PEOPLE IN USA THEN WHAT IT DOES WHEN TAMPA WINS A STANLEY CUP.

 

[HK32LM]

My bet is that 90% of the people whining about the trap don't even know what it is, I can tell that several posters in this thread fall to that group.

To those people every defensive system is the trap and the trap is blamed when their team is not winning.

Grow up and learn the game.

So, could someone pls explain, how the trap actually works? My understanding is that it is 4+1 defensive system, where just 1 attacker forechechs in neutral zone, while remaining 4 guard the blue line. I might be wrong however.

 

[Pepper]

So, could someone pls explain, how the trap actually works? My understanding is that it is 4+1 defensive system, where just 1 attacker forechechs in neutral zone, while remaining 4 guard the blue line. I might be wrong however.

If you're talking about the infamous neutral zone trap (there are different type of traps), no it doesn't work that way.

Which trap do you mean?

 

[HK32LM]

If you're talking about the infamous neutral zone trap (there are different type of traps), no it doesn't work that way.

Which trap do you mean?

I am really asking from "I have no clue" position.
Lets say, the trap that Minnesota is famous for playing. Any explanation is welcome.

 

[McJadeddog]

I'm sure that if one of the NAmerican teams ends up in the final, that entire country will be united in celebration and the other NAmerican country would cheer for them as if it were their own.

haha.... really eh? just like us canadians cheered for the states in the world juniors? dont comment on the north american state of affairs if you dont understand them ..... the only team i wouldnt cheer for against the americans is the russians, every other european team would get my cheering

and for all you europeans, why cant you just accept that the stanley cup is more important to north americans? i understand that the olympics seem to be more important to you guys

again though, they whole point is that the 1 game elimination format is inherintly flawed..... it doesnt actually *decide* anything, other than who was the best team that day..... i realize that every team can beat every team, but thats not what i care about (since i already KNOW that), i want to find out which team is the best..... the only was you can figure this out is through a series, and even *then* sometimes its not really all that clear (depending on refereeing, goaltending and puck bounces)..... 1 game eliminations are just a terrible format for any hockey tournament (including every tournament canada has ever won)..... change the format to 3 game series and then you'll have yourself a tournament (not as good as 5 or 7 game series, but beggars cant be choosers as they say )

 

[McJadeddog]

I can also promise you that if US won this Olympics it wouldn't be a joke for the 25.000 hockey leaders in USA. Or every young kid in USA who play the game. I am pretty sure they would be darn proud and IT WOULD AFFECT ALLOT MORE PEOPLE IN USA THEN WHAT IT DOES WHEN TAMPA WINS A STANLEY CUP.

maybe in the states yeah, because other than the miracle on ice and the world cup in 2000 (is that right? lol, im not even sure of the year, which shows you how much i pay attention to international tourneys) they havent won anything internationally..... so yeah, i bet in the US it would be big news for those who dont follow hockey.... but go ask a red wings fan what they would rather have, a cup win or a gold.... go ask any american hockey players what they would rather have as well..... hockey people care more about the cup than the gold, im not talking about (nor do i care about) people who dont regularily watch hockey or nascar fans, lol

 

[Pepper]

It was the 96 World Cup and yes, it really shows how much you know about hockey in general.

 

[ScottyBowman]

The trap was also there in 2002 and was brought over to the NHL from the European leagues. Not sure why everyone is surprised.

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Let me first state off by saying I love to watch the olympics, and I think they have been great thus far. So my feelings are the opposite of the original poster. But I will also say this, even though I love olympic hockey, winning the stanley cup would be way more important than anything to me, and let me explain why its way more important for an NHL fan.

The NHL season lasts 82 games, then you have the most grueling playoffs in sports, bar none. To win the cup is the ultimate achievement, and words couldn't describe the feeling of winning it.

The olympics are a tournament, and yes you get to show your national pride, and it is something that you should play just has hard to try and win as the stanley cup, if not, you shouldn't go. But it comes down to a season vs. a tournament. 2 weeks vs. 10 months.

On that note, I really do think if the NHL ever expanded teams into europe (I know this will never happen probably, just theoretically) that the people in europe would be able to get hyped up like the fans in N. America do and would get to experience what it means to cheer for your team for 82 games, for years upon years, to watch them win that fricken thing.

Obviously there is no NHL in europe, and unless youre a huge NHL fan living in europe, why would that many european fans care who the heck wins the stanley cup? Its simple, if youre a fan, it means the world to you, if you're NOT a fan, it doesnt. Its tough being a fan when youre an ocean away.

Thats my 2 cents anyway.

 

[McJadeddog]

It was the 96 World Cup and yes, it really shows how much you know about hockey in general.

yeah alright buddy, i clearly dont know anything about hockey

you might want to take a look at this thread, im not saying squat about the trap.... its a great system for lots of teams, and if i was coaching any team but the slovaks, canadians, russians or czechs, id use the trap as well

im talking about whats more important to north americans, and its the stanley cup, not the olympics.... are you saying im wrong in this? if not, kindly keep your insluting comments to yourself

 

[Pepper]

I am really asking from "I have no clue" position.
Lets say, the trap that Minnesota is famous for playing. Any explanation is welcome.

Well the classic neutral zone trap (to be honest I don't know which type Wild plays this season, haven't been paying enough attention to them) mean you have a 1-2-2 positioning where the center and the other winger double-team the opponent's puck carrier just after blueline trying to get him to either ice the puck or give the puck up voluntarily. This is NZT explained in most basic terms, there are lots of finer details to it.

 

[David Puddy]

I am really asking from "I have no clue" position.
Lets say, the trap that Minnesota is famous for playing. Any explanation is welcome.

That would be the 1-2-2 that Jacques Lemaire utilized in New Jersey. With that system, one forechecker pressures the puck-handler to make a pass. The two forwards and defensemen form a trapazoid in the neutral zone, see diagram below. This cuts down passing options for the pressured puck-handler. The forwards then attempt to pickoff the pass to start a counter-attack.


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------X----X------

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----X--------X----

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[Rick Middleton]

Lay off the insults people.

 

[HK32LM]

Pepper and David Puddy, thanks!

 

[Archijerej]

Well is it just me or all teams play the trap? Because I rarely see two forecheckers when the opponent team have the puck.
BTW Gigantic Snake and Pepper great posts.

 

[SammyTheBull]

Lay off the insults people.

The trap is a strategy that negates skill advantages and rewards the team that works harder and wins battles along the boards. If I were playign Canada, I'd line four guys up in the neutral zone too. Especially if those morons insist on carrying it without any puck support.

 

[The Benchwarmer]

More naive please? This isn't the Stanley Cup. This is the Olympics! This MATTERS, this is a opportunity that many of these players will never have again. Media exposure is big even in countries where hockey doesn't get a line in any newspaper during the year.

This is a tournament and it is about winning and results, not about spectacular play and show. These guys neutralize themselves to some degree, and quite frankly i think there a still lots of stunning moves and scenes to see, Gerber's save on Nash on top of it!

Also give the story a climax and let the Gold Medal game be the best!

Exactly. Why are the Superbowls always dull? Because both teams want to win and might not have another chance for a long time, so they're especially careful. Make NHL play off rounds over 1 game and you'll see the same thing happen.

 

[The Benchwarmer]

Haha wow this North American notion that they know best and their LEAGUE is more important than the OLYMPICS is the stupidest thing I've ever read on these boards, bar none.

And I also agree that if Canada loses a game the rules must be changed to allow for Canada to win cause only when Canada wins is the hockey exciting.

I really hate how these small Euro nations come in and play smarter than Canada. Who do they think they are? They should obviously challenge Canada in a wide open physical style of play. Paul DiPietro should drop the gloves with Bertuzzi or Pronger nearly every shift and if possible the NHL refs should give the Canadians 3 or 4 powerplays per period to make sure we get exciting hockey.

Cause God knows seeing the underdog defeat the powerhouse isn't very exciting. A 49 save shutout isn't very exciting. Defensive awareness and playing a perfect system cannot be considered a skill ever. Impossible. Cannot. Be. Done.

Representing a club in a league every year is WAY more important than representing your country every four years. That goes without saying.

If Switzerland can't match the offensive skills of Canada that's no excuse to start playing defensively to win. We don't mind steroids too much, heaven forbid you be bald underneath your goalie mask, but playing defensively is just plain cheating.

ANY hockey tournament not won by Team Canada is unimportant and needs to change its rules to better suit Canada. If Pronger is as slow as he is there should be a speed-limit in the Canadian zone.

And of course it's the format of the tourney. The one game elimination thing. That makes any competition a complete joke. I mean look at the World Cup of soccer. Or the Super Bowl. What a joke. There should be as many games as possible to determine the winner. Preferably seven. Like the Stanley Cup playoffs. Cause they are more important than the Olympics anyway. If you can't format the Olympics to guarantee Canadian victories against teams like Switzerland, you should scrap the Olympics all together. Sure it's history goes back to the ancient Greeks but the Stanley Cup playoffs were invented by Canadians. To argue that the Olympics matter more is retarted. Scrap it and let's all enjoy the Stanley Cup playoffs. EVERY other sporting event is just an exhibition event where winning doesn't matter anyway.

Athletes train their entire life to win Olympic gold when they could play the Stanley Cup playoffs instead?? BAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAH

Of course Calgary and Tampa going to the Stanley Cup finals is a complete joke. They play defensive hockey. Most boring final ever. Toronto should have been there. They don't play the trap but rather use a skill-system that other teams can't compete with. So they use that devious sneaky unbeatable trap.

NO TEAM HAS EVER BEATEN THE TRAP!! IT CAN'T BE DONE. AS LONG AS SWITZERLAND USES THE TRAP THEY CAN'T LOSE. THE OLYMPICS IS A JOKE CAUSE ONLY ONE TEAM CAN WIN. THE ONE USING THE TRAP.

And who could argue the goals Gaborik scored against Russia came from use of world class offensive skills?

Give your head a big shake dude

 

[Pepper]

Well is it just me or all teams play the trap? Because I rarely see two forecheckers when the opponent team have the puck.
BTW Gigantic Snake and Pepper great posts.

2 forecheckers ain't the same as the trap.

Every top7 team has a defensive strategy, otherwise they wouldn't be in the quarter finals. Just because you have a defensive strategy doesn't mean you play the trap.

 

[Art Vandelay]

and for all you europeans, why cant you just accept that the stanley cup is more important to north americans? i understand that the olympics seem to be more important to you guys

The olympics doesnt seem to be more important, they are way more important to me/us. I dont think anyone cares if you like the Cup over the Olympics, but they dont what to hear your pointless whining.

Instead of whining away about this (very entertaining) tourney why dont just accept the diffrences and try to enjoy the games instead.

You dont see a bunch of europeans whing about the Stanley cup when its underway...

 

[Showerhead]

First off, fantastic post GiganticSnake!

To add to the information regarding the trap, it was actually first developed in Sweden as an offensive system because of the turnovers it creates and their potential for counter-attack. At one point there was a link to a site explaining the trap's evolution on these boards, though I can't find it now. It was the NHL teams who moved the 1/2/2 or in some rarer cases 1/4 back towards the defending team's zone - the positioning was originally further up the ice when the Swedish coach implemented it.

Interestingly enough, the Czech Republic generated a lot of offense from using a 1/4 in their game against Canada today - offense that dominated the game in the 2nd and 3rd periods. The difference between their supposed "trap" and the one we see from teams in the NHL is that when the Czechs recovered the puck they rushed it back up the ice with 3 and sometimes 4 skaters while in the NHL it is often dumped in again with just one forchecker going after it.

Finally, as a Canadian hockey fan it seems that a minority of non-Canadian posters seem to enjoy rubbing it in our faces when the team doesn't perform well. I'm not sure if this is just over-developed nationalism or enjoyment taken from a powerhouse losing, but if you can't talk about hockey in an even-tempered way even when you have time to sit and think about what you're going to post, you're not going to earn very much respect for the countries you love as much as you do (the same should be said to us Canadians when we act in the same way).

 

[PeterSidorkiewicz]

Haha wow this North American notion that they know best and their LEAGUE is more important than the OLYMPICS is the stupidest thing I've ever read on these boards, bar none.

And I also agree that if Canada loses a game the rules must be changed to allow for Canada to win cause only when Canada wins is the hockey exciting.

I really hate how these small Euro nations come in and play smarter than Canada. Who do they think they are? They should obviously challenge Canada in a wide open physical style of play. Paul DiPietro should drop the gloves with Bertuzzi or Pronger nearly every shift and if possible the NHL refs should give the Canadians 3 or 4 powerplays per period to make sure we get exciting hockey.

Cause God knows seeing the underdog defeat the powerhouse isn't very exciting. A 49 save shutout isn't very exciting. Defensive awareness and playing a perfect system cannot be considered a skill ever. Impossible. Cannot. Be. Done.

Representing a club in a league every year is WAY more important than representing your country every four years. That goes without saying.

If Switzerland can't match the offensive skills of Canada that's no excuse to start playing defensively to win. We don't mind steroids too much, heaven forbid you be bald underneath your goalie mask, but playing defensively is just plain cheating.

ANY hockey tournament not won by Team Canada is unimportant and needs to change its rules to better suit Canada. If Pronger is as slow as he is there should be a speed-limit in the Canadian zone.

And of course it's the format of the tourney. The one game elimination thing. That makes any competition a complete joke. I mean look at the World Cup of soccer. Or the Super Bowl. What a joke. There should be as many games as possible to determine the winner. Preferably seven. Like the Stanley Cup playoffs. Cause they are more important than the Olympics anyway. If you can't format the Olympics to guarantee Canadian victories against teams like Switzerland, you should scrap the Olympics all together. Sure it's history goes back to the ancient Greeks but the Stanley Cup playoffs were invented by Canadians. To argue that the Olympics matter more is retarted. Scrap it and let's all enjoy the Stanley Cup playoffs. EVERY other sporting event is just an exhibition event where winning doesn't matter anyway.

Athletes train their entire life to win Olympic gold when they could play the Stanley Cup playoffs instead?? BAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAH

Of course Calgary and Tampa going to the Stanley Cup finals is a complete joke. They play defensive hockey. Most boring final ever. Toronto should have been there. They don't play the trap but rather use a skill-system that other teams can't compete with. So they use that devious sneaky unbeatable trap.

NO TEAM HAS EVER BEATEN THE TRAP!! IT CAN'T BE DONE. AS LONG AS SWITZERLAND USES THE TRAP THEY CAN'T LOSE. THE OLYMPICS IS A JOKE CAUSE ONLY ONE TEAM CAN WIN. THE ONE USING THE TRAP.

And who could argue the goals Gaborik scored against Russia came from use of world class offensive skills?

Give your head a big shake dude

Just wanted your opinion here, do tons of europeans play in the NHL strictly because of monetary reasons? Or do they want to play for a chance to win the Stanley Cup? Do all of the NHL players on european and north american teams train for 4 years to go to the olympics, or to make the NHL?

And im not basing the olympics in any way, I love watching them and have no complaints, theyve been great. Just to re-iterate from my other post, I just tend to believe the Stanley Cup is the hardest thing to win in all of sports, tournaments included.

I honestly dont see why they cant be equally as important, you think the players on the ice slack off because its the olympics? Or they slack off because its the Stanley Cup? No, the desire to win is there.

 

[McJadeddog]

no the players dont slack off because its the olympics and they care more about the cup, or vice versa..... one would assume they all play as hard as they can all the time, most of these guys are *extremely* competitive in all aspects of their lives

as far as why europeans come over to play in the NHL.... its prolly a combination of things: more money, more endorsement possibilities and its the best league on the planet.... each player would of course have their own reasons

and the reason im complaining about the olympics is because i would like to see it actually *prove* something.... its a great opportunity to see the best players in the world all compete for their home country, but its a squandered opportunity with the format they use..... if they would legitimize the tourney by going to a series format, then everybody in the world would get to see a *real* champion crowned (not "maybe champions" like in past olympics, world championships and world/canada cups)..... why even bother bringing all these great teams together just to play this format, its missing out on a HUGE opportunity IMO

 

[mytor4*]

Well the classic neutral zone trap (to be honest I don't know which type Wild plays this season, haven't been paying enough attention to them) mean you have a 1-2-2 positioning where the center and the other winger double-team the opponent's puck carrier just after blueline trying to get him to either ice the puck or give the puck up voluntarily. This is NZT explained in most basic terms, there are lots of finer details to it.

that is just a normal 1-2and 2 defensive style hockey. not a trap. also you have a more aggressive for-check style where you go 2-1 and 2.the name trap was brought up in the lat 90's. it's always been a part of hockey since ive been watching hockey.habs used it in the late 60's and 70's .

 

[Kimota]

My bet is that 90% of the people whining about the trap don't even know what it is, I can tell that several posters in this thread fall to that group.

To those people every defensive system is the trap and the trap is blamed when their team is not winning.

Grow up and learn the game.

Show me one team in the NHL that isn`t playing the trap one way or another. They`re all doing it, in one various to another. And every country are doing it too. Why does that have anything to do with my country Canada and the bashing I will never know.

But I saw the third period of the US-Russian game yesterday and it was a tremendous show of skills.

As for resident of other countries saying that the NHL playoffs are less important than the Olympics because "hockey players play all their lives for the Olympics" must be living in a dream World. First the NHL is the Elite league of everything that is related to hockey. To win the prize is war, a grueling 82 Games season. The Olympics heck it has not even been ten years since the best players went there, most of the time it has been an amalgam of patching of guys brought left and right. But most of all EVEN THE EUROPEAN PLAYERS AND GUYS FROM AROUND THE WORLD DON`T CARE. Sure it`s nice to win for your country. But ask anybody in 2006 and it sure means more to them to go all the way for the Stanley Cup. You think Jagr has trained all his life just because of the Olympics. Sorry their day-to-day lives means more, having a career in the NHL means a lot more. The goal of guys in Russian, Sweden and so forth in this day and age is now to make it into the NHL.

As for poster GiganticSnake you represent the worst sort-of poster I thought this Forum did not welcome. From pure blind fanboyism chauvenistic zealotry. And the other posters that applauded this type of behavior are as worst if not more. Because I deplored the trap and i`m Canadian suddenly all Canadian are simple-mind and trying to find loopholes because our teams are losing?

Great Hockey.

That`s all it should matter.