Ice Hockey Question

[doodman 0]

Ok at the risk of coming off as totally stupid I have to ask this question.

I started out as a roller player, and recently moved to ice. I've always played D in both.

In various leagues I've had a few D partners INSIST on playing left but never right. I'm starting to wonder why.

I noticed over the course of a few games that the left D gets the puck WAY more than the right. It seems on any shift the left D gets way more touches than the right. Am I imagining this?

[SouthpawTRK 1]

Are they possibly players that shoot left and prefer having the puck on their forehand rather than backhand?

[iceNsteel 0]

I've always found that the D-man that touches the puck most often depends on the tendencies of the other team. I'm a left handed shot and prefer to play on the left side because the puck is coming to your forehand off the boards.

[shotty 7]

more often than not, LH defensemen will opt to play the left side, for the reasons stated above. i'm RH and i personally prefer playing on the left for a number of reasons:

1. i feel like i have more options when the puck comes to me along the boards, and it gives me time to let the winger commit before i move the puck (off the boards, into the corner, shot, lateral pass, etc)

2. obvious one, but: better shooting/play making angles.

3. goalie's glove is on his left hand, so if i force the player to the boards on a rush and he gets a shot through, there will be no rebound.

4. standing in front of the net, my stick in the crease, so i can get a better handle on rebounds or loose pucks.

unless i spend a considerable amount of the game on one side over the other, i have no problem switching back and forth or playing one or the other on any given game... if that makes any sense.

[doodman 0]

I guess I was reading too much into the situation. The guy I'm talking about is a puck hog, always rushing, taking marathon shifts etc. and I was figuring being on the left was part of his plan to own the game lol

based on the responses so far I must be imagining things (bonks self on head)

For the record, I'm left stick, and I see the benefits to both sides (as shotty listed for example-thx!), but I don't prefer either. I usually take the side the other D doesn't want (I'm so accommodating)This guy happens to be right stick, but he's not the first to insist on playing left (never seen anyone insist on playing right)

[dsjunior1388 81]

I guess I was reading too much into the situation. The guy I'm talking about is a puck hog, always rushing, taking marathon shifts etc. and I was figuring being on the left was part of his plan to own the game lol

based on the responses so far I must be imagining things (bonks self on head)

For the record, I'm left stick, and I see the benefits to both sides (as shotty listed for example-thx!), but I don't prefer either. I usually take the side the other D doesn't want (I'm so accommodating)This guy happens to be right stick, but he's not the first to insist on playing left (never seen anyone insist on playing right)

I preferred playing on the right side (right handed shot) in the defensive zone. I feel more comfortable on the left side on offense but since our team didn't do much at the point with the puck, I stuck to the right side.

[Law Goalie 147]

Also remember that because the vast majority of goalies hold their sticks in the right hands, and thus shoot left -- far more, in fact, than the usual percentage of left/right shooting players -- the left D is always on the goalie's forehand side. Because so few goalies are capable puck-handlers, let alone on the backhand, when playing the puck the goalie will more often pass to the left D than the right; because so many goalies try to handle the puck (I would say overhandle), and how many dump-ins occur in a game, that's a good few more pucks to the left side.

[doodman 0]

See now Law is on to something, and he makes an interesting point.

Which got me to thinking, IF more players are right stick, then the trend would be for them to (not always on purpose, esp. in beer league) carry the puck and end up heading down the right side of the rink, which is into the left side D! see what I mean?!?!?!?

[Wallzy41 9]

I'm probably the exception. I LOVE playing right defenseman because i'm a LH shot... but it's also the same reason my forward line of my 2 friends and I are RH on LW, LH C, LH RW.

[NextBobbyOrr 0]

Well, I didn`t really read the other posts above but heres my answer. I like to play left defense, mainly because I`m a righty, and I can line up one timers pretty well. But it`s only if my partner doesn`t mind. I`m not gonna argue for left defense, and let it become some arguement. But thats just my reason.

[DarkStar50 679]

I shoot left and prefer left defence. We often have only 3 D on any given night with my group. I rotate over to the right side. However, the difficulty for me is that I have all my angles and positioning on the ice based on where I am when I am on the left side. It is rather nuts but my comfort zone is the left side. My experience on the left side allows me to play without thinking(pretty apparent on some nights that I am not thinking!!) while on the right I have to think the game again because the options have changed for me by the angles of the attacking players. Hope this makes sense. As to the OP, there is nothing worse than a puck hogging defence partner!!

[CharlesC 0]

I normally let the other Defense choose which side he prefers. The entire time I've been playing hockey I've never had one set position. When I played midgets I mostly played defense, but since then I play where I'd be the most useful for my team. I've played on multiple teams in different leagues before, and some players were shocked to hear that I played offence on other teams or vice versa. I can see positives and negatives to the shooting orientation and passing angles, but I never really let this get in the way. If I had to pick though I'd rather be very good at one position than be mediocre at all of them like I currently am.

[Chadd 916]

I'm RH and have played a lot of D on both sides. If you're playing on your off side, you better have good control on your backhand. Passing and clearing the puck on your backhand is much more common on your off hand.

[phunky_monkey 6]

I'm a right shot and prefer to play LD, and it was mainly born because in Australia the majority of guys shoot right and RD was always a more popular position when I was starting out. When I was a rookie through each different age level there were usually D men already entrenched on the right side, so it was always less hassle to take the left rather than switching sides depending on who I was playing with. Now I am far more comfortable on the left side in both ends of the ice, but will still play RD if my partner prefers LD. I find it does throw me off in the defensive zone sometimes with net/corner coverage etc when playing the right side.

But I know what you mean OP, but I dare say it's because most left shots prefer the left side and right shots the right side etc, from what I've seen.