@@zillatattoo Oh yeah, at least there were plenty of bathroom breaks. That's why games lasted 3 1/2 hours back then, never-ending parades to the penalty box.
All anyone has to do is watch the Flyers and Lightning video to understand it. The Lightning were down a goal and would straight up not forecheck at all and the refs forced the Flyers to move the puck. It's a joke.
@@russs7574 Patience goes a long way defensively but it won't move the puck offensively. Speed and transition. People think of 3 in the center as a wall.... but it's not - it's more like a bridge. A Bridge isn't a solid structure it has flexibility to address where there's the most tension to support it. Much like a bridge also the tension can only be met at a singular point. Now speed will get you through the gaps as was shown through the video, but you could also do offensive screening to punch through, or you up the tempo of the match on transition which will cause the structure to collapse. Barreling straight through singularly on the wing isn't a good option.
Sure they said the same thing about the neutral zone trap that the Devils used back in the 90's, and ever since every team practically adopted it and changed the sport.
this is the style of hockey which is used by Finland regularly on international level. It has brought them gold from the olympics, and 3 consecutive WC final appearances.
I would agree if you let both team play it out. The flyers, lightning game well the flyers were called fro playing passively and would repeatedly get face off called in their own zone for "not playing essentially" as if there was only one team on the ice refusing to engage in the play. If you wanna allow everything then you need to allow everything you cant pick and choose especially when the other game plan is an adaptation to the style of play of the other team.
Great analysis. Perhaps LAK formation could be called "Adaptive 1-3-1" or "Dynamic 1-3-1" as you clearly show in some footage that LAK is fore checking and attacking still.
I was at that lighting flyers game. One take at the time that stood out to me back then was essentially "Baseball is the only sport where the team on defense has the duty to advance the state of play to the team on offense. (By Pitching) So the bolts sitting back and waiting is absolutely acceptable. "
Really it's acceptable both ways. The game was 0-0 so no one was losing or gaining anything by wasting time. Something tells me if philly were up 1-0 the imperative would be on the lightning to forecheck.
@@Markymark-gg6qf in the flyers vs lighting game shown in the video the whole 1-3-1 is flat footed including the back defense men. When you have the puck there's a degree of control hence why the one guy just sat there. If the player with the puck waited like he did and one of his offense teammates built momentum moving into the zone they could have a chance of meeting that far defensemen and winning a puck battle. This is all hypothetical but my team has done this before when I played hockey so I feel like it wouldn't be impossible for people 10000% better than me to pull off. It's not a good option but it's better than standing there for three minutes
"One of the biggest reasons why the New Jersey Devils rose to prominence in the mid-1990s (1995-1996 excepted) and won the Stanley Cup in 1995 was their use of the Neutral Zone Trap. It's a defensive system that head coach Jacques Lemaire drilled into the team, who collectively bought into it to great success. The Devils didn't invent the trap or created it out of nowhere. Per this Toronto Hockey article that explains it somewhat, the Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s used this system as well - and it's origins lie further back in international play. Lemaire was on those incredibly successful teams, so it's not really a surprise that he recalled it and implemented it when coaching New Jersey and elsewhere. Granted, the Devils weren't loaded with talent as those Montreal teams; but it certainly gave the Devils an edge at the time."
Very good analysis, I should have read your comment first as I made a similar one. But the other thing on that team was Brodeur, he practically eliminated the dump and chase with his terrific puck handling. He was almost like a rover back there.They had to change the rules to stop him doing it!
@@THEREDHOTWRECKBrodeur as a goalie was so good at stick handling that he was practically a 3rd defenseman and they had to make a rule after him. Also, I object to the "outplayed by Giguere thing". Sure, maybe he was. But throughout the whole playoffs, he was OUTSTANDING. And Devils players were quoted saying that they felt more comfortable to take risks on defense to generate offense BECAUSE they had Marty in net in a way maybe they wouldn't have with other goalies. When your team doesn't worry about defensive lapses bc they know 99% of the time, your goalie will bail you out no problem, then it's safe to say that goalie is NOT overrated. Yes, the trap made it look easy for him, but part of them executing that trap is their comfort in Brodeur cleaning up any mistakes they made. Also the Devils did NOT play the trap for long after the 95 cup (esp bc Lemaire wasn't even coach anymore), and in 2000/2003 NJ was among the top scoring teams in the league without the trap, and Brodeur maintained a similar level of play. Also let's not forget that Giguere was playing OUT OF HIS MIND that year and was one of the ONLY reasons Anaheim made it to Game 7 of the cup finals. Brodeur being outplayed by him is hardly a knock on Marty and more a credit to Giguere and how well he played that year. If you actually WATCHED Brodeur play for years after the trap, you'd know he's definitely top 3 goalie all time if not the best. The trap actually screwed him over because while in some ways it made his stats better, it didn't actually let him showcase his talent other than stick handling and the occassional great save bc then you have people say "oh he only did well bc the trap made him only have to make like 10 saves a game" despite the fact that Brodeur's career lasted long after the trap was gone. Hell, look at 2012. If Brodeur doesn't return to his peak form that year, not a snowball's chance in hell do the Devils make the finals. They LEANED on him more than ever that year and he delivered practically game in and game out except for maybe SCF Game 6 (well really Steve Bernier and that awful 5 min penalty contributed to that but that's a different convo for a different time).
I found a way to play through that tactic. Pick carrier plays the puck back, and the new carrier, plays the puck to the opposite side, and you have a one on one in the neutral zone
Looking at it, 1 3 1 is just a more tactical approach to Hockey. It's not really rocket science. And as frustrating as it can be to play against, (because it's a competition of tactics.) it doesn't inherently ruin or even alter the game of Hockey in any meaningful sense. Besides, a smart tactically minded team can find plenty of ways to power through it with speed. Hearing players complain about this is like listening to Caeser's enemies complain that he out-maneuvered them. That's the name of the game.
2011 the Lightning lost game 7 in the ECF 1-0 to the Bruins. They lost the 4 games by a total of 5 points. Looking at Stamkos in the handshake line you can see his bloodied nose. He took a puck in the face and it broke his nose. He immediately went down the tunnel, came back 5 minutes later with a full cage on his helmet and a tampon in his nose. That's when I really knew we had something in this kid. The next year, he scored 60 goals. Also in 2011, the Bolts drafted Nikita Kucherov and Andre Palat. Thankfully, in the 2012-13 lockout season they brought in head coach Jon Cooper!
It just seems like a slight variation of the neutral zone trap from the 90s. Dump and chase is what teams came up with to get around it back then, and that was boring to watch, but it seemed like teams got better at it over time. The rules changes of 2 line pass and goalie restriction zone helped a lot. If you want to kill 1-3-1 quickly, it will take another rules change for defensive neutral zone infraction
I say, the puck carrier exiting their zone favour their opposite wing while rushing into the neutral zone. When the defenders close in on the puck carrier, spin into the boards while protecting the puck and draw the defense away from the rest of the team. If done correctly, this should allow a forehand pass in the neutral zone to a variety of streaking players who can possibly force an odd man rush into the attacking zone. Either that or skate the puck back to the goaltender, let him smother the puck, and have a defensive zone faceoff. It might be the only way to draw in the forecheckers.
i might be biased because Im a kings fan, but i dont really find the way they play boring at all. They've had tons of high score games this season, both for and against. People just like to make excuses for losing, want their star players to score, and get upset when they can't. Combined it makes the 1-3-1 easy to complain about. I'm sure those same people wouldn't be having any more fun if their defense just stopped trying and gave kempe, moore, or byfield a breakaway on their goaile
Exactly. All these people complaining about the 1-3-1 but they probably didn't even know LA had a team until this video much less actually watched any of their games.
The only thing about the 1-3-1 that I don't like is that not pressuring the D-men to make a pass and waiting for them to make a pass before making you move. Not putting pressure on a puck carrier goes against every hockey instinct I have and you get Pronger making a mockery of it which is painful to watch. There is nothing illegal about it from a hockey sense. I would think that when playing against it, it would be important to get a lead, even a one goal lead could work, since the system seems offensively challenged. Force them to get out of their passive style where they would be disadvantaged. How do you get a lead? Maybe rush a defender up with the forwards aggressively to start the game to try to get the lead before they settle into the trap, you know that they don't play aggressive offensively so maybe take some chances against it or play it like a power play, 2 guys on the puck at all times until you get possession. Getting a lead against it to force them out of it would be my strategy I think.
The problem @ 3:46 is that the speed was quickly isolated into a 2on5, notice the defense behind Miller on the SAME side of the ice. The plan would call for Miller to come up on the strong side as pictured and when the hole is closed, drop pass or dish off to one defenseman joining the play on the weak side.
Good video! Of course people are going to whine when hitting a wall they aren't smart enough to penetrate. The only problem is that they themselves haven't found the key. Imho, it seemed that the 1-3-1 system as we saw it in this video often left an open space on the opposite side of where the puck carrier was charging. Plenty of space for a rocket player to receive a pass.
I actually enjoy 1-3-1 hockey. It’s not an impenetrable defence but it demands for good coaching and high skill to break it as your video detailed. And I love the tactician elements of hockey. I love seeing coaches find ways to break things like a neutral zone trap.
I had forgotten the finals were cancelled in 2011 until reminded at 6:18. Vancouver fans were so upset that they cancelled the victory parade and set the town on fire.
The 2011 E. Conference Finals, Bruins Lightning game 7 is the pinnacle of the NHL. Both teams stacked with talent, displaying ectrifying goaltending, unbelievable defensive efforts, equally physical and hard hitting forechecking, high speed and tense play all in a one-goal game.... with zero penalties. Incredible!
That's a matter of taste. The pinnacle of high scoring physical hockey with great goaltending and individual superstars and team talent alike was the Colorado-Detroit rivalry. Most hockey fans consider the greatest regular season game ever played was between these two teams on March 26 1997. You might be a bit young for that game. The intensity, passion, blood, sweat and tears, highlight reel goals and electric hits is just not in today's game right now. The best compliment I can give to the Tampa Bay Lightning is they are likely the pinnacle of playing system hockey.
Nah nobody who wasn't a fan of either team cared. There was probably more talk and coverage around the Oilers v Flames round 2 a couple of years ago than that finals lol. People want to watch big comebacks, highlight real goals and big hits.
@@CoopHawke Its funny how much regionalism plays in people's opinions. You have to step outside your immediate wheel house to accept greatness. What makes the Detroit-Colorado rivalry much more than anything recent was that it spanned almost 10 years, both teams won multiple Stanley Cup championships during the time, both teams often had to beat the other to go on to win the Stanley Cup and neither team was an immediate geographic rival of the other but yet still a hated giant that must be slain each year in order to reach the promised land. The Oilers and Flames hold a soft spot in my heart as a Canadian, and while that one series was exciting, it was little more than a blip or moment of a few exciting games not in my opinion true greatness befitting Champions. Esp since neither team has won anything.
@@thatoneguy9666 disagree with what? Bad for profits? Or the business part? Because the nhl and basically every other league is a business and needs to make profits or else it’ll be shutdown All the average fans I know don’t care for extremely defensive style of hockey, especially kids (who are one of the biggest target audiences for the league) I personally do like it but it does get boring after a game or two
Neutral zone trap systems are one of the main reasons I really believe they need to allow some degree of offsides... Let offensive players get more speed and be more aggressive to beat a trap without worrying about offsides by an inch and negating a goal
Great job w/this video. Here's the truth: a LOT of teams are going to be going to a 1-3-1 come playoff time not just LA, you can bet the house on that. I always wonder what would happen if the puck handler wound up and slap shot the puck at the head of the opposing F1 diagonal cross neutral ice if the 1-3-1 teams would start wondering about the price they'd have to pay to play it. Just a thought lol Dino Ciccarelli would be proud, anyway. At 3:38, if Miller cranks that puck at the head/neck area of that F1 (I can't see who he is), and they do that a few times for intention, it has to make them think about how they're defending next time.
The Oilers 1-3-1'd themselves to a Stanley Cup final in 2006. It's the strategy of teams without any real fire power or speed. Teams need to combat it by not setting up in their own zone. Don't leave the neutral zone if you can avoid it for a setup
i think the question is.. is like what extent is like till the system is broken.. like if i did 0-3-2? or worse someone can just not forecheck.. then you start wondering.. whats the point of playing a game that someone paid to get entertain at.. like people pay to get entertained.. without that professional sports is meaningless.. kinda like i have the puck and i'm just gonna hold it behind the goalie forever.. u see thats kinda extreme case..
Europeans: First time? Trap play has existed for long time. its the most effective way to defend but it kills the entertainment value sadly since its dump and skate. If every team wanted to defend to the best of their abilities they would use trap 100%
The same defense is played in Basketball and it is effective………..but is easily beat. It is a trap where the lead player forces the puck to one side or the other. As soon as the lead player commits, you get rid of the puck with a sort pass up the middle through the gap. The key is to wait for the commit from the defence. Another way to beat it is Bobby Orr style. Beat the first guy and the trap is broken.
I enjoy scoring, but I also enjoy great defense. Call me strange, but I usually cheer for the away team and defensive physicality. I am more entertained by the hype getting shut up.
The most important factor in a 1 3 1 is the center man and his ability to cut the play off so it makes sense that with the king's 3 big centers, they do well at it. Canucks actually played the king's last night and faired a bit better against it because Quinn Hughes would carry the puck past a certain point against the center and be able to draw more guys. Anyhow I'd say we won way more entries but Quinn Hughes skated so much more than other games, don't know if that's sustainable in the playoffs
I don't follow hockey much but in Basketball terms up the pace win the race. You can't rely on a Defense to make your job easy for you, you got to be faster. This isn't a wall it's a bridge with different points sharing the weight - it means it moves with the tension where there's the most pressure. So if you try going straight through you won't be able to do it, you got to make it buckle on one side and attack on the other. I think also if you know a teams strategy you should be preparing for it no? Seems to me like a skill issue.
You can beat the trap with grit, but no one wants to be tge try hard. Dump and chase is a legitimate and effective offensive strategy, but you need guys who will commit to hard, bulldog forechecking.
I played a lot of high end hockey as a kid, WHL, Jr.A, and we played the 1-3-1 a lot, but ONLY when we were up 1-2 goals, nearing the end of the game. I can’t imagine playing that style all game long right off the drop. 🥵 Especially frustrating for the fans who pay big money to watch these games
@@daltondrouillard9308 any team with speed will beat them and it shows. Oilers shit on them a couple days ago. Dallas beat them twice and they’re a fast team. So ur wrong
@@Markymark-gg6qf You literally said they're like NJ when they were winning cups, score then win 1-0 or 2-0. I just told you that NJ had the most goals in the entire league the last cup that won. Can you comprehend that they weren't a low scoring team like you stated?
Pretty brilliant system when they execute it properly. Kings have the 4th least goals allowed in the league with 4 games remaining. Call it boring but you’re probably just frustrated because that’s what it’s meant to do. Effectively shut down the opposing teams offense.
This is no different from when the Devils had success playing their trapping system. Look, I think it sucks, but the object is to win games, not to be aesthetically pleasing. And the referees could help out by being a little more vigilant calling all the clutching and grabbing that goes along with a trapping system. And there are ways to defeat a trap. Be patient, take the short passes, lug the puck over the red line and then dump, chase, retrieve and cycle. That sucks to watch a team doing that, too, but that's how you beat a trap. I'm a Penguins fan, and I remember Mario and Jagr adapting their style of play and having quite a bit of success vs. New Jersey.
9 goals last night… Kings are about 40 goals in the positive… I realize many of these comments were posted before last night, but still… kinda negates a lot of the “points” I’m seeing…
I'm a little surprised you didn't mention the neutral zone back pass used to freeze defending player movement in the neutral zone. The trap is much harder to set when there is no red line pass rule, and a dump-in with only one back and an attacking team with speed sets up an odd man opportunity deep in the attacking zone.
In the SHL (Swedish Hockey League, then Elitserien) Djurgårdens IF and Västra Frölunda (now only Frölunda) where famous for playing this way in the 1990's. And Djurgården won 3 championships in a row playing 1-3-1 hockey.
As a lightning fan, I look back fondly on 2011 because of the fun playoff run but the season of 1-3-1 was brutal to watch. And when we started bringing up players like Palat, Johnson, Kucherov, our team got faster and more explosive and didn't really fit that sit and wait system. It's no surprise that Boucher didn't last much longer as he wasn't exploiting our strengths and teams started picking us apart. Enter Cooper, say goodnight to 1-3-1 and the rest was history
As a diehard kings fan I really appreciate the objective nature of this video. I think calling LA boring is such an overreaction especially since they were a top 5-7 scoring team before their mid season slump. Not to mention as you stated they don’t always play the 1-3-1. Great video
3:42 has a perfect 4-5 o’clock pass to a 43 who can gain speed through the neutral zone once the F1 has a feet transition. You don’t have to dump it. There are multiple plays here. The carrier could easily s turn towards center and back up the other side. There is a stupid fascination with maybe players that you have to go north. We’re going north. Play the open ice.
My summer team ran this in highschool and it ruined the local skill level. The counter was something we also practiced and thats a nuetral zone curl. Once you approach the red line the 3 will begind to attack and thats when you go back to the near side defensemen who needs to immediately redirect the pass cross ice to the far winger. Winger should be ready for it to either skate it in himself or do a soft dump for another player to pick up speed. The clog assumes a hard dump in but soft dumps towards the hashmarks on the boards are much harder to pick up as the defense. Especially if 3 players get caught on the same part of the ice
There are plays a team can do to defeat this defense, but there is one rule that I wouldn’t mind changing that could help alleviate the problem. That would be if all players abandon their offensive zone at the time of a pass, icing would be waved off. This would allow the team with possession of the puck to not worry about missed passes up the ice.
Simple albeit not probably bulletproof solution if this actually becomes a problem that counter-strategy doesn't address first: - If the offense has the puck behind their own blue line and all defenders are on the other side of the blue line for 10 seconds, it's a faceoff near the defensive team's net. - After this, if the defense DOES cross the blue line but the offense evades and doesn't get the puck across the blue line within 10 seconds (unless a defender touches the puck during), it's a faceoff near the offensive team's net. This punishes teams for relying on neutral zone trap-styles of play and forces play closer to the net if they try to waste more than a few seconds probing the defense.
Hockey is about winning first and about the entertainment second. If you're winning, your success becomes entertaining to the crowds no matter what you play. You might be entertaining but losing and the crowds will sit home. Nobody cares how war is won. The final results is what counts. If you play 1-3-1, it's up to the other team to figure out your weak spots and beat you. To force their style of play on you. Make your life miserable out there. You are free to choose how you're going to play. Ive always maintained throughout my life that if you want to win, you must become far better than the rest so you have tools to break them. Its not enough to be just as good as the other side. They must fear your abilities when you (in this case) step on the ice. Thats why i always encouraged that mindset. I had to learn it, too,it didnt come just by itself. To be just as good as the top aint enough - if so, youre relying on hope that you will have better day than them. And as we all know, "hope" is very dangerous a word. I think McDavid has those qualities, even as I think he could be better overall player than he is. He can singlehandedly take the game over offensively simply because he's that much better than the the rest. Datsyuk was that kind of a player as well. No defensive system worked against him if he decided to turn it up. But Datsyuk was far more valuable to his team than McDavid is because he was incredibly smart in playing defense, too. Kings play very opportunistic style of hockey because of its personnel. Tight defense and waiting for the opposing team breakdown in positioning. They don't have the star players other teams have, so their system fits the team structure. We have yet to see how successful it will be in playoffs.
You know how you get through that 1-3-1? You get yourself a decent power forward, not a smaller, speedy type, the big bruiser type like a Todd Bertuzzi who can steamroll right over anyone blocking his path. Those types of players are what killed the trap system, if you got to see the West Coast Express tear apart even the most anally retentive defences you know what I mean.
@@philhamilton8731 West Coast Express was fun to watch after 5 or 6 years of teams playing traps, there weren't a lot of teams that had big power forwards that could play on the top line, pass, shoot and skate as well as the elite snipers and playmakers, Detroit had Shanahan, the Rangers (Canucks and Rangers again) had Messier arguably the first real power forward, the Coyotes had Keith Tkachuck, there was even a point where the Sedin twins had enforcer Donald Brashear as a linemate in the early 2000s and he was putting up nearly a point per game.
You completely forgot to mention that the most recent team who won a Stanley Cup that had perfected the modern trap system was the 2019 Blues. They would win any game they had a lead in by clogging the neutral zone and adding to the score with a lethal counter rush game. You could argue that the 2019 Blues had a better version of the modern trap system since they wouldn’t fully sit back and would continually pile on and forecheck even with a lead which would wear teams down as each series went on longer. They were also comfortable defending in their own zone too as they would allow far more shots than they’d take themselves but they’d keep everything to the outside for the most part and block a ton of shots which would often lead to odd man breaks the other way resulting in more goals.
Very good observation and description of the 2019 Blues. They beat the sh!t out of the my Sharks in the Western Conference Finals with that system and pounding the Sharks’ D-men when in the offensive zone.
Thank you. Everyone is bitching about how boring the Kings are but how many of them have actually watched more than 1 or 2 Kings games this season? If they did then they would already know all of the points you touched on. They don't use it regardless of the situation, they set it up *sometimes* depending on the situation.
Glad you enjoyed it! And yep, I felt the same. Haha I've actually thought about making a video about officiating in the league in general. I'll look more into it!
The oilers have a pretty good record against the LA kings both reg season and playoffs. I think how the oilers beat them is they’re a fast rush team and the kings can stop some of their rushes but with sheer volume the oilers get their chances off the rush and once you beat them in the zone and get the cycle going LA is average at best at defending against the cycle.
He basically said he wasn't a fan when it was first implemented, but after seeing how successful it was and how frustrating it was for opposing teams, he's changed his mind. It's from his interview on March 28, 2024 before the Kings played the Oilers if you're interested in watching the full thing!
Why not use forwards to collapse the 131 in the neutral zone, then drop pass to own blue line to open up the options again? By this point, all 5 opposing players would be collapsed to their blue, and the man would have 4 pass options in the NZ
I love how everyone complains about the 1-3-1 and they refuse to play against it, when, in reality, there's ten ways to play around it. It just requires you to adapt, instead of dump and chase, pass it back, switch things up. It's not the ultimate cheat code, like some people make it out to be.
You really did a good job explaining this, any chance you'd do a video on the devils neutral zone trap? I've heard a lot about it but I don't have a clear understanding on how it works
The devils neutral zone trap was similar to any other neutral zone trap, but instead of running the 1-3-1 formation like in this video, they ran a 1-2-2. But what made the Devils trap system so much more effective was the rules at the time prohibiting 2-line passes, as well as rules like slashing and hooking not being enforced nearly as much as they are today, which made suffocating the neutral zone significantly easier.
It might be stupid. But I would suggest a 1-1-3 formation. Put three players on the blue line behind the enemy 3 and, let's say to the center-right. Then one of the two backwards players dumps the puck towards the left wall, making it travel through the enemy behind the net area and leave backwards on the right side where it's gonna be a 1v3.
In the case of Washington vs TB, the carrier could have dumped to the defenseman if that dman moved towards the center and he'd have a full on blast towards the offensive zone. Have a defenseman rush up from his slot late, yeah it's risky but you gotta do something
It's a strategy like any other. If more teams played it, mire teams would train against it and counterstrategies would evolve. What do you want them to do? Make a rule "you cannot defend, because it takes away the action from the game?"
The best way to beat this system is to score first, preferably twice. You knock your opponent off their game and don't get suffocated by what is admittedly a brutally boring, but genius, strategy. Gotta be lightning quick in the first ten minutes.
Puck carrier to the rear, 2 to 3 forwards ahead, prepare to play offside, take offside face off outside of d zone, 1 3 1 nullified. It would be a tortuous slow game, but heming the 131 team down their end for offside face offs would be much more detrimental to their game. The league would step in and do something to speed play back up. 131 abolished forever. You're welcome. Or just dump the puck and start running their dmen through the boards.
@@AricGardnerMontreal so if coaches are smart enough to come up with a suffocating defence first style, don't you think they can come up with a play/style that's indistinguishable as a deliberate offside opposed to not?
It's nothing new. Its the old New Jersey Devil's mid ice trap strategy from the mid-1990s. It's how they held a high flying Detroit Red Wings offense to seven goals in a four game sweep in the 1995 Cup finals.
Funny, as a Bruins fan I seem to remember them holding the Final in 2011. Though for 28.5 teams, it was definitely cancelled (Bieksa showed up at least). More on topic: the 1-3-1 is annoying and while I totally understand why it's allowed as a strategy, I'm totally ok with teams taking a page out of the Flyer's book on this one.
The comment at 6:18 is top tier. Watching the segment before I was like “fuck, we all know what happens next!”
Nothing happened next 😭
I seem to remember Canucks fans rioting because the finals and their victory parade was cancelled.
The comment at 6:17 (617 is Boston’s area code) is top tier jealousy. 😆🤣😂
“1-3-1 isn’t impenetrable, just be Connor McDavid.”
Might have been the most hilarious sports take i've seen in a long long time....
Proved right by yesterday's game 😂
Yesterday’s game 3 against the kings was a textbook example of this 😂😂
Bahahaha 😂😂😂
If you're old like me you remember the New Jersey Devils and their trap system in the 90s, holy hell, that was tough to watch.
As an Avs fan, I couldn’t agree more.
My dad said the same thing ahaha
dont forget the interference and holding
@@zillatattoo Oh yeah, at least there were plenty of bathroom breaks. That's why games lasted 3 1/2 hours back then, never-ending parades to the penalty box.
I thought this Trap system was banned? And yes the 90's Devils made it hard to watch, but they won.
Well done on explaining and showing what the 1-3-1 is.
Thanks
Glad you found it useful!
AKA... "The Neutral Zone Trap."
@@riffgrooveAka the snoozer
All anyone has to do is watch the Flyers and Lightning video to understand it. The Lightning were down a goal and would straight up not forecheck at all and the refs forced the Flyers to move the puck. It's a joke.
@@CunuckHockey Hes joking. Its not that deep
the key to break the 1-3-1 is: The Flying V
No, the stinky V!
Flying V is bowling for buzzards lol
Quak quak lol
Nice... knuckle puck helps too😂
😂😂😂 what is the Flying V? I retired from hockey 10 years ago but I know about the 1-3-1 cuz I ran it oncology and in the AHL!
The 1-3-1 has vulnerabilities.
The coaches just need to adapt.
The biggest adjustment offensive minded teams have to make is to learn to be patient.
@@russs7574 Patience goes a long way defensively but it won't move the puck offensively. Speed and transition. People think of 3 in the center as a wall.... but it's not - it's more like a bridge. A Bridge isn't a solid structure it has flexibility to address where there's the most tension to support it. Much like a bridge also the tension can only be met at a singular point. Now speed will get you through the gaps as was shown through the video, but you could also do offensive screening to punch through, or you up the tempo of the match on transition which will cause the structure to collapse. Barreling straight through singularly on the wing isn't a good option.
Sure they said the same thing about the neutral zone trap that the Devils used back in the 90's, and ever since every team practically adopted it and changed the sport.
this is the style of hockey which is used by Finland regularly on international level. It has brought them gold from the olympics, and 3 consecutive WC final appearances.
Regularly but not constantly. It's situational just like with the LA Kings.
It's a strategy, so figure it out. Nothing wrong with changing the norm and trying a different outlook, especially if it works.
absolutely agree
Wrong. If teams see that this style of trap is successful, other coaches will use it and the game will become boring as shit.
Absolutely agree. We want goals and excitement not defensive trap game
I would agree if you let both team play it out. The flyers, lightning game well the flyers were called fro playing passively and would repeatedly get face off called in their own zone for "not playing essentially" as if there was only one team on the ice refusing to engage in the play. If you wanna allow everything then you need to allow everything you cant pick and choose especially when the other game plan is an adaptation to the style of play of the other team.
lol "changing the norm" its an old lame system that makes fans turn the TV off. the kings are a joke
Great analysis. Perhaps LAK formation could be called "Adaptive 1-3-1" or "Dynamic 1-3-1" as you clearly show in some footage that LAK is fore checking and attacking still.
i remember that flyers-lightning game like it was yesterday
It really is one of the most memorable games I can think of
Same. Felt old when I found out it was almost 15 yrs ago
I was at that lighting flyers game. One take at the time that stood out to me back then was essentially "Baseball is the only sport where the team on defense has the duty to advance the state of play to the team on offense. (By Pitching) So the bolts sitting back and waiting is absolutely acceptable. "
Really it's acceptable both ways. The game was 0-0 so no one was losing or gaining anything by wasting time. Something tells me if philly were up 1-0 the imperative would be on the lightning to forecheck.
Danault is just like Kopitar. #1 Center focuses defense first but has elite offensive ability faceoff specialist and yes very underrated as well
He's the modern day Guy Carbonneau
If he had more offensive skills, he would totally win the Selke trophy each year.
Really liked this style of video. You have a great way of presenting concepts and showcasing examples. Very informative!
Thanks so much! Really appreciate the support!
Yeah this 1 3 1 doesn’t work on teams with speed like the oilers, avs, stars, etc..
Yep, it definitely helps to have a Mackinnon or McDavid to counter the 1-3-1 haha
What’s bad for LA is most teams have one or two speedy danglers
Or if you just dump and chase the puck
@@johnbarker2650 the far defenseman will get there first
@@Markymark-gg6qf in the flyers vs lighting game shown in the video the whole 1-3-1 is flat footed including the back defense men. When you have the puck there's a degree of control hence why the one guy just sat there. If the player with the puck waited like he did and one of his offense teammates built momentum moving into the zone they could have a chance of meeting that far defensemen and winning a puck battle. This is all hypothetical but my team has done this before when I played hockey so I feel like it wouldn't be impossible for people 10000% better than me to pull off. It's not a good option but it's better than standing there for three minutes
"One of the biggest reasons why the New Jersey Devils rose to prominence in the mid-1990s (1995-1996 excepted) and won the Stanley Cup in 1995 was their use of the Neutral Zone Trap. It's a defensive system that head coach Jacques Lemaire drilled into the team, who collectively bought into it to great success. The Devils didn't invent the trap or created it out of nowhere. Per this Toronto Hockey article that explains it somewhat, the Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s used this system as well - and it's origins lie further back in international play. Lemaire was on those incredibly successful teams, so it's not really a surprise that he recalled it and implemented it when coaching New Jersey and elsewhere. Granted, the Devils weren't loaded with talent as those Montreal teams; but it certainly gave the Devils an edge at the time."
Hence why Brodeur isn't nearly as good as people make him out to be. That's why Giguere 100% outplayed him in 03
Very good analysis, I should have read your comment first as I made a similar one. But the other thing on that team was Brodeur, he practically eliminated the dump and chase with his terrific puck handling. He was almost like a rover back there.They had to change the rules to stop him doing it!
@@THEREDHOTWRECKBrodeur as a goalie was so good at stick handling that he was practically a 3rd defenseman and they had to make a rule after him.
Also, I object to the "outplayed by Giguere thing". Sure, maybe he was. But throughout the whole playoffs, he was OUTSTANDING. And Devils players were quoted saying that they felt more comfortable to take risks on defense to generate offense BECAUSE they had Marty in net in a way maybe they wouldn't have with other goalies. When your team doesn't worry about defensive lapses bc they know 99% of the time, your goalie will bail you out no problem, then it's safe to say that goalie is NOT overrated. Yes, the trap made it look easy for him, but part of them executing that trap is their comfort in Brodeur cleaning up any mistakes they made. Also the Devils did NOT play the trap for long after the 95 cup (esp bc Lemaire wasn't even coach anymore), and in 2000/2003 NJ was among the top scoring teams in the league without the trap, and Brodeur maintained a similar level of play. Also let's not forget that Giguere was playing OUT OF HIS MIND that year and was one of the ONLY reasons Anaheim made it to Game 7 of the cup finals. Brodeur being outplayed by him is hardly a knock on Marty and more a credit to Giguere and how well he played that year.
If you actually WATCHED Brodeur play for years after the trap, you'd know he's definitely top 3 goalie all time if not the best. The trap actually screwed him over because while in some ways it made his stats better, it didn't actually let him showcase his talent other than stick handling and the occassional great save bc then you have people say "oh he only did well bc the trap made him only have to make like 10 saves a game" despite the fact that Brodeur's career lasted long after the trap was gone. Hell, look at 2012. If Brodeur doesn't return to his peak form that year, not a snowball's chance in hell do the Devils make the finals. They LEANED on him more than ever that year and he delivered practically game in and game out except for maybe SCF Game 6 (well really Steve Bernier and that awful 5 min penalty contributed to that but that's a different convo for a different time).
@@StephThePhobiaSlayer-d9n I fully stand by what I said. End of discussion.
@@THEREDHOTWRECK good. I fully stand by what I said too. End of discussion. Happy to agree to disagree with you.
Finally someone breaks down hockey tactics in a way I can actually follow. Thank you, buddy.
Glad you found the video useful man! Hope you stick around!
I found a way to play through that tactic.
Pick carrier plays the puck back, and the new carrier, plays the puck to the opposite side, and you have a one on one in the neutral zone
“And then for whatever reason the Stanley Cup Finals were cancelled that year” led to me immediately subscribing
Hahaha welcome aboard fellow Canucks fan 🫡
Looking at it, 1 3 1 is just a more tactical approach to Hockey. It's not really rocket science. And as frustrating as it can be to play against, (because it's a competition of tactics.) it doesn't inherently ruin or even alter the game of Hockey in any meaningful sense. Besides, a smart tactically minded team can find plenty of ways to power through it with speed. Hearing players complain about this is like listening to Caeser's enemies complain that he out-maneuvered them. That's the name of the game.
2011 the Lightning lost game 7 in the ECF 1-0 to the Bruins. They lost the 4 games by a total of 5 points. Looking at Stamkos in the handshake line you can see his bloodied nose. He took a puck in the face and it broke his nose. He immediately went down the tunnel, came back 5 minutes later with a full cage on his helmet and a tampon in his nose. That's when I really knew we had something in this kid. The next year, he scored 60 goals. Also in 2011, the Bolts drafted Nikita Kucherov and Andre Palat. Thankfully, in the 2012-13 lockout season they brought in head coach Jon Cooper!
It just seems like a slight variation of the neutral zone trap from the 90s. Dump and chase is what teams came up with to get around it back then, and that was boring to watch, but it seemed like teams got better at it over time. The rules changes of 2 line pass and goalie restriction zone helped a lot. If you want to kill 1-3-1 quickly, it will take another rules change for defensive neutral zone infraction
I say, the puck carrier exiting their zone favour their opposite wing while rushing into the neutral zone. When the defenders close in on the puck carrier, spin into the boards while protecting the puck and draw the defense away from the rest of the team. If done correctly, this should allow a forehand pass in the neutral zone to a variety of streaking players who can possibly force an odd man rush into the attacking zone.
Either that or skate the puck back to the goaltender, let him smother the puck, and have a defensive zone faceoff. It might be the only way to draw in the forecheckers.
Its always wild to me that the arguments against the trap are always "booo, stop playing defense, let us attack your net"
Love the heat, GKG
i might be biased because Im a kings fan, but i dont really find the way they play boring at all. They've had tons of high score games this season, both for and against. People just like to make excuses for losing, want their star players to score, and get upset when they can't. Combined it makes the 1-3-1 easy to complain about. I'm sure those same people wouldn't be having any more fun if their defense just stopped trying and gave kempe, moore, or byfield a breakaway on their goaile
Exactly. All these people complaining about the 1-3-1 but they probably didn't even know LA had a team until this video much less actually watched any of their games.
The only thing about the 1-3-1 that I don't like is that not pressuring the D-men to make a pass and waiting for them to make a pass before making you move. Not putting pressure on a puck carrier goes against every hockey instinct I have and you get Pronger making a mockery of it which is painful to watch. There is nothing illegal about it from a hockey sense. I would think that when playing against it, it would be important to get a lead, even a one goal lead could work, since the system seems offensively challenged. Force them to get out of their passive style where they would be disadvantaged. How do you get a lead? Maybe rush a defender up with the forwards aggressively to start the game to try to get the lead before they settle into the trap, you know that they don't play aggressive offensively so maybe take some chances against it or play it like a power play, 2 guys on the puck at all times until you get possession. Getting a lead against it to force them out of it would be my strategy I think.
The problem @ 3:46 is that the speed was quickly isolated into a 2on5, notice the defense behind Miller on the SAME side of the ice. The plan would call for Miller to come up on the strong side as pictured and when the hole is closed, drop pass or dish off to one defenseman joining the play on the weak side.
Good video! Of course people are going to whine when hitting a wall they aren't smart enough to penetrate. The only problem is that they themselves haven't found the key. Imho, it seemed that the 1-3-1 system as we saw it in this video often left an open space on the opposite side of where the puck carrier was charging. Plenty of space for a rocket player to receive a pass.
You break plays down better than most on TV- get this man a contract!!!
Hahaha thanks man I appreciate the support! Comments like yours really make my day
I actually enjoy 1-3-1 hockey. It’s not an impenetrable defence but it demands for good coaching and high skill to break it as your video detailed. And I love the tactician elements of hockey. I love seeing coaches find ways to break things like a neutral zone trap.
I had forgotten the finals were cancelled in 2011 until reminded at 6:18. Vancouver fans were so upset that they cancelled the victory parade and set the town on fire.
When you’re a Canucks homer and still sore about it 13 years later. 😂
The 2011 E. Conference Finals, Bruins Lightning game 7 is the pinnacle of the NHL.
Both teams stacked with talent, displaying ectrifying goaltending, unbelievable defensive efforts, equally physical and hard hitting forechecking, high speed and tense play all in a one-goal game.... with zero penalties.
Incredible!
That's a matter of taste. The pinnacle of high scoring physical hockey with great goaltending and individual superstars and team talent alike was the Colorado-Detroit rivalry. Most hockey fans consider the greatest regular season game ever played was between these two teams on March 26 1997. You might be a bit young for that game. The intensity, passion, blood, sweat and tears, highlight reel goals and electric hits is just not in today's game right now. The best compliment I can give to the Tampa Bay Lightning is they are likely the pinnacle of playing system hockey.
Nah nobody who wasn't a fan of either team cared. There was probably more talk and coverage around the Oilers v Flames round 2 a couple of years ago than that finals lol. People want to watch big comebacks, highlight real goals and big hits.
@@CoopHawke Its funny how much regionalism plays in people's opinions. You have to step outside your immediate wheel house to accept greatness.
What makes the Detroit-Colorado rivalry much more than anything recent was that it spanned almost 10 years, both teams won multiple Stanley Cup championships during the time, both teams often had to beat the other to go on to win the Stanley Cup and neither team was an immediate geographic rival of the other but yet still a hated giant that must be slain each year in order to reach the promised land.
The Oilers and Flames hold a soft spot in my heart as a Canadian, and while that one series was exciting, it was little more than a blip or moment of a few exciting games not in my opinion true greatness befitting Champions. Esp since neither team has won anything.
@Neonator08 "regionalism" you say to a guy who lives in Ontario lol
@@CoopHawke the teams i talked about and the amazing rivalry are not in Ontario. lol
What's worse ? 1-3-1 strategy, or the Chris Pronger strategy which is giving cheap shots to talented players of the other team so they get injured ?
it is more of a Canadian type of strategy...
That's the Edmonton Oilers strategy these days
So only cheap shots to bad players?
If a team is running the 1-3-1, then I fully support any team that implements the 'Chris Pronger strategy' against them.
@@shanegrogan6834struck a nerve there, Bud?
The cheap shots on star players is far more egregious....
I don’t hate it. Its a methodical way to play the sport, I honestly respect it.
Bad for profits and money means more at the end of the day since it’s a business
@@edited1325I disagree
@@thatoneguy9666 disagree with what? Bad for profits? Or the business part? Because the nhl and basically every other league is a business and needs to make profits or else it’ll be shutdown
All the average fans I know don’t care for extremely defensive style of hockey, especially kids (who are one of the biggest target audiences for the league)
I personally do like it but it does get boring after a game or two
@@edited1325 a 1-3-1 doesn’t affect profits, people are gonna buy tickets regardless
@@thatoneguy9666the other big thing the league is trying to do is grow the game and encourage offense
I’ve been hearing about the 1-3-1 drama for over 10 years. If it still works then fuck it. Play it.
Its only news now because the nucks suck and have legions on bandwagon fans crying.
Neutral zone trap systems are one of the main reasons I really believe they need to allow some degree of offsides... Let offensive players get more speed and be more aggressive to beat a trap without worrying about offsides by an inch and negating a goal
Great job w/this video. Here's the truth: a LOT of teams are going to be going to a 1-3-1 come playoff time not just LA, you can bet the house on that. I always wonder what would happen if the puck handler wound up and slap shot the puck at the head of the opposing F1 diagonal cross neutral ice if the 1-3-1 teams would start wondering about the price they'd have to pay to play it. Just a thought lol Dino Ciccarelli would be proud, anyway.
At 3:38, if Miller cranks that puck at the head/neck area of that F1 (I can't see who he is), and they do that a few times for intention, it has to make them think about how they're defending next time.
im sure theres rules that prevents you from trying to injure a opposing player lmao
@@XavierPerreault-ww9jc you don't watch the NHL playoffs much do you?
The Oilers 1-3-1'd themselves to a Stanley Cup final in 2006. It's the strategy of teams without any real fire power or speed. Teams need to combat it by not setting up in their own zone. Don't leave the neutral zone if you can avoid it for a setup
i think the question is.. is like what extent is like till the system is broken.. like if i did 0-3-2? or worse someone can just not forecheck.. then you start wondering.. whats the point of playing a game that someone paid to get entertain at.. like people pay to get entertained.. without that professional sports is meaningless.. kinda like i have the puck and i'm just gonna hold it behind the goalie forever.. u see thats kinda extreme case..
@@Mellowyellow8888 At that point it's a chess match.
Europeans: First time?
Trap play has existed for long time. its the most effective way to defend but it kills the entertainment value sadly since its dump and skate.
If every team wanted to defend to the best of their abilities they would use trap 100%
The same defense is played in Basketball and it is effective………..but is easily beat. It is a trap where the lead player forces the puck to one side or the other. As soon as the lead player commits, you get rid of the puck with a sort pass up the middle through the gap. The key is to wait for the commit from the defence. Another way to beat it is Bobby Orr style. Beat the first guy and the trap is broken.
I enjoy scoring, but I also enjoy great defense. Call me strange, but I usually cheer for the away team and defensive physicality. I am more entertained by the hype getting shut up.
Yeah, I remember watching that Flyers/Lightning game. Had Admiral Akbar over the mancave. He was like: " Oh, I've seen this before, I'm out."
Maybe if the opposite winger went up the opposite side a quick pass to the unguarded side would be an easy entrance to the offensive zone
Is this really different from the New Jersey neutral zone trap? It sounds like the counter-move is the same dump-and-chase.
The most important factor in a 1 3 1 is the center man and his ability to cut the play off so it makes sense that with the king's 3 big centers, they do well at it. Canucks actually played the king's last night and faired a bit better against it because Quinn Hughes would carry the puck past a certain point against the center and be able to draw more guys. Anyhow I'd say we won way more entries but Quinn Hughes skated so much more than other games, don't know if that's sustainable in the playoffs
I don't follow hockey much but in Basketball terms up the pace win the race. You can't rely on a Defense to make your job easy for you, you got to be faster. This isn't a wall it's a bridge with different points sharing the weight - it means it moves with the tension where there's the most pressure. So if you try going straight through you won't be able to do it, you got to make it buckle on one side and attack on the other. I think also if you know a teams strategy you should be preparing for it no? Seems to me like a skill issue.
Pass behind your back to open player on the other side. Or just deep lob the puck on goal or into the corner.
You can beat the trap with grit, but no one wants to be tge try hard. Dump and chase is a legitimate and effective offensive strategy, but you need guys who will commit to hard, bulldog forechecking.
I played a lot of high end hockey as a kid, WHL, Jr.A, and we played the 1-3-1 a lot, but ONLY when we were up 1-2 goals, nearing the end of the game.
I can’t imagine playing that style all game long right off the drop. 🥵
Especially frustrating for the fans who pay big money to watch these games
this was the NJD when they were winning cups. get the first goal early in the 1st period and win the game 1-0 or 2-0.
Any team with good speed will win against them
Right on, except for how the last cup they won, they led the entire league in goals for in the entire season, so basically you are completely wrong.
@@daltondrouillard9308 well no im not wrong😂
@@daltondrouillard9308 any team with speed will beat them and it shows. Oilers shit on them a couple days ago. Dallas beat them twice and they’re a fast team. So ur wrong
@@Markymark-gg6qf You literally said they're like NJ when they were winning cups, score then win 1-0 or 2-0.
I just told you that NJ had the most goals in the entire league the last cup that won.
Can you comprehend that they weren't a low scoring team like you stated?
Pretty brilliant system when they execute it properly. Kings have the 4th least goals allowed in the league with 4 games remaining. Call it boring but you’re probably just frustrated because that’s what it’s meant to do. Effectively shut down the opposing teams offense.
This is no different from when the Devils had success playing their trapping system. Look, I think it sucks, but the object is to win games, not to be aesthetically pleasing. And the referees could help out by being a little more vigilant calling all the clutching and grabbing that goes along with a trapping system.
And there are ways to defeat a trap. Be patient, take the short passes, lug the puck over the red line and then dump, chase, retrieve and cycle. That sucks to watch a team doing that, too, but that's how you beat a trap. I'm a Penguins fan, and I remember Mario and Jagr adapting their style of play and having quite a bit of success vs. New Jersey.
9 goals last night… Kings are about 40 goals in the positive… I realize many of these comments were posted before last night, but still… kinda negates a lot of the “points” I’m seeing…
LOL...I find it amusing that during the early to mid 90s, the same thing was being said about the NJ Devils and the Neutral Zone trap. LOL.
yeah for some reason the 2011 stanley cup final is a blur to me
I'm a little surprised you didn't mention the neutral zone back pass used to freeze defending player movement in the neutral zone. The trap is much harder to set when there is no red line pass rule, and a dump-in with only one back and an attacking team with speed sets up an odd man opportunity deep in the attacking zone.
In the SHL (Swedish Hockey League, then Elitserien) Djurgårdens IF and Västra Frölunda (now only Frölunda) where famous for playing this way in the 1990's. And Djurgården won 3 championships in a row playing 1-3-1 hockey.
As a lightning fan, I look back fondly on 2011 because of the fun playoff run but the season of 1-3-1 was brutal to watch. And when we started bringing up players like Palat, Johnson, Kucherov, our team got faster and more explosive and didn't really fit that sit and wait system. It's no surprise that Boucher didn't last much longer as he wasn't exploiting our strengths and teams started picking us apart. Enter Cooper, say goodnight to 1-3-1 and the rest was history
As a diehard kings fan I really appreciate the objective nature of this video. I think calling LA boring is such an overreaction especially since they were a top 5-7 scoring team before their mid season slump. Not to mention as you stated they don’t always play the 1-3-1. Great video
Trying to keep my personal biases out of my videos as much as possible! Glad you enjoyed the video.
The most boring style of hockey I’ve ever watched. I have fallen asleep in 2 out of 4 Canucks vs kings games.
3:42 has a perfect 4-5 o’clock pass to a 43 who can gain speed through the neutral zone once the F1 has a feet transition. You don’t have to dump it. There are multiple plays here.
The carrier could easily s turn towards center and back up the other side. There is a stupid fascination with maybe players that you have to go north. We’re going north. Play the open ice.
My summer team ran this in highschool and it ruined the local skill level. The counter was something we also practiced and thats a nuetral zone curl. Once you approach the red line the 3 will begind to attack and thats when you go back to the near side defensemen who needs to immediately redirect the pass cross ice to the far winger. Winger should be ready for it to either skate it in himself or do a soft dump for another player to pick up speed. The clog assumes a hard dump in but soft dumps towards the hashmarks on the boards are much harder to pick up as the defense. Especially if 3 players get caught on the same part of the ice
There are plays a team can do to defeat this defense, but there is one rule that I wouldn’t mind changing that could help alleviate the problem. That would be if all players abandon their offensive zone at the time of a pass, icing would be waved off. This would allow the team with possession of the puck to not worry about missed passes up the ice.
Simple albeit not probably bulletproof solution if this actually becomes a problem that counter-strategy doesn't address first:
- If the offense has the puck behind their own blue line and all defenders are on the other side of the blue line for 10 seconds, it's a faceoff near the defensive team's net.
- After this, if the defense DOES cross the blue line but the offense evades and doesn't get the puck across the blue line within 10 seconds (unless a defender touches the puck during), it's a faceoff near the offensive team's net.
This punishes teams for relying on neutral zone trap-styles of play and forces play closer to the net if they try to waste more than a few seconds probing the defense.
I love how at 4:05, you refer to Kevin Fiala as “number 22”, but seconds later, you actually use people’s names.
Great video, well explained
Great video, crying about how the opponent plays d is the worst thing I ever heard!!! Gimmick systems always have a flaw, just find it and exploit it.
Hockey is about winning first and about the entertainment second.
If you're winning, your success becomes entertaining to the crowds no matter what you play. You might be entertaining but losing and the crowds will sit home.
Nobody cares how war is won. The final results is what counts.
If you play 1-3-1, it's up to the other team to figure out your weak spots and beat you. To force their style of play on you. Make your life miserable out there. You are free to choose how you're going to play.
Ive always maintained throughout my life that if you want to win, you must become far better than the rest so you have tools to break them. Its not enough to be just as good as the other side. They must fear your abilities when you (in this case) step on the ice.
Thats why i always encouraged that mindset. I had to learn it, too,it didnt come just by itself. To be just as good as the top aint enough - if so, youre relying on hope that you will have better day than them. And as we all know, "hope" is very dangerous a word.
I think McDavid has those qualities, even as I think he could be better overall player than he is. He can singlehandedly take the game over offensively simply because he's that much better than the the rest.
Datsyuk was that kind of a player as well. No defensive system worked against him if he decided to turn it up. But Datsyuk was far more valuable to his team than McDavid is because he was incredibly smart in playing defense, too.
Kings play very opportunistic style of hockey because of its personnel. Tight defense and waiting for the opposing team breakdown in positioning. They don't have the star players other teams have, so their system fits the team structure.
We have yet to see how successful it will be in playoffs.
You know how you get through that 1-3-1? You get yourself a decent power forward, not a smaller, speedy type, the big bruiser type like a Todd Bertuzzi who can steamroll right over anyone blocking his path. Those types of players are what killed the trap system, if you got to see the West Coast Express tear apart even the most anally retentive defences you know what I mean.
Yep, that worked as well. Power forwards are going the way of the enforcer as Buttman has tried his damndest to take physicality out of the game.
@@philhamilton8731 West Coast Express was fun to watch after 5 or 6 years of teams playing traps, there weren't a lot of teams that had big power forwards that could play on the top line, pass, shoot and skate as well as the elite snipers and playmakers, Detroit had Shanahan, the Rangers (Canucks and Rangers again) had Messier arguably the first real power forward, the Coyotes had Keith Tkachuck, there was even a point where the Sedin twins had enforcer Donald Brashear as a linemate in the early 2000s and he was putting up nearly a point per game.
You completely forgot to mention that the most recent team who won a Stanley Cup that had perfected the modern trap system was the 2019 Blues. They would win any game they had a lead in by clogging the neutral zone and adding to the score with a lethal counter rush game. You could argue that the 2019 Blues had a better version of the modern trap system since they wouldn’t fully sit back and would continually pile on and forecheck even with a lead which would wear teams down as each series went on longer. They were also comfortable defending in their own zone too as they would allow far more shots than they’d take themselves but they’d keep everything to the outside for the most part and block a ton of shots which would often lead to odd man breaks the other way resulting in more goals.
Very good analysis of the Blues cup win.
Very good observation and description of the 2019 Blues. They beat the sh!t out of the my Sharks in the Western Conference Finals with that system and pounding the Sharks’ D-men when in the offensive zone.
How does this compare to the neutral zone trap employed by the 90's Devils?
Look. We just don’t talk about the 2011 Boston Bruins.
I still can't watch highlights from that series 😭 It'll never not be painful
Thank you. Everyone is bitching about how boring the Kings are but how many of them have actually watched more than 1 or 2 Kings games this season? If they did then they would already know all of the points you touched on. They don't use it regardless of the situation, they set it up *sometimes* depending on the situation.
I like it. I like watching different styles and strategies collide.
so how is this any different with teams that use the neutral zone trap used by new jersey, and minnesota i think?
Great video! Personally I didn't find that la vs van game boring like most. The next thing you should cover is the officiating of that game tho...
Glad you enjoyed it! And yep, I felt the same. Haha I've actually thought about making a video about officiating in the league in general. I'll look more into it!
The oilers have a pretty good record against the LA kings both reg season and playoffs. I think how the oilers beat them is they’re a fast rush team and the kings can stop some of their rushes but with sheer volume the oilers get their chances off the rush and once you beat them in the zone and get the cycle going LA is average at best at defending against the cycle.
In czech hockey league there is a team called Oceláři Třinec and theyre well-known here for playing the same style as L.A.
that 2011 game 7 ecf goal was electric man. cannot believe that was 13 freaking years ago.
0:28 Sounds like a quote taken out of context. What else did he say?
He basically said he wasn't a fan when it was first implemented, but after seeing how successful it was and how frustrating it was for opposing teams, he's changed his mind. It's from his interview on March 28, 2024 before the Kings played the Oilers if you're interested in watching the full thing!
@@CunuckHockey Thanks
Why not use forwards to collapse the 131 in the neutral zone, then drop pass to own blue line to open up the options again? By this point, all 5 opposing players would be collapsed to their blue, and the man would have 4 pass options in the NZ
I love how everyone complains about the 1-3-1 and they refuse to play against it, when, in reality, there's ten ways to play around it.
It just requires you to adapt, instead of dump and chase, pass it back, switch things up. It's not the ultimate cheat code, like some people make it out to be.
I don't mind the tactic. Teams just need to adapt their breakouts.
I hate it but if you're winning you're winning
Yep, tough to hate on it when it's successful. But god I would hate it if the 1-3-1 or even a 1-2-2 became common strats used by most teams lmao
@@CunuckHockeyRuins the game for casual fans
❤❤ll@@edited1325
@@edited1325 Casual fanatics... It's an oxymoron
@@brandonwright7950 who are you even talking about?
You really did a good job explaining this, any chance you'd do a video on the devils neutral zone trap? I've heard a lot about it but I don't have a clear understanding on how it works
The devils neutral zone trap was similar to any other neutral zone trap, but instead of running the 1-3-1 formation like in this video, they ran a 1-2-2.
But what made the Devils trap system so much more effective was the rules at the time prohibiting 2-line passes, as well as rules like slashing and hooking not being enforced nearly as much as they are today, which made suffocating the neutral zone significantly easier.
It might be stupid. But I would suggest a 1-1-3 formation. Put three players on the blue line behind the enemy 3 and, let's say to the center-right. Then one of the two backwards players dumps the puck towards the left wall, making it travel through the enemy behind the net area and leave backwards on the right side where it's gonna be a 1v3.
I’m sure our American commissioner will somehow make this strategy illegal so teams in Florida Carolina and Arizona can draw hundreds of fans😂
Excellent content right here!
Thank you so much!
In the case of Washington vs TB, the carrier could have dumped to the defenseman if that dman moved towards the center and he'd have a full on blast towards the offensive zone.
Have a defenseman rush up from his slot late, yeah it's risky but you gotta do something
The counter to the 1-3-1 is multiple drop passes to two-way defensemen. Heiskanen destroys this formation when the Stars play LA
How well did Heiskanen do against the Blues trap game in 2019?
Interesting video. Never seen this strategy before!!!
What is the alternative supposed to be?
Teams just have to hammer the dman recovering the puck everytime they are forced to dump it in
It's a strategy like any other. If more teams played it, mire teams would train against it and counterstrategies would evolve.
What do you want them to do? Make a rule "you cannot defend, because it takes away the action from the game?"
The best way to beat this system is to score first, preferably twice. You knock your opponent off their game and don't get suffocated by what is admittedly a brutally boring, but genius, strategy. Gotta be lightning quick in the first ten minutes.
Puck carrier to the rear, 2 to 3 forwards ahead, prepare to play offside, take offside face off outside of d zone, 1 3 1 nullified.
It would be a tortuous slow game, but heming the 131 team down their end for offside face offs would be much more detrimental to their game. The league would step in and do something to speed play back up.
131 abolished forever.
You're welcome.
Or just dump the puck and start running their dmen through the boards.
intentional offside puts the face-off on your side of the neutral zone
@@AricGardnerMontreal so if coaches are smart enough to come up with a suffocating defence first style, don't you think they can come up with a play/style that's indistinguishable as a deliberate offside opposed to not?
@@AricGardnerMontreal also we're all hockey fans here, we knew that.
@@shaunchappell784 like when the NHL changed the two line pass rule?
It's nothing new. Its the old New Jersey Devil's mid ice trap strategy from the mid-1990s. It's how they held a high flying Detroit Red Wings offense to seven goals in a four game sweep in the 1995 Cup finals.
Seems like it can be beat by sending the non puck carrying forwards up into the neutral zone to split the 3 and hit them with a pass in stride
Am I missing some inside joke?
The Cup finals were not canceled in 2011.
Bruins beat Vancouver in 7 games.
Funny, as a Bruins fan I seem to remember them holding the Final in 2011. Though for 28.5 teams, it was definitely cancelled (Bieksa showed up at least). More on topic: the 1-3-1 is annoying and while I totally understand why it's allowed as a strategy, I'm totally ok with teams taking a page out of the Flyer's book on this one.