The N.H.L. Has a Scoring Blitz. Defensemen Are Leading It

San Jose’s Erik Karlsson, who has more points than any other defenseman since he entered the league 11 years ago, said that the line was becoming blurred between the roles of defenders and forwards.

Karlsson and others note the individualized training that amateur players receive for skating, puck handling, strength, conditioning and nutrition as a reason that more players are able to quickly handle more responsibilities. Players also spend more time on the ice in the summer, refining their techniques.

“Kids are starting to work out when they’re 10 or 11 years old now, where we were playing Shinny until we were 16,” Karlsson said.

That is not to say that defensemen are focused narrowly on offense, as most of the top players can still impose their will over all 200 feet of ice. One such player, Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, has won two Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals and a Norris Trophy. That all happened while he changed his reputation from an offensive defenseman — he scored 59 points in his second season and didn’t surpass that total until his 10th — to a defensive anchor.

“A lot of people just define success as how many points guys are putting up. You never see a guy like Roman Josi mentioned enough, how well he controls the game,” Doughty said. “Those are the guys who I really respect, guys that control the game, that move the puck well, get up on the rush well.”

Nashville’s Josi, who has the league’s second highest points total among defensemen this season, said he thinks skilled rear guards will flourish over time when they can create transitions, beat opponents one-on-one and lead offensively.

“You see the young kids, what age they’re starting power skating and all that stuff now, and their skill,” Josi said. “A lot of players have individual coaches, too, not just the team coaches. Hockey’s just evolved. Everything’s just getting better and better and better.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/11/sports/hockey/norris-trophy-john-carlson.html?emc=rss&partner=rss