At TCS Live 2023, Glen Gulutzan (now Head Coach of the Dallas Stars) demonstrated his versatility, presenting on defensive zone coverage and how the landscape is changing in the NHL, a shift that would eventually trickle down to every level of the game. What made his 30-minute presentation unique is that Gulutzan had just helped lead the Edmonton Oilers power play to the top scoring percentage in NHL history during the 22-23 season. But he's more than just a power play mastermind (and he's the first to admit not every team has a Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to help light the lamp on the man advantage), so he gave a masterclass on D-zone coverage instead.
Gulutzan noted there's no set way to run defensive zone coverage, and that none of the X's and O's are earth-shattering. A team's system should depend on player personnel and what everyone feels most comfortable in. Gulutzan also referenced Pete DeBoer's presentation on offensive zone concepts, the very coach he'd go on to replace behind the Dallas bench, and how DeBoer highlighted the importance of using the entire ice to spread out the defense. To combat this, Gulutzan teaches players to cut off certain areas of the ice, especially below the goal line and around the blueline.
Gulutzan goes through coverage details, second quicks, handling motion (three high, behind the net east-west, and D motion), and zone vs. man-on-man vs. a hybrid system, before wrapping up his presentation by encouraging coaches to poach concepts from around the hockey world, joking that he hasn't had an original idea as a coach in 20 years.
Noteworthy timestamps:
- 0:36 Breaking the top Power Play season record
- 3:00 D Zone Options and Concepts
- 5:20 Basic coverage details
- 6:15 Dice coverage
- 8:00 Hit and support zone
- 9:00 Responsibilities in Dice coverage
- 12:00 Cutting off the bottom and the top
- 13:30 Second quicks coverage
- 17:00 D staying close to the net
- 20:30 Execution of a system is what matters
- 21:00 Behind the net coverage
- 22:30 Man on man coverage
- 23:40 Man on man low/zone high hybrid
- 26:00 Slip slide coverage
- 27:00 Picking your system based on players
