When Justin Selman began his presentation at Yost Arena during TCS Live 2023, he made one thing clear from the start: being a defenceman is about so much more than just getting the puck out of the zone.
Look no further than Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar for two blueliners who not only own play in their own end, but also contribute consistently on offence. Hughes currently leads the NHL in points for defencemen with 49 (10-39-49), with Makar two points back at 47 (9-38-47); this comes a season after Erik Karlsson led defensive points with 101 (25-76-101), which placed him 11th overall in the entire NHL.
Yep, there are a lot more opportunities here for defenceman than just clearing the puck.
“We’re not talking about toe drags at the blueline. It’s about getting our body around puck, using our head, our eyes, our hands and ultimately, trying to create offence.”
In this 21-minute on-ice presentation, Selman, the Founder and Development Coach with Topline Hockey, introduces ways for defencemen to create time and space in all three zones of the ice, while minimizing puck touches and using their feet for deception, weight shifts and cut backs to create space on the walls and the blueline.
Selman is a former University of Michigan standout who spent time with the St. Louis Blues organization in his pro career. What’s unique about this TCS Live presentation is that we typically invite speakers to attend and present at the event, whereas Selman took part in the 2023 Global Skills Showcase on The Coaches Site and his presentation was voted best among the world’s top skills coaches who took part. That earned Selman this coveted presentation spot, resulting in a wildly informative video.
“Drills can be as simple or challenging as you make them. Small skills where you’re using feet, head and hands are what elevates them from a basic level to a high intensity skill drill.”
Have your notepad ready for this one. There’s a lot you’ll be passing on to your defencemen!
Noteworthy timestamps:
- 00:20 Easy Exits Drill
- 05:00 Neutral Zone Transitions x2 + Join Drill
- 11:00 3 Pucks 3 Tucks Drill
- 15:00 3 Pucks 3 Tucks Drill progression
- 18:00 Touch and Go Reaction Drill
