Hockey rules require that a faceoff is the way to put the puck into play, with one player from each team lined up to face each other at one of the rink's nine faceoff spots. The referee or linesman drops the puck between the players, who then battle for possession.

It’s the ultimate puck battle that can change the direction of the game in seconds. Probably because it happens so often over the course of a game, it also happens to be one of the more underrated and underappreciated aspects of the sport. Having a player or players who excel at winning faceoffs can elevate a team from good to great.

“The main goal is puck possession,” said Bill McClellan, St. Paul Academy boys high school coach and USA Hockey Coach Developer. “If you have control of the puck, you can create opportunities to score. When you control faceoffs, you control the puck, so it puts your opponent on the defensive.”

FACEOFF FUNDAMENTALS

Over his 30-plus years of coaching, McClellan has seen firsthand why it’s so critical for teams to win a high percentage of faceoffs and also the need to continue developing faceoff skills at all levels.

“Faceoffs probably matter most when you’re in your own end, but they are important all over the ice,” he said. “In general, young players really don’t understand the importance of the faceoff, and coaches probably don’t spend enough time working on them.”

According to McClellan, it all starts with the center, making sure everyone is lined up in the correct position. Then, he says, it is critical that the center’s eyes are focused on the puck in the referee’s hands, not on the dot on the ice. A good center will be able to anticipate where the puck is going to land.

McClellan says there are simple ways coaches can integrate faceoff work into everyday practices.

“Any time you’re working on any type of battle drill or compete drill, you can always start each rep with a faceoff,” he said. “And move it around to different spots so the center has to learn to draw with both hands. Too often we let kids start with the puck from a given point, and that really isn’t the reality of the game. The more they see game situations in practice, the better off they’re going to be with decision-making.”

EVERY PLAYER HAS A ROLE

While centers certainly have the most faceoff responsibility, there is an action for every skater to take after the puck is dropped. It’s truly a team effort.

“All five players on the ice have an active role,” McClellan said. “Whether it’s the two wings tying up their opponents, not letting them get to 50-50 pucks where the puck is bouncing between the two centers, or the defensemen hopefully gaining possession of the puck and shooting it or moving it away from pressure.”

What wingers and defensemen must do on faceoffs depends on where the faceoff is occurring on the ice. McClellan shared some faceoff tips for each position group:

Centers:

• Watch the puck in the referee’s hand (don’t focus on the dot).
• Get as much of the blade of the stick on the ice as possible. A lot of young players will have the toe of the stick on the ice, which is easier to move by your opponent.
• Have a nice base so you can’t get moved back, just in case the other center tries to move you after the puck is dropped. And be ready to tie up the opposing center if the situation calls for it.
• It’s not just pulling the puck back with your stick, but you also have to be able to spin your body. I liked to spin my hips into the forehand or the direction that my opponent was trying to draw to and then use my stick to knock it back to the defenseman.

Wings:

• Wings are the support and have to read what happens with the puck, who wins the draw, and what direction the puck goes.
• As a general rule, I tell wings, ‘If we win the draw, tie up your man for three seconds and release so we’re able to make a play.’ In the offensive zone, one of the forwards should go to the net.

Defensemen:

• In the offensive zone, they are our shooters. They have to have a clock in their heads, so when they get the puck, it has to get to the net within three seconds.
• It’s also important that they keep their heads up when shooting and avoid a big windup that can easily be blocked by the other team.
• In the defensive zone, we want to win the puck back and then the board-side D gets the puck and chips it behind the net so their partner can pick it up and come out the other side where there is less pressure.

FACEOFF-WINNING TRAITS

It should be no surprise that NHL legends such as Joe Nieuwendyk, Adam Oates, Steve Yzerman and Jonathan Toews were among the best at winning faceoffs in the history of the game. Yanic Perreault was considered perhaps the best ever, winning faceoffs at about a 61% clip.

In addition to elite physical skill, these greats of the sport had several characteristics in common that helped them in the faceoff circle, including outstanding hand-eye coordination, intelligence and hockey IQ.

“The best faceoff players have an awareness of everything around them on the ice,” McClellan said. “They understand where their shooter is lined up, where the opposing center wants to go, and what they like to do with their stick. Most importantly, they need to approach each faceoff with a plan.”

McClellan believes it’s important for all players to get some practice taking draws, even if they aren’t full-time centers, in case a center is chased from a faceoff during a game or there’s an injury.

“It’s something coaches can mix in to practices, and also something players can work on at home,” he said. “Their parent or sibling can drop pucks for them so they can practice pulling them back. I used to take a five-gallon bucket, with maybe 50 pucks, and just put them on a spot and draw them back to get quicker and improve my hand-eye coordination. You want to develop strong wrists and forearms. The more you focus on it, the more benefits the centers and their teams will see.