What is Forechecking?
Forechecking is what hockey players do (and the strategy a team systematically employs) to regain possession of the puck. This means we forecheck when we do not have the puck, and our opponents forecheck when we possess the puck.
The words forecheck and pressure is used interchangeably, and there is a reason. When a player forechecks a puck carrier, this pressures the puck carrier into making moves/passes they are not yet comfortable making. More often than not, this pressure gets the puck carrier to make mistakes. In a checking league, this pressure is magnified by the fear/risk of being checked.
What Usually Happens
In rec league hockey, I see a lot of forwards not reacting to loose pucks well. Here’s an example:
Forwards are numbered 1, 2, and 3. Forward 1 (F1) is in front of the net, sees the shot go by the net, and stands there, barely moving. Forward 2 (F2) sees the shot go by the net, hurries over to the boards and challenges the puck carrier. Forward 3 (F3) sees the shot go by, sees the opposing defender go retrieve the puck (uncontested, if I may add), and retreat to be on the defensive.
The forwards are numbered instead of being called out by positions, because loosely said, it doesn’t matter in the forecheck. Some teams may have their centers positioned fairly conservatively, so they may often be F3.
The Yellow area is what the puck carrier sees, and this screams opportunity for someone with the puck. Here’s what the puck carrier is thinking: “There’s time and space to gain speed, I can easily split between F1 and F2. F1 with no speed, F2 skating the wrong way (towards me).”
Here’s another common one:
Have you seen all the forwards retreat together? It’s so bad. We’re opening space for the puck carrier to skate with the puck. Sure, we might be able to stop him as he skates into our zone, but I see our forwards just skate aimlessly back to our zone without doing anything else, like closing in on the puck carrier or disrupting pass attempts. This “looks” like we’re being “defensively responsible”, but causes nothing but issues. We’re letting the puck carrier gain all the speed, saying “please sir, right this way”.
When to Forecheck
Before correcting ourselves, let’s review when forechecking is supposed to happen. Forechecking happens when we do not possess the puck in the neutral zone or the offensive zone, whenever we are away from our own goalie. Some situations we must be aware of needing immediate forecheck:
- We just took a shot and we did not immediately retrieve the puck,
- We just had possession and we cleared the puck out of our defensive zone,
- You just got onto the ice and the other team has possession in their zone, and
- There may be other situations.
We all must be vigilant watching for situations that call for immediate forecheck. Urgency is crucial here. Especially when the shot is taken, it’s a free-for-all to retrieve the puck. We give up on this race for puck retrieval before we even attempt it.
How to Successfully Forecheck
As a wing, skate at the puck carrier first. You must skate toward them, and NEVER wait for them to come to you. Backing up/retreating should be done by defensemen. For wings, there should never any skating backwards during the forecheck. It is also crucial for wings to notice the lack of pressure on the puck carrier, to skate hard at them to apply pressure that is lacking, and to do this with urgency.
Once you’re closer, do not skate at them head-on. Skating into them head-on is both dangerous and easy to get juked, without a big advantage for yourself. You want to skate almost parallel to their route creating an arc smaller than the puck carrier, while pinching them off, guiding them slowly into the boards. Here’s an example:
In this example, we have F1 skating immediately at the puck before the puck carrier can face F1. Do not give the puck carrier time to turn and face us. This urgency and route is critical. Another vital element in this is F1’s awareness. F1 must actively be looking for where the puck is going, and react quicker than the defender. Beating the defender to the loose puck makes forechecking unnecessary. We must WANT the puck.
If you (F2) have your wing partner (F1) in front of you about to apply this pressure (like this situation), assume your wing partner will complete applying the pressure, and retreat as they apply pressure.
Improving Forecheck by Fixing Common Issues
There are many aspects of proper forecheck that can be taught through identifying common issues. Here are some prime examples I see:
Lack of Urgency
One of the easiest thing to lose on the ice is urgency. Wings on offense will be screening the opposing goalie in front of the net, then see the shot go wide, and stay there. When the shot is taken, this is the moment to move. Move out of the way for the shot to go through, give a swing with your stick for a possible redirect, and use this momentum to retrieve the puck behind the net if necessary. “Aggressive Puck Retrieval” should be a mantra.
Stopping
We see forecheckers literally stop/slow down. Once on the forecheck, especially as F1, there is absolutely no reason to stop or slow down your momentum until the puck is loose. Forecheckers should keep skating and keep their momentum through their turns to be on the correct side of the puck.
Did the puck carrier stop on a dime and you skated past him? What we tend to do is stop and chase them, but we’re now two to three steps behind, illustrated here:
Instead we must suppress our urges to go step-by-step with them, skate through, turn without losing momentum, and apply pressure again. Try not to be in the mindset of being on the puck carrier step-by-step. Keep momentum and positioning first:
Notice the turn that F1 makes does not follow the puck carrier. Instead, this turn is the closest turn toward our defensive zone, and this is by design. Turning the other way just to follow the puck carrier’s path is even worse than stopping.
Taking them Head-On
There is a proper way to skate to the puck carrier, and it is never “head-on”. For example, let’s say the puck is dumped deep from the red line and the puck carrier picks it up behind their net. Our F1 is not close enough to apply immediate pressure. Here’s the wrong, “head-on” approach:
Instead of trying to create a head-on collision, time a turn/arc so that you can “run them off the road”, squeezing them into the boards. When timing this turn/arc, it is important to deceive the puck carrier into thinking there’s more room toward the boards. Once the puck carrier commits to the side, speed up, angle them off, while skating into their hands to separate them from the puck. The contact that happens at the boards should not be dangerous, as both parties are skating in the same direction.
Necessary Skating Skills
Some necessary skating skills to adequately forecheck:
- Power Turns – There is a lot of turning involved. Being able to turn sharply without losing speed, turning while looking away, and being confident turning is all critical. Ideally, we want to be able to turn both directions.
- Maintaining balance upon contact – There will be contact with the puck carrier while we minimize collisions. We must be able to make proper contact with the puck carrier, maintain balance, and skate out of the contact.
- Explosive starts – Prior to forechecking, we may be standing still in front of the opposing goalie. Quick starts here will help with the urgency of the forecheck.
Keys to Successful Forecheck
In conclusion, here are the keys to executing successful forecheck:
- Urgency – Be early by acting on the “prospect” of puck possession instead of waiting for actual puck possession.
- Momentum – if the puck carrier stops on a dime and goes the other way, let them do that while you turn, keeping your momentum, and meet him on the other side.
- Route planning – never take the puck carrier head-on, deceive them into thinking they have space toward the boards, and “run them off the road”.
Forechecking is not an extremely difficult task, not requiring too much skill or speed, but more importantly effort and awareness. Most teams just do not know how and when to execute it.