What is a Spread power play in Hockey?
A Spread power play places players at the four corners of the offensive zone with an extra player in the middle of the ice, and uses the entire width and depth of the zone to move the puck and create either dangerous scoring chances or rebound opportunities for the two low players on either side. The Spread is also used often as a kickstart to each power play - the formation is easily transformed into a 1-3-1 or Overload formation.
What are the benefits of using a Spread power play in hockey?
The biggest advantage of the Spread power play is the time and space each power play player will have with the puck. Because of the spread out nature of the formation (hence the name), penalty killers have a long way to skate to confront each puck carrier who receives a pass. Because of this, penalty killers must stay contained or passive, which means the power play can work the puck around the perimeter with ease. If a penalty killer is too aggressive it means a teammate will undoubtedly be open for an outlet pass in a more dangerous area of the zone.
What are the disadvantages of using a Spread power play in hockey?
The downfall of sticking to the Spread formation is the lack of players in dangerous scoring chance areas. Most goalies will be comfortable stopping shots from outside the imaginary lines running vertically from the faceoff dots to the blue line, so if the penalty killers are content with leaving the power play to pass the puck around the perimeter then they will in essence be “dictating” where shots come from, which the goalie will appreciate. This is why the Spread is often used as a reset for the power play, or a formation they can return to before shifting into something more dangerous.
What are the forward responsibilities for a Spread power play in hockey?
The positions in the Spread aren’t as important as other formations, but forwards are generally placed to either side of the net in the imaginary dot line to act as puck distributors and rebound collectors, while a third forward plays in the middle of the ice to look for dangerous scoring chances and tip shots from the blue line. A forward can also easily be positioned on the blue line.
What are the defenseman responsibilities for a Spread power play in hockey?
The two players on the blue can be defensemen or forwards, and are responsible for making long passes across the blue line to “freeze” the penalty kill. These players are also charged with taking shots through traffic when they can as well.
Which coaches use a Spread power play in hockey well?
Coaches who use the Spread want to give their players a space advantage on the power play. Having time and space is a confidence builder and a fallback option when a power play wants to generate a high volume of scoring chances while sacrificing quality. A well-coached Spread power play can also swap players in and out with ease, which is important for building power play skills in multiple players.
What skills or strengths does a team or player need to run a Spread power play in hockey?
Whether they’re forwards or defensemen, players using a Spread power play formation have to pass the puck quickly and with enough force to cover long distances, while also recognizing breakdowns in the penalty killing formation that can be exploited for dangerous scoring chances.
Which teams are the best examples that use a Spread power play in hockey?
New Jersey Devils: brother Jack and Luke Hughes like to work the puck at the blue line with defenseman Dougie Hamilton sneaking down into the one-timer spot on the left faceoff dot
Detroit Red Wings: Moritz Seider and Dylan Larkin are two mainstays on the Red Wings power play, a unit that often starts with a Spread before shifting into a low 1-3-1.
