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Winger in hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink. Nowadays, there are different types of wing men in the game - out and out goal scorers, checkers who disrupt the opponents and forwards who work along the boards and in the corners. This position is typically just called "Wing", often preceeded by the side on which the player normally skates (Left Wing or Right Wing).
A winger's responsibility in the offensive zone is to:
- fight for the puck in the corners
- position himself/herself in front of the net
- make a play to an open teammate
A winger should NOT:
- be fighting for the puck in the same corner as his or her fellow winger.
Wingers should be playing low in the zone. They are the grinders who make the difference in the offensive zone. Aggressivity is key. Often times a smaller, quicker player is more effective than a larger opponent.
Planting themselves in front of the net is an effective way to aggravate the opposition to draw a penalty (opposition gets penalized).
Wingers should be aware of what their teammates are doing when breaking into the neutral zone. If the centreman crosses over to a winger's side, that winger should cross over to the centre of the ice. This draws the defenders away from the rushing centreman.
Following close behind the centreman when entering the offensive zone is also an option. This allows the centreman to break the defence and drop the puck immediatly back to the waiting winger just inside the blue line. The winger then should have some time and space to make a play to the net or cross ice to his or her fellow winger.
A winger's responsibility in the defensive zone is to:
- wait for a pass from his or her teammate
- intercept a pass to the oppossing defenceman
- attack the opposing defenceman with the puck
A winger should NOT:
- play deep in his or her zone
- help out their teammate along the boards
Wingers should be playing high in the zone. They are the go-to guys when needing to exit the zone. If a winger commits to helping his or her teammate along the boards, it takes him or her out of the position where all other teammates are expecting them to be waiting; high in the zone near the opposing defencemen. When the winger receives a pass along the boards he can execute a number of things:
- bank it off the boards or glass to get it out of the zone
- redirect or softly pass the puck to the top of the circle. A rushing forward should then pick it up and head out of the zone.
- throwing the puck out of the zone towards the centreline which then can be picked up by a fellow winger rushing out of the zone.
Wingers are usually the last players to backcheck out of the offensive zone. On the backcheck, it is essential that he or she cover the last free opposing player rushing in.
During faceoffs, it is essential for the wingers to hold their man up when the puck is dropped. A faceoff is not merely two centremen fighting for a dropped puck, but all forwards fighting for it. If the centreman ties his or her man up on the faceoff, there is nothing more frustrating than having an opposing winger come in and easily take the puck from beneath their feet. Wingers should be just as tied up as centremen.
Once the faceoff is clearly won, players can then break.
Notable Wingers
See also
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