It’s been said that Wayne Gretzky was a student of the game of hockey long before he was terrorizing opponents on the ice. While just a young boy, he would watch NHL games with his father and spend entire games tracing where the puck went on a sheet of paper. By noting where the puck was most often, he had a better understanding of where he needed to be in order to get the puck.

It may be impossible to prove how much that exercise influenced his ability to anticipate plays on the ice, but few would argue that Gretzky played the game one step ahead of everyone else, even against the world’s best players.

Just like Gretzky, every time you watch a hockey game, whether it’s a higher level of youth hockey, high school, college or pro, you have an opportunity to learn about the game.

Does that mean you need to have a pencil and paper every time you want to check out a Wild game? Definitely not!  You can watch the game for fun and still pick up a few tips. Paying close attention to areas you want to improve will just increase the chances you are able to develop your hockey sense while still enjoying the game.

And everyone knows this is a great time of year to watch hockey.  This weekend the metro area will host three great college hockey tournaments (NCAA Women’s Division I Frozen Four, NCHC Frozen Faceoff and WCHA Final Five) and the NHL playoff race is heating with each day.

Here are a few strategies for you to test out while watching some playoff hockey.

Player Showcase

Think of this as shadowing a player on the ice. Rather than paying attention to the play, you watch one player for their entire shift regardless of if he/she has the puck or not.

Not only is this the best way for goalies to learn, this strategy provides an opportunity to notice all of the little details that separate the game’s best players from the rest of the pack. Watching a forward like Patty Kazmaier finalist Hannah Brandt, defenseman such as Ryan Suter or NCHC Goaltender of the Year finalist Zane McIntyre are just a few examples that will be on display this weekend.

Pick your favorite player and follow him or her all over the ice for a few shifts. You may be surprised how many great plays result from what that player does without the puck. Here are a couple things to watch for:

• Where does the goalie play in the crease?
• How does the goalie handle screen shots?
• What type of gaps do the defensemen have between the opposing forwards?
• How do players create space in order to make plays with the puck?

Zoning in on Game Concepts

One of the best ways to improve hockey sense is by increasing your understanding of game concepts. Each hockey game is filled with different scenarios that players will experience when they hop on the ice themselves so paying attention to how others handle those situations can give them an advantage.

A list of these concepts could go on and on so it may be best to pick one or two to focus on for a given game. Here are a few to get you started:

• Which team is winning the most faceoffs? Why?
• How do players support their teammates and get open for passes?
• What do players do after they give a pass?
• How do players approach various odd man rushes?
• How are players positioning their body in order to gain an advantage on opposing players?

Special Situations

These could easily be included under game concepts, but players’ abilities to be effective on power play and penalty kill can have a major impact on their ice time as they progress to higher levels of play. Plus, in most games, these scenarios only happen for a short portion of the game so it is important to take advantage of opportunities to watch how players and teams handle them.

• On the power play, what type of play leads to a successful zone entry?
• Where are most of the shots coming from on the power play? What about scoring chances?
• When do penalty killers choose to put pressure on the power play?
• How do penalty killers cut off passing lanes?
• How do these things change in unique situations such as a 5-on-3, 4-on-4 or 4-on-3?

Character Check

Hockey sense can separate hockey players from one another just as much as skating ability or stick skills but so can character.  As Providence head coach Nate Leaman told College Hockey Inc., character is something that coaches are very aware of in the recruiting process and they don’t compromise on it.

Every game players display their character through their actions and body language, and it’s often easy to notice from the stands. Pay attention to how players react to the situations below and think about what people may assume about your character if you behave in a similar manner.

• How do players respond after a turnover or bad play?
• How do they act after getting a penalty called on them?
• What are players doing on the bench after their team gets scored on?
• How do players/teams respond on their first shift after giving up a goal?

These strategies are just a starting point as every game provides unique situations and opportunities to learn about the game of hockey.  By paying close attention to just a few of them each game, you can develop your knowledge of the game as well as your passion for it.

Have fun and enjoy this weekend’s playoff hockey!

Photo Credit: Minnesota State Athletics