Role player

[jjtt99 0]

Hi folks. This is a theraputic posting. Is anyone in the same boat?

I think I finally have to accept that I'm a role player. The team's defensive forward to be exact. I've been in denial for the past few years thinking (hoping) I was a jack-of-all-trades type of guy. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

First, we have annual player-selected awards, and that's the one I win. Every year.

Second, when the game is on the line, like tonight when we were defending a one goal lead, one minute left, faceoff in our zone, opposition goalie pulled -- the boys wanted me out there to take the faceoff and play the final minute. We won.

Finally, for all important PK's, again, the boys look to me to and our top two D to kill it.

I think deep down we all want to be goal scorers, but as I get older I have to accept I'm helping -- even if it takes me 4-5 games to score nowadays (despite playing centre).

I guess it's time to buy some blue-collar shirts and a lunch pail! Coming to terms with my role, hopefully I have lots more hockey left!

G'night.

[mattzilla 0]

Im in the same boat except im a defensemen. ive stopped with all the dangly business and i just play a steady d game and shut people down.

but, on that note i play in really crap divisions as well as higher ones so i can get my rocks off a bit :D

maybe thats a solution?

[Jim A 4]

there's pretty much 2 choices in this situation..

1. accept your strengths and weaknesses as a player..i was always a mucker and LW..so it is what it is...and play at the highest level you can

2. sandbag and be some super goof in a lower league so you can be the champ dangler...

It does depend on the league..I skate against hockeydoc in one league and we can both put up 4-5 points/game and then we skated as linemates on another and pretty much did our job if we kept other squad off the board for the game...the odd goal here or there was a bonus...

[Jarick 5]

The defensive forward is a GREAT role on the team, crucial. Congrats on owning that role, you should have some pride in that.

For the last year I've bounced around, started on D, moved to forward as my skills progressed, now I'm basically a scoring winger, the guy you want on the PP, can't score by himself but crowds the crease, screens, works along the boards, puts in the one timers. I'm still working on my skating to improve backchecking and I definitely need some cross-ice pass work, but it's fun to find the area you're good at.

It's been said often, and often by Jacques Lemaire, that every goal you prevent the other guy from scoring is just as good as the goal you score. No sense in scoring 10 goals if you let in 11.

[chk hrd 164]

the older you get and the higher the level of hockey you play the more you will "find" where you should play. Every person has a role, be it grinder, scorer, defensive forward, etc. The better you accept and play your posistion the better the team and you will do.

Every position takes a special talent. Be glad that you found yours and learn to play it the best you can.

[saba 0]

I agree with learning to thrive in your given role. Someone once said a basson player would sound funny trying to play the 1st flute melody

I personally never listen nor subscribe to the skills eroding, for every heavy touch I look to improve my shot etc.....

[Doctor Hook 0]

Being a D, I love defensive forwards. Someone who has my back when I get caught up high, someone to help in corners and in our zone. You guys are worth your weight in gold.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Hi folks. This is a theraputic posting. Is anyone in the same boat?

I think I finally have to accept that I'm a role player. The team's defensive forward to be exact. I've been in denial for the past few years thinking (hoping) I was a jack-of-all-trades type of guy. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

First, we have annual player-selected awards, and that's the one I win. Every year.

Second, when the game is on the line, like tonight when we were defending a one goal lead, one minute left, faceoff in our zone, opposition goalie pulled -- the boys wanted me out there to take the faceoff and play the final minute. We won.

Finally, for all important PK's, again, the boys look to me to and our top two D to kill it.

I think deep down we all want to be goal scorers, but as I get older I have to accept I'm helping -- even if it takes me 4-5 games to score nowadays (despite playing centre).

I guess it's time to buy some blue-collar shirts and a lunch pail! Coming to terms with my role, hopefully I have lots more hockey left!

G'night.

If I was in that situation, I'd take pride in the fact that I was being relied on to shut down a scorer or win a key faceoff.

[blueliner27 12]

I'm a team captain and feel very responsible. But in game-wise, I'm not a key player, just another offensive defensiveman.

Being a D, I love defensive forwards. Someone who has my back when I get caught up high, someone to help in corners and in our zone. You guys are worth your weight in gold.

Agreed :). There are two guys in my team and help me a lot.

[jjtt99 0]

I'm feelin the love! Thanks!

[mattzilla 0]

there's pretty much 2 choices in this situation..

2. sandbag and be some super goof in a lower league so you can be the champ dangler..

Im not sure if this was a shot at me, but even in lower divisions i dont exactly light the lamp, i just get the chance to play on the offensive side a bit more.

If it wasnt a shot, then... theres an explanation anyway :P

[Cobra2717 0]

Being a D, I love defensive forwards. Someone who has my back when I get caught up high, someone to help in corners and in our zone. You guys are worth your weight in gold.

Word. Id rather have a team full of defensive forwards than a team full of offensive specialists.

[BK 0]

On every house team I have played for, we would stick the strongest players on D. We would balance that with a few fast skaters on wings.

[sabre09923 0]

I'm not much of a scorer, but I pass a lot (sometimes too much for my own good) at D. If there's a defensive center on my line, I feel a lot better when I jump up in the rush, since I know those guys will do a good job at playing D should there be a turnover. If I could, I'd like to have a full team of you guys.

Unfortunately, I'm not very big, so I'm expecting to make a change from offensive D-man to two-way forward in the near future and see how I do.

[EndBoards 0]

Have to accept?

In denial?

Coming to terms with?

Defensive forward is fun...

It didn't take me long to learn that I'm generally way below the skill level in my league. Ok.. So I can't score in this league, what can I do?

Most of the best players in our league are D. So I resolved myself - if a ringer D is on the ice during my shift, I shut him down. No goals. No assists. No shots.

If he gets the puck, I hound him step for step (as well as I can) until a teammate closes in to take it away from him. If he doesn't have the puck, I'm glued to him so tightly that his teammates can't even see to pass it to him. It works.

The way I see it - keeping a guy that averages 2 or 3 points per game off the sheet is just as good as getting 2-3 points myself. Not only that, but it's inspiring to teammates too..

[Trooper 8]

I don't know what level you are but at anything from high school up, a responsible defensive forward who can win some faceoffs is invaluable. A team with a defensively skilled third line is much harder to deal with than one that just ran out of skill and dumped the rest of the guys on the third and fourth lines.

Take pride in being the guy that constantly frustrates the other team and prevents them from getting anything going when you are on the ice. We had a line two years ago that could forecheck the hell out of almost any team. They never scored but it was a sense of pride for them to dump the puck and just grind it out, break up a pass, dump, grind, etc. Believe me, your team will get fired up when you go out for a 40 second shift and have the puck in deep for 30 of it, even though you may not be a scoring threat.

[Fixxer 0]

I think I have come to accept my role as a stay at home defender when playing higher levels of play. With that said, I am pretty good when I play a safe and clear thinking game, so when we win and have 2 or less goals against, I feel I have done my job well =) Plus I am lazy, I admit, so staying more at home and making the smart passes makes me have to skate less =P

[GoHabsGo24 1]

I don't know what level you are but at anything from high school up, a responsible defensive forward who can win some faceoffs is invaluable. A team with a defensively skilled third line is much harder to deal with than one that just ran out of skill and dumped the rest of the guys on the third and fourth lines.

Take pride in being the guy that constantly frustrates the other team and prevents them from getting anything going when you are on the ice. We had a line two years ago that could forecheck the hell out of almost any team. They never scored but it was a sense of pride for them to dump the puck and just grind it out, break up a pass, dump, grind, etc. Believe me, your team will get fired up when you go out for a 40 second shift and have the puck in deep for 30 of it, even though you may not be a scoring threat.

Well said. Defensive forwards are hard to come by. In my league, most don't backcheck. I try and do my part as i am one of the faster guys on the team so i can get back quicker.

[Stampede#11 0]

List of guys who score the Stanley Cup winning goal .... my point being not many highly skilled palyers there but nearly all are hard back checking 2 way guys with more guts than the slaughter house floor .. OK maybe not Brett Hull.

Better to play a role on a team and have your team mates know your value for that ie wanting you on the rink when it's to the wire, than everyone on the bench having their hearts in their mouth as you try and make a skilled play due to dillusions of being "Johnny Dangles".

2007 Travis Moen, Anaheim

2006 Frantisek Kaberle,

2004 Ruslan Fedotenko,

2003 Mike Rupp, New Jersey

2002 Brendan Shanhan,

2001 Alex Tanguay,

2000 Jason Arnott,

1999 Brett Hull,

1998 Martin Lapointe,

1997 Darren McCarty,

1996 Uwe Krupp, Colorado

1995 Neal Broten, New Jersey 7:56

1994 Mark Messier, NY Rangers

1993 Kirk Muller, Montreal

1992 Ron Francis, Pittsburgh

1991 Ulf Samuelsson, Pittsburgh

1990 Craig Simpson, Edmonton

1989 Doug Gilmour, Calgary

[Ti-girl 0]

I'm a stay at home defenseman and got a lot of slack for not scoring more. That was until we had to dress a skater and turn her into a goalie. After the game everyone came up and said how much they realised what I did. I block shots, I shut down the other team's ringers, when I get a chance I'll take it, but won't sacrifice defense for it.

The one player I appreciate every game is our checking line centre. She doesn't score, but she's always reliable. In the last 2 minutes of the game I want her out there. I want her on the PK, I want her matched up against their top scorer.

Defensive forwards are invaluble.

[BoDangles 0]

I'm the type of player who can play any position I'm needed. I get picked for teams mostly because coaches see that I'am able to play any position and almost any style of hockey they want me to play. Last year I was a winger who set up alot of people for goals. Two years before that though I was the Scott Neidymier style of defencemen (just his style of play) the smart, make the small smart plays style of player. Some games last year though with only having 6 defencemen and if anyone was injured I was usually the guy to drop back.

[joelnmich 0]

I've gone from #1 scorer on my team to the defensive defenseman who gets a goal each calendar year. Kinda depressing until you're the #1 pick in your league's draft.

People appreciate those who excell in certain areas of the game and accept it.

Good luck, need more defensive forwards in the game.

[Cove 39]

I came to terms with it the second I left house league. I'm a defensive defensmen. I don't even bother attempting to score because my job is / was to stop the other team, and I did it well. If I was on the power play... they never scored and I allowed for frequent changes. I was a role player and was good at it. But the fact that I didn't score made me look bad to team mates tho :(