[The Athletic] [Duhatschek] What should a player do when he breaks his stick in the D-zone?
theathletic.com/2005397/2020/08/18/duhatschek...Posted Aug 19, 2020, 1:54 PM UTC
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theathletic.com
It’s always been mindvlowing to me that people stick around and play with no stick for 15/20 seconds rather than sprint to the bench and be back into the play in 5/10. Obviously there’s sometimes you need to stay but there are a lot where I always think It would be smart to go grab a stick.
But I also didn’t play my first organized game of hockey until December when I was 23 so what do I know.
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I think it was the Leafs vs Columbus who had two guys break their sticks and they both stood there trying to get in the shooting lane and being generally useless for 10-20 seconds until one finally said fuck it and grabbed one
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The problem lies in when you break your stick.
If you break your stick and the puck isn't near you or the person you're manning, you can generally go get a new stick. When you break your stick and the opponent has the puck right by you, it's generally better to stay on and clog the lanes and disrupt them instead of abandoning the play making your team short handed.
For the latter, it's a large complaint about helmets coming off and having to head to the bench immediately, despite safety concerns.
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Would it be allowed to grab a stick from the bench for yourself and one for the other skater?
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Nope
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Elsewhere in the thread rule 10.5 is quoted as it is a penalty if you play the puck while carrying two sticks. Seems like it might allowed if you don't play the puck
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Wasn’t that Matthews who went and got a stick?
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tavares went to get the stick i believe
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Even Columbus would score on a 5 on 2.
Being a body in the lane is a lot more useful than being off the ice.
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Yup JT and Matthews BOTH had broken sticks. Thank god Marner is good defensively.
It sucks that we had to use one of their shifts defending because when those 3 were on the ice they were always creating oppertunites
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Yep forward gives D man stick if possible then sprints to the bench for change or new stick. Like the guy said above it depends on short or long bench tho.
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I’m of the mind where you should bite the bullet and go get a stick. Players won’t hesitate to blast a shot at any player without a stick and said player becomes a turnstile. Better to be out of the play for ~5 seconds rather than be a pylon for an entire shift. Of course there are some players who can block shots expertly, but they’re the exception
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Yah it's fucking dumb to stay there. Give your other players a warning you're going and they can cover you for 5 seconds easier than your can uselessly get the puck passed by you for the whole time you're there
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Forwards are more mobile and can block shots easier without a stick so it’s not like it’s a major handicap.
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You get one from a forward, passing the buck.
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The article is about whether that forward should stay in the D-zone and try to defend without a stick, or race to the bench for a new one but put his team down a man for a short bit.
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Depends on a couple variables. If you’re a dman, grab a forwards stick (they should always give it).
If you’re a forward it’s a bit more difficult to answer. Some guys are really good at taking out shooting lanes with their body and blocking shots, but if you’re up against a laterally mobile dman you’re pretty much fucked.
If you don’t wanna block shots, go get your ass a new stick and take the 5 on 4 for ten seconds.
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Thought this was an interesting discussion to have, the article interviews a former NHL player Jim Fox discussing the question in the title, they specifically mention the OT winner by Dallas on Sunday. I also saw a similar question asked in the Tenderfoot Tuesday thread
Edit: Hopefully not taking too much away from the article, Fox is generally in favour of the player going to the bench, other than certain circumstances.
Streamable of Dallas OT goal courtesy of u/Galaxy91122
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Can't read the article. But I've always been of the opinion that you should just go grab a stick as long as you aren't currently in a position to block a shot. You're pretty useless without a stick and I often see it causing more confusion than anything. The guy floating around with no stick often seems to help the other team create space by being there but not actually being able to challenge any passes. Get out of the way and let the other four guys adopt a penalty kill formation, get your stick, and be back in literally 10 seconds.
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I agree and it’s very similar to what he says in the article. Imo a guy without his stick is essentially a 5 on 4 anyways, I think it’s worth skating to the bench and either getting a stick or going for a change.
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The Leafs had an interesting scenario where this happened against CBJ and both Tavares and Matthews broke sticks. After a bunch of fumbling about, Matthews eventually booked it to the bench to get a new one. I think this is the best move for forwards in the first and third periods. You can't make much of a play without a stick, so you're really becoming a bit of a screen/obstruction out there without one for a long period.
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Can one player grab sticks for both? Technically he would be playing with two sticks while skating back from the bench, don't know if that is allowed.
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It would likely result in a penalty.
From NHL rule 10.5: A player who participates in the play, who checks or who intentionally prevents the movement of an opponent, or who intentionally plays the puck while carrying two sticks (including while taking a replacement stick to his goalkeeper) shall incur a minor penalty.
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What should a player do when he breaks his stick in the D-zone?
Donate another 25 to a womens professional team obviously
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The answer is it depends.
If you are a bigger player I’d say park it in front of the net and block shots. A guy like Chara is still effective without a stick.
If you are super small like Nathan Gerbe get a stick.
In between is a judgement call lol
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Shot blocking duty, if you get the puck kick it to a teammate
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Donate sticks to a women's league obviously.
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ITT: people who didn't read the article.
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From personal experience if you’re on the wing then you go get a stick in the 1st and 3rd, and if it’s in the 2nd you just stick with your man. If you’re a center or a d man you just hit whoever comes near you or near the net
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If it is the 1st or 3rd, pass the stick to a Dman and get it from the bench. If it is the 2nd and even strength, do the same.
On a PK in the 2nd, become the best shot blocker in the league
What does the period have to do with it
Short change vs long change. Distance to the bench
Lol of course fuck
They beat me to it. In the 1st and 3rd, it might only be 15 feet out of your way for a new stick (if the equipment manager is paying attention he can even pass it to the closest spot for you to grab). Whole different story for the long change in the 2nd
Yeah didn’t even think about that. I still think it would be worth it, at skating speed it might only take an extra 2-3 seconds.
That break to the bench could be all the other team needs to score.