psulion22

I don't think you're being unreasonable. However, I will play a little Devil's advocate here. You know they didn't tell you to come in. However, they may think they did. They obviously don't have their shit together. So while it's perfectly reasonable to decline work on short notice, they may believe they gave you full notice and you are flaking out. We know that's not the truth. But when you need the job, you sometimes have to be subject to things like this and go in, even when you're right and they're wrong.

This isn't even remotely close to accurate as to what they are doing in the NHL. The wings play off the points because the points are irrelevant. They want to put all 5 guys below the circles to make sure the puck doesn't get into the prime scoring area. They will concede the point and boards from the circles up, because they are low percentage areas. A wing down low can still block a shot from the point by getting into the shooting lane (notice most guys are blocking shots by the tops of the circles). Then they play inside out, meaning they get into the lane down low, then telescope up towards the point to try to force a pass back down the boards or point to point. When one wing telescopes, the other comes to the middle. When the puck goes back down the boards the wing drops off. If it goes point to point, the other wing telescopes once he finds the lane and the other wings comes down to middle. Yes, the wings are low to help on a breakout, particularly on a low zone control where the breakout starts by going into the safe zone behind the net. But the mid-zone outlet doesn't work much anymore. The point guys are keying on the first guy out of the zone. So that blueline pass isn't going to work. Now the low guy either hits a teammate with a short lateral pass into the circle, or they hold it long enough for the center and wing to push all the way out of the zone and drive the point guys out. Then they make a really long outlet pass to the red line, and that player either chips it back to the middle for a teammate coming with speed or they just redirect it into the zone and chase if the center kick isn't there. But before all of that, the game is about the defenseman being able to skate and evade the forecheck, and make long seam breakouts or beat the other team's forwards out of the zone by skating. Unlike in times past, the wing is the secondary breakout point now because the low wing gets eliminated from the rush by the backcheck.. There are no fake shots and drop passes because the puckcarrier can't get to or through the middle of the zone. Nowadays, the center lane backchecker will eliminate the middle cut or the drop pass, and the defenseman will stay with the puckcarrier because of it. If the defense is set, they're back to playing Gretzky hockey. Puck enters the zone, or immediately goes, wide on the boards. The player skates as far down the boards as they can, trying to stay near the dots. Second forward into the zone goes hard through the middle of the ice. If the puckcarrier can't get the edge, they curl back towards the boards to protect the puck, and make a pass back to a high trailer or the point. It works because the defender has to make a decision and often will just drop back to their spot and conceed the boards. Defensive structure has become so good that once the d is set up, goals don't get scored (because pucks don't get into the high scoring areas). Most goals in the NHL are scored off the rush and transition (or on the PP) emphasizing the need for mobile, good skating, puck moving defenseman to facilitate that rush. This is why you're seeing a more active defense where the strong side guy is attacking the puck to quickly gain possession and transition. An overload faceoff alignment eliminates point chasing because it puts the defending wing in the shooting lane. There's really no such thing as "not getting out to the point in time" because they are in a good defensive position without even moving. And as I said in response to that comment earlier - you don't have to worry about getting out there in time if the center doesn't lose the draw cleanly back there. Muck it up and wait for help- you don't win it clean, but you can't lose it clean either. Obviously this doesn't apply to the overwhelming majority of beer leagues.

There's a sweet spot between being low enough to help out defensively in the rest of the zone and so low that it leaves too much space. It's the same idea as you can't cover everything, so give them the safer space and take away the dangerous space. Defense is about making decisions and trade-offs. I'd say the right place for a wing in beer league is about the top of the circle, in line with the dot lane. From out near the blue line, a shot is a pretty low percentage play (without a screen or deflection). You definitely don't want to be over focusing a low danger play. But, you don't want the point guy to be able to walk low enough to be in the house and a much higher percentage area, so you still need to be close enough to defend that. At the top of the circle, the wing is low enough down to stop walk outs and curls and make breakouts easier, and close enough to the point to keep the defenseman from walking in.

I wasn't disagreeing, sorry if it wasn't clear. I was agreeing, just following up for the OP and adding some more depth.

If you used an overload faceoff alignment, like the NHL guys do, then you wouldn't have a problem making a play on any puck lost behind the circle. You wouldn't be chasing down the angle of that point guy. Or, you could just tell your center to stop losing draws clean to the point, and you wouldn't have to worry about getting there in time. If the only way to stop a shot was to be 2 feet from the origination point, then a goalie would never make a save. Once the shot is released, it travels in a straight line until it hits something else. So to block that shot, you only have to be somewhere along that straight line. By being further away you can cover more passing lanes, fill more space, break the puck out easier, and still be in a position to block the shot. Plus, the geometry is such that if the shot angle changes, you actually have to move a shorter distance to get back into the lane by being further away.

The guys who have been playing a long time will tell you it's the most important thing. It's not. You're right, the stats make it an incredibly low percentage play. The numbers I was given say that in the NHL, a shot that goes in clean from the point and boards accounts for 15% of all goals scored (and most of those are on highly screened shots). 85% of goals originate or are deflected in the small area in the middle of the ice usually called the "house". In beer league, that Dman can hardly even get the shot on net, and there usually isn't a player providing a real screen (they're usually off to the side waving at the puck). As a forward, you're typically better off playing lower in the zone, maybe at the top of the circle, to stop cross ice passes and controlled walk outs from the boards, and just stepping into the shooting lane if that Dman gets the puck. It's interesting to see how many guys scream bloody murder to cover the points if that guy even touches the puck, but don't make a peep if the wing curls off the hash marks, walks to the middle, and scores.

I love playing against one team in particular because they have a left handed defenseman that just hammers the puck around the boards along the ice every time he touches it, and a wing that stands 3 feet from me. I creep to the middle of the ice to move the wing with me, then break to the boards as soon as the dman winds up. Even if I'm going full speed towards the puck, and it takes some strange hop and gets past me, the guy covering me is trying so hard to get back on me that he can't get to the puck either. It just goes down for an icing, or my d partner/goalie to get it and bring it back up.

Sure, it's annoying as the point guy. But I look at it and laugh because I'm like the least dangerous guy on the ice (especially as the RD in beer league when most guys are RH and throw the puck around the boards to their forehand, which is the other side). If you want to stand next to me and do nothing and open up the middle of the zone, not be able to get the puck out on that side, and not keep with me if I decide to skate in for a quick pass to the high slot, then be my guest. Being annoying to the point guy is probably the least effective thing to be doing. I don't know of many times that guy has actually done anything to disrupt my play, being annoying aside.

If your budget allows, I'd look into attending a camp from one of the following compaines (in order of advancement) https://weekendwarriorshockey.com/ http://nolimithockey.com/ https://hammerhockeydevelopment.com/ It's not just individual skills. They focus a lot on positioning and team play, both on and off the ice. They even video tape a camp scrimmage and break down the video. The dot lane concept is a good, effective one that can work without a lot of practice. Center lane drive - that is attacking and backchecking through the middle of the ice - works also because it's simple. The second forward always skates as hard as possible through the middle of the ice to the net, without doing it to get a pass. Just put your head down and skate as hard as you can to the net with your stick on the ice. This creates space for the rest of the team, and puts a forward in front of the net for rebounds. You won't believe how effective that is. On the other side, the high forward backchecks through the middle of the ice instead of at the opponent with the puck. If you think about it, you want to keep the other team to the outside. So if the forward skates up the middle, you take away that area, use a better defensive angle, and keep the puck and puck carrier from getting back inside. If he instead follows up behind the opponent skating out, he's then outside in a bad position not really covering anyone with the defenseman still having to come outside to get in front and leaving a gap in the middle. What's nice about the center lane drive concept is it's fluid, it doesn't apply to any one position. If you're the second forward into the zone, you skate to the net. If you're the first forward back, you skate through the middle back to the zone. In the defensive zone, you want to stress taking away passing and shooting lanes. The concept of the "house" was presented in other threads. The idea is easy - take away the middle of the ice and don't worry as much about the outside, and you can still cover the outside by being in the middle. So rather than trying to get everyone to stick to a guy which really just ends up in guys getting lost, you want them to stay somewhere on the line between the puck and the net. It doesn't matter where along that line as long as you're in it. Erring to the middle is better than to the edges. And the idea of blade mirroring or stick-on-puck is highly effective. Getting your blade near the puckcariier's blade and moving it to match is often more effective than being in the right place.

And "hey, you don't have to be right up on those points. They aren't going to hurt us from there if you just stay in the lane between them and the net. Come a little deeper so their forwards can't get through the circles and you'll be able to get to pucks on the boards for the breakout easier." (this also has the added benefit of getting the forwards lower so they don't fly the zone and end up at the far blue line before you can make the breakout pass) It's incredible how trying to include a few smart, effective concepts will improve a beer league team. We don't need full out systems because the other team ins't playing them either. But a concept like center lane drive in all three zones will get players on the same page and make the team better, without worrying about forcing some strict plan that won't be consistent.

Yep, they've mostly gone from a Box+1 passive system, like Tortorella used, to a sagging zone active pressure system that Quenville and Vigneault like. The "Torts" system limited high danger chances at the expense of conceding low percentage shots and zone time. But with the progression of advanced metrics, teams now play to Corsi/Fenwick and pressure the puck to get it out quickly and limit all shot attempts, at the expense of sometimes allowing higher percentage chances. The game has become about a defenseman's ability to quickly retrieve a puck, make a good decision, and either pass or skate the puck out of the zone. Look at how Vegas drafted and the success they are having. They over loaded on productive defensemen, and are one of the best teams because of it. Nashville, San Jose, Tampa, Winnipeg, Boston - all teams with efficient defensemen that score points. Pittsburgh (and Ottawa last year) is the exception because of the number of elite forwards they have that can change the Corsi, they play a more passive "Torts" type system. Sullivan was Torts defensive assistant and adheres to that passive structure more than most other coaches.

Assuming it vacates the point and leaves it empty, the pinch side wing should cut the corner off the box and come down towards the middle. Box+1 is a zone defense so that wing doesn't necessarily have to stay on that point guy. You want to squeeze out more of the middle passing lanes. An extra guy down low isn't a big problem if you are still taking away those lanes. The wing can't go too far from his area because he needs to be there in case the point gets replaced and to be in the right spot for the breakout.

In beer league, I think it's easiest to play a system by stressing concepts rather than strict adherence to a plan. Get your players thinking about why you'd play the system instead of what to do in each situation. Adults don't typically want to be told what to do, but they will try to try if you explain to them why they're doing it. For example, instead of telling a wing, especially a weaker one, all of the things he would need to do in a box+1, get him to understand shooting lanes and the high danger areas of the ice. Then just tell him to not let the defender get the puck through those areas, but he doesn't have to be right up on the guy or all the way down in the circle either. He likely going to be out of position in relation to the overall system, but he may still be effective in keeping pucks from the point from getting through. If you can get everyone on the ice to do their individual job at some level, even if it's not a fully functioning system, you'll have a lot more success.

Was the Tydan steel coated? I have heard of instances where there are variations in the thickness of the coating and it affects how edge checkers sit on the steel.

I don't think I know anyone with a Sparx. But even then, if he only used the alignment tool (if he even did that), the level could definitely be off. I'd love to be able to ship mine up to someone every time, but that's just not reasonable. So a properly configured Sparx is the best I can get in my area. I check for level on old steel with an old ring first, then sharpen my steel out of the skate for 2 passes, check for level, then do 2 more passes.

I have a friend that's a dentist (2 actually, one is my dentist). Don't know if either has True skates. Why?

Yep, exactly. If I had a real quality sharpener nearby, I wouldn't need a Sparx. I don't. There's not one guy that can maintain a profile, and even if there was there would be no guarantee that he'd be working when I need them cut. No joke, that profile would be gone in two sharpenings, max.

3. You don't sharpen my skates, and the guy that does can't do that.

The height of the wheel is set by the user to touch at the point where the curve of the heel begins, and will match that height on the toe end. But the system has a pressure regulating mechanism that keeps it from shaving off more of the toe and heel (like most pro shop employees will do) and altering the curve. The Sparx sharpens the curve, but doesn't alter it.

So does anyone know if Tydan blends the toe when they put a Quad on at the factory?

This was one of the big reasons I got one. What's the point of paying $50+ to have a profile put on when the kid at the proshop is going to ruin it after two sharpenings? Consistently sharp and profiled skates was the main draw for me.

The most recent profile I had was 9' with a 60/35 CAG on it to get a little forward pitch and some speed from the flat. I like the shorter 9' radius, but feel I'm losing a lot of speed and acceleration, and have to keep my edges super sharp to get good performance (not even the depth of hollow, but rather they always have to be fresh or I don't get good bite). What's the best for that? Quad 1? I'm a defenseman that skates more in straight lines up the ice than weaving through guys, so speed and stability are important. On No Icing's website, I'd probably be classified under their Quad 1. But I don't know if thers is the same as the ProSharp ones.

Sorry, man. Lung cancer is tough. But we were able to fight metastatic lung cancer well for 6 months. CCNU actually showed good progress until we had to discontinue it because it was affecting his liver. It may be worth a shot. It was a pretty mild treatment with no real side effects and only once every three weeks administration The cancer is likely not “treatable” but you may be able to manage it for a little while. Just a thought. Keep him happy and importantly eating as well as he can (that was always an issue for mine, he was picky) and you may still have some time. No, definitely not a good animal week. I feel for you. I lost my dog and then my parent’s dog (who I lived at home with for about a year when she was a puppy, I was her favorite person) 6 days later. That wasn’t a good week either. It sucks. But try to spend as much time as you can and take as many pictures and videos too. Some of the best pictures and video I have we took after we found out he was sick. The offer is still there. I know what you’re going through. Hit me up if you need advice or just to talk.

I'm sorry, man. We lost ours to cancer in June. It's a terrible thing. But with a tremendous amount of care from his oncologist, we were able to keep him alive for over a year and a half with a pretty good quality of life for most of it. So don't give up hope. They can treat canine cancer very well nowadays, and can prescribe a lot of drugs, even ones like Marinol, to keep him happy and comfortable for a while. Feel free to reach out if you need advice or support.

What is the point of having supplemental insurance through USA Hockey if they won't cover anything? I've progressed to the point in my knee injury that I'm ready to begin physical therapy. I've also accumulated about the $1000 deductible for the USA Hockey insurance that we're mandated to have to kick in. So from here out, I thought my treatment would be covered. My PT is having billing issues, so I just called the insurance company to figure out the best way to proceed. They informed me that they only cover PT after a surgery. The doctor said he didn't want to do surgery if he didn't have to, so we immobilized the knee to see if it would heal without the surgery. it did. So this insurance company would rather pay for surgery costs, plus 25-30 PT sessions rather than the 10 or so PTs I'll need. And I'm going to end up paying double to NOT have surgery than I would have if I did. What a load of horse shit.