Breakout Adjustments - Attack!

[TFP]

Great article from Fluto on how Claude and the Bruins are adjusting for next year, using a more aggressive breakout to generate speed through the neutral zone. Some really good X and O descriptions in there too.

I'm skeptical this defensive roster can thrive in this approach, but it's nice to see the changes and adjustments.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/09/12/bruins-plan-adjustments-their-breakouts/F2fWDzuVztLp1rh5JMB2EJ/story.html

(I'm mobile so sorry if the link doesn't work.)

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Great article from Fluto on how Claude and the Bruins are adjusting for next year, using a more aggressive breakout to generate speed through the neutral zone. Some really good X and O descriptions in there too.

I'm skeptical this defensive roster can thrive in this approach, but it's nice to see the changes and adjustments.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/09/12/bruins-plan-adjustments-their-breakouts/F2fWDzuVztLp1rh5JMB2EJ/story.html

(I'm mobile so sorry if the link doesn't work.)

 
This is right...the modern NHL really seems to require defensemen who can retrieve pucks before the forecheckers get to them and move quickly out of the zone. Not sure how many guys on that roster fit the bill. 

 

[PedroSpecialK]

Agreed. I have a feeling we're in for a good amount of wiring the puck behind the net/around the boards, as opposing teams will dump and chase this d-corps to death.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

I'm cautiously optimistic. Cautiously.
 
For a while people said that the 1-2-2 defense was going to be the end of hockey, but eventually teams found a way to adjust.  Now we are seeing a second forechecker and this thwarts some of what worked against a single forechecker.  But it's not free.  Obviously teams can't run a 2-2-2, so bringing the second guy forward is going to create some openings elsewhere. It's a matter of finding those holes.  That the Bruins couldn't do that last year doesn't mean that they can't figure it out eventually.
 
Of course, Chara is getting old, Hamilton is gone, and the Bruins didn't really upgrade team speed in the offseason.  So maybe it won't help.  I guess we'll find out.

 

[Dummy Hoy]

Yeah, my issue (as well as TFP and Fluto it seems) is personnel rather than Xs and Os. It's a fine switch on the system (couldn't have done it in January?), but they still need D who can handle the puck and are quick on their feet.
 
There are two main types of 2-1 forechecks, a stack or a spread (is how I refer to them in any case). In both, F1 goes for the puck, usually with an inside-out forcheck to force the D to go up the wall to the strong side wing. In a stack, F2 follows F1 closely and gets the loose puck after F1 blasts or ties up the D with the puck. In the spread, F2 looks to take away the D-D reverse by pinching the weakside D. In practice, especially at higher levels, F2 will read and react to what F1 has forced. F3 will usually hang a little higher and try to disrupt the pass to the W or the C.
In one great scenario for the offense, F1 forces the D to go to the strongside wing and F3 pinches hard at that wing to steal the puck. Now you've got possession on the halfwall, F1 low, and F2 in front. Great setup for a high or low seam attack, or a quick pass to F2 in front. A 2-1-2 is great because you put heavy pressure on the other team and force mistakes, although if your first two layers get beat, it's odd man with speed and space the other way.

 

[Terras]

My best guess says as long as Krug and (hopefully) Chara are the first man on the breakout, they should be alright, but what happens when Krug goes D-to-D then starts moving out and McQuaid/Miller/whoever muffs the pass? I'm all for eliminating turnovers on the boards and behind the nets but for this to work consistently we're going to have see a lot more out of the slower, less offensively inclined d-men for this to really work well. Fingers crossed.