With over 20 years of playing and coaching experience in the National Hockey League, Rob Zettler understands the defensive zone better than most. In his film break-down presentation at TCS Live 2024, Zettler explained the small details that lead to big plays for defencemen.

Currently an Assistant Coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Zettler has set in place a D mantra for his blueline. The three areas Zettler focuses on are defending early, getting the first touch, and skating to win. Zettler wants his defenceman to be active and maintain the zone when they can. To do this, Zettler preaches sealing the walls of the offensive zone by keeping the defenseman’s stick to the interior of the ice. However, when the D-men read that the opposition has full control of the puck and can attack with speed out of their zone, that is when Zettler teaches a defensive technique known as surfing. The goal of surfing is to break up plays early in the neutral zone and allow supporting teammates to help retrieve loose pucks and get back on the attack quickly. Surfing entails the off side D-man to come across the ice and cut off the play. The key to being successful in this style is all about timing and reading the play correctly. Zettler wants his defense to be able to attack moving forward and laterally, not always backwards. By sweeping across the ice, his defenseman can get their momentum moving forward to break up plays faster before they evolve into rush chances against. Being patient and having a good gap is critical to the success of this type of style. 

Another area that Zettler works on with his defense corps is having the first touch of the puck when going back to retrieve a puck. To get a first touch as the defenseman doesn’t always mean racing to the puck first. There are other ways a D-man can use body position to create separation between an opponent and the puck. Causing a little bump on an opponent by moving in front of them as they approach the puck is a strong way to establish positioning and gather the puck to make the next play. Another way highlighted by Zettler is what he calls cutting the hands where the defenseman’s stick lifts their opponent stick and then works to gain indoor positioning to gather in the puck.

In whatever system Zettler is teaching, he wants his defensive pair to work cohesively together. The goal for each defensive partner is to make the other partner’s life easier. Zeltter wants his D-men no more than a quarter of ice length apart and available to support each other in every area on the ice. Zettler’s message to all coaches is that X’s and O’s can always be taught, but when you are unsure what to do, close the computer and have a talk with your players. Sometimes you think you know it all and have it figured out, but getting to know your players and what they are experiencing is the best form of coaching. Cultivate a relationship to let your players know you care about them more as people than just as hockey players.

Noteworthy timestamps:

• 0:00 Good things happen at conferences
• 2:20 D Mantra
• 3:10 Defending starts in the OZ - On Top
• 4:50 Surfing
• 7:15 Creating lateral gap
• 9:05 Surf and gap drills
• 10:10 Squeezing
• 13:15 First Touch
• 15:40 Early Bump
• 17:00 Cut the Hands
• 18:15 Box Out
• 19:15 Skate to Win
• 22:40 The intangibles