I was at the Regina vs Brandon game, sitting in the Regina end close to ice level, and had a really good view of the play. What stood out to me right away was watching a puck get put in with no real purpose.

The Pats player just tosses the puck hard off the end boards from the neutral zone. No pressure. No angle. No support coming. From ice level, you could see how quickly it turned into a problem. The puck kicks right back into the slot and a Wheat Kings defenceman picks it up clean. It looks like a safe play, but it ends up being a easy retrevial for Brandon creating a turnover. 

Now compare that to a Winnipeg and Nashville clip. Josh Morrissey recognizes space and rims the puck with purpose. He is not just getting it deep. He is using it as an indirect pass to the weak side. The Jets have two players reading it early and arriving with speed. They win the puck back and establish possession. Morrissey doesn’t stay high either. He slides into the slot, reads the next play, and ends up getting the puck back in a scoring area.

Same idea of putting the puck in, but a completely different result.

At higher levels, it is not about just dumping it in. It is about putting it into a spot where your team can get it back.

If you are going to put it in, make sure there is a reason behind it.