OK, normally I try to leave my questions til GDTs but...
Can someone HERE (i.e. not a copy-pasta from NHL.com) give me a quick explanation of the difference between wingers and center? I understand the positioning but hockey is so reactive I don't get the "he's the playmaker and they're the shooters" or whatever.
Thanks!
Centers take the majority of face offs and are responsible, usually for the middle of the ice. Between the circles in front of net on defense and cycling around the net on offense.
Wingers are on the flanks and usually are responsible defensively for guarding the point. Some different systems utilize them differently, but basically, split the zone into a pentagon on both ends and it’s a circle of responsibility at each end. Wings at the points, d in the corners, and c between circles on D and vice versa on O.
Playmaking vs sniper vs power forward is based upon the talents of the player. Igor Larionov was a playmaking C because his vision was outstanding. Kozlov a sniper because his shot was deadly. Fedorov a hybrid of it all because he was fast, big, had a wonderful shot and great hands.
I think ASP took care of most of it, but I'll add my take. As you said, hockey is reactive, but you try to run a system and then adapt it situationally. Most systems usually give certain positions a pretty similar set of responsibilities. So you just kind of figure out the various situations and how you'll play it.
So for defending a rush, most teams have 1 or 2 wingers forecheck, and then back check if the puck gets by. Meanwhile the center will cover the middle of the ice and try to be down ice from the other team's players- maintaining a gap as you move back. This usually means a set of two or three people setting up a bottleneck at the blueline, composed of the center and either the other 2 D or 1D and a winger that also cuts back. That leaves the goalie and perhaps one D to collect chips and move them back up ice. Once past the blueline, the center drifts to the high net front and supports the D trying to cover the puck carrier.
Then you have your defensive systems. Most teams play a zone defense. The D oscillate between the net and the wall, the side of the ice that the puck is on dictating who is chasing. The center stays in the high slot, pressing lower or higher as the puck goes and cycling to block passing lanes. The wingers cover the two D at the point. After turning the puck over, usually one winger will fly the zone to provide an out, a rush chance and pull back the other team's D. One winger will cycle high, and the center will cycle lower, providing the easiest out and preparing to support the rush. The two D play catch, cycle with each other and look for their passing ops or a rush chance.
Once you're rushing, your wingers press as fast as possible. Most centers try to maintain the ability to get back if they turn it over. Entering the zone often means chipping to a winger that presses or giving it to one to protect just inside the blue line while the other winger and center press into the zone for passing options. Ideally though, the wingers lead the way and the center stays a bit further back.
In zone, the center plays the high slot, and the wingers move between the net and the corners depending on which side of the ice the puck is on, similar to the D on the other end. Your center will provide an easy passing option to a winger trying to collect a puck in the corner. Otherwise, they cycle high, hoping to pinch into the slot for a shot. Then your two D play the point, also sliding left and right based on which side of the ice the puck is on.
All of this means that usually you want your centers and wingers to have certain skills. Your wingers end up with more shooting options, and your center usually need to distribute the puck through difficult coverage. So usually you want your wingers to be better shooters and your centers better passers. But the center often is shooting from further out, more fitting for snipers and power shooters than wingers that often just need a quick wrist shot to be effective. The center has to cover a ton of ice, and be prepared to defend skating backwards. The wingers really need to be able to turn and burn, but don't have to cover as much ice total. Your center often needs to defend against heavy players around the net, and thus needs to have more strengths size and reach. Your wingers need to be able to escape coverage and make retrievals. That usually means being fast and small to be shifty or particularly strong so that you can dominate space.
Of course, every player has to be good at everything to be at all effective in the NHL. Everyone has to be able to at least fill in somewhat competently at anyone's position. If you have a player with a special skill that breaks the mold, that's not at all a problem. The fact that Austin Matthews is a center doesn't make his super quick release on his wrist shot any less of an asset.
Sometimes you adapt a super typical system like what's above around a particular player's skill set- Kucherov is a great distance shooter and a very creative passer- but is slow and sucks at defense- so he plays the half wall in the zone, and plays the 3F on rushes. Thus his center has to cut low for him AND be able to cover extra distance getting back if the puck is turned over anyway- which is only possible because it's the crazy fast Point. Similarly, McDavid often plays the 1F or 2F despite being the center because he can lead the rush and the back check.
I can't use Detroit for these examples because our systems have been a mess for years.
