When did handedness become so important?

[AvsGuy]

Having followed the NHL for upwards of 15 years now, I don't remember when the direction a player shoots became so relevant to their position - particularly on defense. It seems status quo now for a player's value to a team to be based on whether that team needs RHD or LHD, and I'm not sure when or why this became a thing. Obviously it affects play from the point, especially on the power play, but even that doesn't seem as big a determinant to a team's success as it's made out to be on these boards. Meanwhile, there are LWs who shoot right, and RWs who shoot left, and that never seems to matter.

If you had a defense made up of 6 really good right-handed defensemen, would anyone care that none of them shoot left?

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[nwaZ*]

Has Babcock/Yzerman ever elaborated on this? They do seem to put quite some emphasis on that.

 

[norrisnick]

Has Babcock/Yzerman ever elaborated on this? They do seem to put quite some emphasis on that.

From Babcock's perspective I'm sure it's largely impacted by the fact the Wings haven't had a quality right-handed defenseman in a while.

 

[The Macho King]

It's less important on the PP I think than in the D zone. I think the goal is to, if everyone is in the right position, to be able to get the puck behind the net on your strong hand so you can start a breakout with a forehand pass rather than a backhand. At least, that's the biggest impact I've seen with the Lightning - who I feel are a really good breakout team.

Yzerman pays a lot of attention to it with wingers, too. The only guy who regularly plays his off-wing is Kucherov.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Who said it's important? The media?

The only reason you think it's important is because people are constantly talking about it. But the Red Wings are pretty successful while having zero right handers (and no, Glendening is not relevant to this discussion). We know, in theory, several reasons why it would be a nice, minor advantage to squeeze in a righty or two. But we also know that their bigger problem is simply not having a good enough #2 defenseman. Trade a couple mediocre left-handed d-men for a couple better left-handed d-men and we're a really damn good team, regardless of handedness. It's just a minor issue among the dozens of issues that affect any given team. If we could trade 3 defensemen for 3 exact clones of the same defensemen with nothing but handedness changed, we would, in a heartbeat. But not because it's super important. Just because it's one more advantage among many.

 

[JetsHomer]

It adds quite a bit of difficulty when playing pucks on the backhand and making passes that you don't typcally make on the other side of the ice. It is important, and has always been important.

 

[CoupeStanley]

Probably because there's a better balance between LH and RH player in these days. Back in the days, the RH canadian player was a unicorn.

 

[Quack Shot]

Handedness? At around age 16-17 for me.

 

[jpchabby]

Well I guess on the PP it's pretty important... If you use an umbrella strategy, having every player on the ice be able to go for the one-timer makes the whole PP a lot more dangerous than when only 2 guys can do it (I recall an article about it talking about the Flyers' 1st wave on the PP, where Voracek, Giroux, Simmonds and Hartnell at the time were all ready for a one-t).

Even if you don't go for the umbrella, having both your defencemen ready for a one timer is pretty efficient on the PP again, as the shots can come quicker and maybe the goalie wouldn't have time to move fast enough.

Usually, if I had a playmaker as a winger, I'd guess it's good to have a right handed RW and a left handed LW, as they don't have to pull the puck back when trying to set up a play, as they simply have to dish it out right away... It's just quicker

I don't know about in real life (lol), but when I play NHL15, when I counter attack, I like to have a RH RD and a LH LD, because it seems to give me better passing lanes then when the stick is towards the middle of the ice, because the defense of the other team seems to be clogging more towards the middle of the ice...

In general, I think handedness is pretty important, but mostly in the O-zone, because the one-timer is a very dangerous shot for the opposing team since it's coming so quickly... Just look at the best goal scorers from the past years: Stamkos and Ovechkin, they're both RH shooters, and they score so many goals with the one-timer from the left side.

 

[carolinacanuck]

Handedness? At around age 16-17 for me.

ya, but have you ever won a contest?

 

[KingsFan7824]

It's always been a thing. You'd like to have a balance. Two left handed centers, two right handed ones. A more offensive defenseman paired with a guy that will allow him to take a few extra chances. Sometimes it can be more of a luxury than an absolute need, but all things being equal, if you have too many of one thing, it never hurts to get a little more of something else.

I know Lombardi has wanted that 3L/3R balance on defense as long as he's been GM of the Kings. That's one of the reasons why he signed Greene to a multi-year contract last summer.

 

[AvsGuy]

Where I mostly notice the arguments about handedness is on the trade board. Bad example: "Avs don't need Tyler Myers because they have enough RHD", when in reality, everyone knows the Avs just need competent defense period, no matter which way they shoot.

It's less important on the PP I think than in the D zone. I think the goal is to, if everyone is in the right position, to be able to get the puck behind the net on your strong hand so you can start a breakout with a forehand pass rather than a backhand. At least, that's the biggest impact I've seen with the Lightning - who I feel are a really good breakout team.

Yzerman pays a lot of attention to it with wingers, too. The only guy who regularly plays his off-wing is Kucherov.

This is a good informative post.

Handedness? At around age 16-17 for me.

You've gotta switch it up now and then, you don't want to get a mean hook going.

 

[dre2112]

If the puck is along the boards or a player is coming down the wing in the Defensive zone, which is quite frequently, the D can better congest the middle (ie. front of the net danger area) by forcing the shooter or the puck itself to the outside (along the boards) away from danger with my body AND stick. So for example, if I'm LHD playing the left side and a player is coming down at me anywhere on the left half of the ice, I can easily check the puck with my stick or the player himself, and most importantly move the puck up the ice MUCH easier if I have control of it than I would be able to if my stick was on the right side of my body and the player/puck is on my left. If i'm a RHD on the left side in most situations I'd have a harder time controling the puck because I'd have to turn my body (and thus make me more exposed holding on to the puck much longer and turning my back to the play) to then fire/pass the puck up the ice or go to my backhand which is obviously weaker than my forehand.

I think the more important of the 2 is being able to better control the puck and pass it. You also have the boards as a protection if you're with the puck on the same side of the rink as you shoot as.

Also imagine you're in the offensive zone. Most of the pucks that escape the offensive zone is by firing it up the boards. If you're playing the same side as you shoot, it's easier to stop the puck as it is fired up the boards than it would be on your back hand and turning your body to the play.

 

[AvsGuy]

If the puck is along the boards or a player is coming down the wing in the Defensive zone, which is quite frequently, the D can better congest the middle (ie. front of the net danger area) by forcing the shooter or the puck itself to the outside (along the boards) away from danger with my body AND stick. So for example, if I'm LHD playing the left side and a player is coming down at me anywhere on the left half of the ice, I can easily check the puck with my stick or the player himself, and most importantly move the puck up the ice MUCH easier if I have control of it than I would be able to if my stick was on the right side of my body and the player/puck is on my left. If i'm a RHD on the left side in most situations I'd have a harder time controling the puck because I'd have to turn my body (and thus make me more exposed holding on to the puck much longer and turning my back to the play) to then fire/pass the puck up the ice or go to my backhand which is obviously weaker than my forehand.

I think the more important of the 2 is being able to better control the puck and pass it. You also have the boards as a protection if you're with the puck on the same side of the rink as you shoot as.

Also imagine you're in the offensive zone. Most of the pucks that escape the offensive zone is by firing it up the boards. If you're playing the same side as you shoot, it's easier to stop the puck as it is fired up the boards than it would be on your back hand and turning your body to the play.

I'm gonna have to read that over several times, but solid post.

 

[radicalcenter]

Who said it's important? The media?

The only reason you think it's important is because people are constantly talking about it. But the Red Wings are pretty successful while having zero right handers (and no, Glendening is not relevant to this discussion). We know, in theory, several reasons why it would be a nice, minor advantage to squeeze in a righty or two. But we also know that their bigger problem is simply not having a good enough #2 defenseman. Trade a couple mediocre left-handed d-men for a couple better left-handed d-men and we're a really damn good team, regardless of handedness. It's just a minor issue among the dozens of issues that affect any given team. If we could trade 3 defensemen for 3 exact clones of the same defensemen with nothing but handedness changed, we would, in a heartbeat. But not because it's super important. Just because it's one more advantage among many.

Marc Bergervin seems to really believe in it

 

[tampa pred]

Kevin Klein was traded last season for one reason: he was right handed. Preds had Weber, Jones, Klein, and Ellis all on the right and only two left handed D-men. They tried Jones and Ellis on the left, but it didn't work out. Klein was traded for a lefty reclamation project (Del Zotto) that failed miserably.

Obviously to the Preds coaches and management, handedness of a D-man matters a great deal.

For forwards, it is a different story. A lot of forwards like playing on their off-wing (ex. Forsberg and Neal both play on their off-wing on the same line).

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

It's easier to get walked by a winger if you're on the wrong side of the ice. If the player goes wide on you, you either have to turn with your back to the net to keep up, or use a weak one-handed pokecheck to stay facing the play (and even then you have to turn). If you're on your strong side, you can deal with the player with two hands on your stick while still facing the play. Good example of this; Alexei Emelin whenever he plays on the opposite side.

 

[AvsGuy]

There's a lot of finer points, particularly about defending, that I'm seeing for the first time here. Good thread by me.

 

[Paranoid Android]

Kevin Klein was traded last season for one reason: he was right handed. Preds had Weber, Jones, Klein, and Ellis all on the right and only two left handed D-men. They tried Jones and Ellis on the left, but it didn't work out. Klein was traded for a lefty reclamation project (Del Zotto) that failed miserably.

Obviously to the Preds coaches and management, handedness of a D-man matters a great deal.

For forwards, it is a different story. A lot of forwards like playing on their off-wing (ex. Forsberg and Neal both play on their off-wing on the same line).

That couldn't have been the only reason because Klein and MDZ are completely different types of players, aside from handedness. Poile never said that was the main reason for the trade, it was just speculated by fans/media.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

When parity in the league is so even, even the smallest differences and advantages end up going a long way.

Like others have said, it is easier for a defenseman to play on the proper side. If you have a guy with all-world stick skills and vision, they can play equally well on both sides of the ice, but those guys are few and far in between.

 

[Reign Nateo]

It always mattered. More to some coaches/management than others, but it always mattered. A lot more righties now it seems too so a bigger deal. Plus with the advent of technology, there is way more information available and people delve much deeper into the analytics of the sport. The focus on handedness outside of the coach's board is a by-product of this.

 

[ecemleafs]

AV has mentioned that having 2 RH shots on the PP is needed to have a top power play.

 

[aemoreira1981]

Kevin Klein was traded last season for one reason: he was right handed. Preds had Weber, Jones, Klein, and Ellis all on the right and only two left handed D-men. They tried Jones and Ellis on the left, but it didn't work out. Klein was traded for a lefty reclamation project (Del Zotto) that failed miserably.

Obviously to the Preds coaches and management, handedness of a D-man matters a great deal.

For forwards, it is a different story. A lot of forwards like playing on their off-wing (ex. Forsberg and Neal both play on their off-wing on the same line).

And the Rangers were in desperate need of a good RHD. This was a problem for the Rangers since MDZ's deficiencies forced other defensemen to play their off-side. And I see this as more of an issue at even strength.

 

[deckercky]

AV has mentioned that having 2 RH shots on the PP is needed to have a top power play.

His best powerplay team was accomplished with two left handed defencemen on the point (Edler and Ehrhoff in 2010-11). Like anything else, there's the rule of thumb, then there's individual pieces which may work better breaking that rule of thumb.

 

[glovesave_35]

It matters especially on defense due to the fact that most players are more confident and better at their jobs on their natural side. In the offensive zone it is most noticeable when trying to keep pucks in at the line along the boards. It's also a pretty big deal on the PP when trying to have as many options locked and loaded for the one-timer.

I've watched Dallas try to get by with zero RHD for a while before this year and those things were major negatives.