Positional Responsibilities

I have come across some excellent position responsibilities for Ice Hockey players.  I think that this offers a perfect explanation for anyone who is and wants to participate in Ice Hockey.  Players should read these descriptions and pick a position that properly fits their ability.

Centre (center in the U.S.A.) in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards.  Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player.  Centres are ideally faster skaters who can back-check quickly from deep in the opposing zone.  Centres usually play as part of a line of players hat are substituted frequently to keep fresh and the game moving.  First liners are usually the top players, although some top players make the second line to allow for offensive scoring opportunities.

Winger in hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area.  They typically work by flanking the centre forward.  Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink.  Nowadays, there are different types of wingers in the game -- out-and-out goal scorers, checkers who disrupt the opponents, and forwards who work along the boards and in the corners.
The position is commonly referred to by the side of the rink that the winger normally takes, e.g. “left wing” or “right wing”.

Defence (defense in the U.S.A.) in hockey is a player position with a primary responsibility to prevent the opposing team from scoring goals.  Defence players are often referred to defencemen, D, or “Blueliners”.  In regular play there are two defence players and three forwards on the ice along with the goaltender.  The greatest defenceman in NHL history is often considered to be Bobby Orr who surprisingly managed to win scoring titles while playing defence.  Each year the NHL presents the James Norris Memorial Trophy to the best defenceman in the league.

The goaltender (also known colloquially as goalie or netminder) in ice hockey is the player who defends his team’s goal net by stopping shots of the the puck from entering his team’s net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring.  The goalie usually plays in or near the are in front of the net called the goal crease (often referred to simply as the crease).  Due to the power of shots, the goaltender wears special equipment designed to protect the body from direct impact.  Only one goalie is allowed to be on the ice for each team at any one time.

All the Best,

Glenn