Breakout 101 – Intro

What is a Breakout?

A breakout is a team strategy to coordinate an escape out of the defensive zone with 1) puck possession, 2) speed, and hopefully 3) numbers. When a breakout is successful, the team will have exited their defensive zone with the puck and speed, and many times beating some of the opposing skaters to create an outnumbered attack. Breakouts are not necessary when a pass is intercepted by a forward and there’s a chance for an odd-man rush or a breakaway.

Breakouts are usually one of the few “choreographed plays” that exist in the game of ice hockey. As much as the game with possession of the puck seems improvised, the breakout is one of the few things teams practice together with their line mates before games to find the proper rhythm.

When to Use the Breakout

When our defenseman retrieves the puck and does not have immediate forward momentum, it’s advised to use the breakout to exit the zone together as a team. However, we should all get into a habit of watching the play and making the right “read” on changes in possession. This allows skaters to predict the next play and get into their required positions earlier.

When a pass is intercepted and this translates into a breakaway, no, a breakout is not necessary.

However, keep in mind that our first objective is to make sure the opposition does not retrieve the puck in our defensive zone. To avoid this, you will have to be situationally aware of your opposition, getting in front of your check, and sometimes shoving the puck out of our zone in desperation.

Setup of the Breakout

The setup is usually the same for any “choreographed plays” or sequences of breakouts. Once our team has the prospect of retrieving the puck (before we actually get control of the puck), we want to take a step deeper into the zone. All five skaters must come back deeper into the zone.

This has a few purposes:

• Requires shorter passes, and therefore…
• Does not require hard passes
• By skating deeper, you’re skating away from your defender, creating separation
• Creates better timing and spacing between all teammates – if the wings don’t curl, they will be too far from the puck carrier and an attempted pass will get intercepted.

Usually a defenseman will retrieve the puck somewhere near or below the goal line, he skates deeper to the quiet area behind the net. During this time, the wings must skate BELOW their half-wall positions, and then turn (curl) up toward the boards. You do NOT want to stop at the half-wall. Skating below the half-wall position will give the wings more space between the defenders who are usually at the blue line, and then attack them with speed when we receive the pass properly.

While the wings are making the curl, the center is also taking a step toward their own goalie, and then turning up the ice through the middle. Make this sharp turn in the low slot below the hashmarks. The direction you turn does not matter too much. This part usually is NOT done at top speed, but rather slowly. This is the setup.

Skaters’ General Routes

Puck Carrying Defenseman

This defenseman is the first skater to retrieve the puck, look up, and initiate the breakout. This defenseman makes the first pass in the breakout.

Safety Defenseman

This defenseman is the breakout’s safety net, and should be available to play defense when the breakout does not go as expected. This defenseman usually does not touch the puck in a successful breakout.

Strong-Side Wing

Strong/Weak sides of wings will not be obvious immediately, and will be determined after a read is made on the first pass. The Strong-Side Wing is on the side of the ice where the breakout takes place. This wing must receive critical passes from the defense or center, and is the quarterback of the breakout. Here’s the general route:

Strong-Side Wing usually receives the critical first pass from the defensemen. When presenting the stick blade, DO NOT present the stick blade along the half-wall. Present it away from the half-wall toward the face-off dot, even if this means the pass will be received on the backhand. This translates to:

• Righties on the left side and lefties on the right side shows backhand.
• Righties on the right side and lefties on the left side shows forehand.

Weak-Side Wing

This wing is further away from the breakout taking place. Once the read is made on the first pass, this wing will skate hard out of the zone in a diagonal toward the center dot to either: 1) pull the defenders away from the Center, or 2) sneak behind the defenders for a breakaway option. Either way, skate hard, and early.

Generally, the Weak-Side and Strong-Side Wings take similar routes. Until the half-wall, they take the same path. After the half-wall and the first pass is made, Strong-Side Wing will catch the pass, protect the puck, and find the best way to get out of the zone. The Weak-Side Wing on the other hand, will see the first pass made up to the half-board and skate diagonally up the ice.

Center

Center’s job during a breakout is to always be available for a pass, make the best read on the next play, and also suggest the best play possible for an unsuspecting Puck Carrying Defenseman under hard forecheck. Play suggestions such as “Up”, “Reverse”, “Wheel” are on the next part.

Centers must also receive passes in stride, and make sure the puck is safe and away from the opposition. Centers may be forced to clear the puck before settling the puck due to early pressure from the opposition. This decision must be made quick and early, or it will be a turnover.

Important Notes for All Skaters

Be very aware of the situation. One moment the other team will have the puck, and in a blink of an eye, something happens and your team is about to gain possession. Seeing this transition of play and reacting to it early and quickly is vital. Once the defenseman gains puck possession and a wing misses the transition, the snoozing wing is probably not an option for the breakout, and will most likely miss the pass, translating to a giveaway in the other direction.

See the breakout sequence and variations in the next section, Breakout 102.

Conclusion

1. Be aware of situations and transitions.
2. Skate deep first!
3. Priority is to make sure the other team does not get the puck.
4. Try not to encroach into other skaters’ routes.