For this edition of The Breakdown, we go back to last Summer’s TCS Live, where Dave Starman presented on the characteristics that define an effective defenceman in the today’s game.
In the presentation, Starman breaks down what he looks for in defencemen into seven building blocks:
- Deception/determination
- Effective
- Forward
- Explosive
- Nasty
- Stickwork
- Efficient
He believes those building blocks must be established at the youth level in order to set a player up for future success.
“What can we do to lengthen the track and put the building blocks in to make sure that these kids get a really good early education, physically and mentally, so that when the concepts at the older levels start to take over, we can see some of the progress.”
Watch as Starman takes you through how the likes of Cale Makar, Charlie McAvoy and Devon Toews are providing the blue print for the modern defenceman.
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See also:
- Techniques to Win at the Face-Off Dot (VIDEO)
- The Breakdown: Creating Offence from the Place and Race (VIDEO)
- The Breakdown: How to Create a Successful Youth Hockey Development Model (VIDEO)
- The Breakdown: 3 Keys to Keeping the Puck out of your Net (VIDEO)
David Starman
Starman has spent 11 years as an NHL scout with Toronto, Montreal, Seattle. He is a member of USA Hockey Player Development staff in New York State and has spent 25 years as an instructor with USA Hockey Coaching Education Program.
Starman tended goal for the University of Hartford before turning to the other side of the game, becoming the youngest head coach in Central Hockey League history in 2000 when, at age 31, he took over the Memphis River Kings. Starman later guided the New York Junior Bobcats of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and was associate coach of the New York Apple Core of the Eastern Junior Hockey League. Starman is now one of the nation’s most respected college hockey TV analysts.
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