Great breakouts start before the defenseman ever touches the puck. 

The non-negotiable is Head Up and Scan—constantly taking in information before and after receiving the puck to make the best possible read. 

From there, four details can help defensemen execute more effective breakouts: under handling the puck, moving their feet, using deception, and drawing the forechecker in before passing. These details create time and space for both the defenseman and her teammates, while keeping options open as the play develops. 

Great defensemen can execute all four—and, most importantly, recognize when and how to use each one based on what they see.