Flyers: Why Right Handed Defensemen Matter
When things don’t work in the weak stick method, the consequences are disastrous, and many things can go wrong. For example, sometimes the puck will hop over a player’s stick. If this happens when trying the weak hand method, it is likely the opponent will grab the puck that hopped behind the defensemen before understanding the puck jumped.
It often leads to a breakaway chance that will often result in a goal.
If the puck and the opposition arrive at the defensemen’s stick at the same time, it typically does not end well. With only one hand on the stick, the defensemen will be overpowered easily by the onrushing opponent. Further, the opponent will be moving at some pace out of the zone while the defensemen will be flat-footed and facing the offensive end. It would be like a car, the opponent, passing a tree, the defensemen, on the side of the road.
It often leads to a breakaway chance that will often result in a goal.
Even if everything goes well, the puck is controlled, the opposition is not yet upon the defensemen, the action of moving the puck from the backhand to the forehand takes time, even when executed flawlessly. The time elapsed in that set of motions may be enough for the opposition to close down upon the defensemen and jar the puck loose. The defensemen, while not flatfooted, and even with his stick on the strong side would be little more than a speed bump to an opposing winger looking to streak up ice with the puck.
It often leads to a breakaway chance that will often result in a goal.
Playing the weakside on defense adds a degree of difficulty to the position to be sure, but perhaps more importantly it changes the player’s mentality of how to play the position. The defensemen are starting from a disadvantaged position and need to factor the additional risk into their play. They may be less willing to try to hold the puck in at the blueline based on the proximity of the opposition. They may back off of slow-moving pucks leaving the offensive zone. They may be hesitant to try any more than safe dump-ins when they get control.
I have seen no metrics on the topic, but just as a matter of mechanics, playing the weak side point, players are less efficient at keeping the puck in the offensive zone. It takes more motion to get the puck in a playable position and attempts to keep the puck in the zone inherently come with more positioning risk.
We will see if Gustafsson ends up being a good signing for the Flyers. I think Fletcher deserves some latitude when considering how well a diminished Niskanen worked out. In the grand scheme of things, Gustafsson is likely not part of the Flyers beyond this season. But I don’t think a defensively challenged defenseman, who would be playing on his weak side, is what the doctor ordered to replace Niskanen and help Provorov maximize his skills.