Feeling Your Check: A Masterclass in Tactile Defending
How to keep your eye on the puck while still tracking your defensive responsibility
In our fast-paced sport, defensive players are often faced with a dilemma: do they watch the puck or their opponent?
For elite defensemen like Quinn Hughes, the answer is both, thanks to a subtle yet incredibly effective technique: feeling their opponent with their stick.
The Art of Tactile Defending
Similar to a blindfolded person navigating, defenders can extend their hands or stick to sense their presence instead of relying solely on seeing.
Just like puck carriers feel the puck while looking around for impactful information, defenders can use their stick as an extension of their senses to maintain defensive vision. The stick helps sense and feel their check (the opponent they are responsible for) with tactile information.
Proper Puck Watching
This technique allows the defenseman to maintain crucial eye contact with the puck and the developing play. While their stick is subtly engaging the opponent’s body, their eyes can scan the ice for passing lanes, shooting opportunities, and potential threats.
Hughes is a prime example of a defenseman who masterfully employs this “feeling” technique to gather information and maintain control. He is controlling his check without having to lay hands on or keep a watchful eye on him.
It’s in these subtle details that defenders like Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson showcase their genius for the defensive side of the game.
Further Reading