How important are faceoffs in today’s game? We could talk about that for a long time.
The game has evolved, but faceoffs are still extremely important in key moments of the game, particularly on the PP/PK, 6v5/5v6 and more.
Let’s start with this video which had a lot of views on social media. Kids, if you want to get better, you have to practice, but you have to be open and talk about how and learn from others.
Here’s an example of “if you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.” We hear this a lot when talking about faceoffs, and Montreal Canadiens centre Phillip Danault shows a textbook example of how you can cheat and win at the faceoff dot.
At the end of the day, they don’t ask how, they ask how many draws you won.
Having a strong base, working on your rotation, timing the drop of the puck, and having a plan with where you are trying to win the draw before going into the faceoff circle, are just some things to keep in mind when practicing taking faceoffs. Also, if during the game you find yourself struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your wingers to jump in and help battle for 50/50 pucks.
Here’s a look at five of the best players in the world at winning faceoffs, with their winning percentages listed in parentheses.
Patrice Bergeron (61.5%)
When we talk about consistency, Patrice Bergeron is the first name that comes up. How can you take over 1,000 faceoffs in a season and still be above 60%?
For starters let’s take a look at how he is taking the faceoff. A wide stance, upper body leaning forward, but look at his hips and legs, he starts by rotating his hips and the left leg. By using this rotation, it allows him to be more efficient and gain an advantage over the opponent. And right after, he doesn’t move, making everything more complicated for the other centre.
Sidney Crosby (53.2%)
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Mitch Giguere
Mitch Giguere ChPC, is the father of four children and a passionate hockey coach. Assistant Coach for Carabins Université de Montréal (USports W). Former Assistant and Video Coach in the KHL. Mitch has his High Performance 2 from Hockey Canada and has an Advanced Coaching Diploma (NCCP4) from the Canadian Sports Institute. You can reach out to Mitch via email at [email protected] or SMS 450-578-1187
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