As the Defence Coach for the Washington Capitals, Mitch Love knows all about the proper technique to stop many of the NHL’s best players. At TCS Live 2024, Love went into great detail about the importance of stick on puck play.

There are many aspects that make a player great, one of which is their stick play. Having a controlled, or as Love puts it, a calm stick, is a great asset to a player’s game. Nothing drives coaches crazier than lazy penalties that can steal away moments of a game. This is why Love invests time with Washington's defensemen, guiding them to lead with their stick and have good posture to be able to reload and get on the attack when turnovers are created. It is important for players to get their stick right on the opposition's stick blade where the puck is. Trying to go higher up on an opponent's stick can cause penalty-prone moments due to lazy stick infractions. Having strong stick on puck play won't always result in the player being the one to directly get the puck, but it can force disruption and allow support players to gather the puck and reload up the ice.

Love breaks down the importance of stick on puck play in the three areas of the ice.

• In the offensive zone, being able to cause disruption to the opposition by having correct stick placement can lead to extended offensive zone time which can often lead to scoring chances along with building further momentum.

• In the neutral zone it is all about using your stick to angle players to either cause a turnover or generate a more favourable play such as a dump which limits quick pace rush chances that have a higher percentage of turning into goals against.

• In the defensive zone, having a strong defensive stick on puck play limits the opposition’s ability to generate shooting chances and also leads to your team getting the puck out and getting on the break out. Love embodies the classic saying that the best defense is offense and having strong stick on puck play is a catalyst for that. 

Love emphasized that the techniques of being in good skating posture and leading with your stick can be taught constantly through practice. Spending the time to focus on these small areas of the game will translate to greater team success. Having the puck is key in hockey and being able to get the puck effectively is a skill that every coach should prioritize in their practice drills. 

Noteworthy timestamps:

• 1:25 I’m not sure what to do with my hands
• 3:50 Why stick on puck?
• 5:20 Where to use stick on puck
• 5:55 Game examples
• 12:10 Poor examples
• 17:10 NHL by the numbers
• 19:25 Killing plays in the dzone
• 24:10 Avoiding penalties
• 26: 40 When and how to teach it