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Becoming a Two-Way Player with Mark Osiecki

01/20/2015, 1:45pm MST
By Michael Caples - Special to USAHockey.com

Mark Osiecki, head coach of Team USA for the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, has some advice for today’s 14U/16U hockey players:

Don’t worry about the points, because being good defensively is just as important as being good offensively.

Osiecki, a former NHL player who has coached at the USHL, NCAA and AHL levels, wants players to focus on becoming complete hockey players, which means playing both offense and defense every game.

“I think for young kids, don’t worry about the points,” said Osiecki, who is currently an associate coach for the Chicago Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate in Rockford, Ill. “Worry about making a good first pass; if you can block a shot, block a shot, if that’s your role. You can find a way to do things really well, and not worry about the points. I think too many kids get focused on the points, and that’s not everything in this sport.”

Vision

To improve on the defensive side of the game, Osiecki said the most important thing a player needs to have is “vision” on the ice. A player’s ability to read his surroundings makes him a better asset to his team.

“It has to be vision. That’s one of the things that has to be very good,” Osiecki said. “Their ability to see the different levels on the ice, what’s coming at them, and then also when they have the puck, knowing where players are, where teammates are, where the other four players are on the ice and where the outlets are.”

Skating

All those power skating lessons in practice weren’t just for breakaways, either. The faster and more agile the skater, the better he or she is at covering an opponent.

“It starts with skating,” Osiecki said. “You have to have the ability to skate. I don’t think that ever stops. You don’t see that stop at the highest level. You’re always working on your skating and technique. You can always find a way to get a step quicker.”

The Most Useful Tool

Osiecki also reminds us that a player’s stick is their most useful tool when trying to regain possession of the puck.

“Stick position on the ice – it’s funny, it needs to be a constant reminder. For any coach, it’s a constant reminder,” Osiecki said. “We see it at a high level, where we’re reminding guys, ‘where’s your stick?’ If you watch an NHL game right now, you’re going to see a lot of guys with sticks in the air, and it can be a very bad habit.”

Preach stick position in every practice. It can be a difference-maker. Good stick position can create turnovers while carelessness can lead to goals against.

“From a practice standpoint, it has to be a constant reminder,” Osiecki added. “You’re always talking about going blade-on-puck or blade-on-blade, and it’s so important. Your stick is so important, such a useful tool for you especially on defense, trying to defend somebody.

“It’s an extra four to six feet, depending on your arm length and your stick, and it gives you a little bit of extra time to try to defend somebody.”

Always Learning

When asked how players can improve on the defensive side of the game, Osiecki said the key is to continue learning about the game.

“It’s the awareness and the ability to see the layers of what’s coming at you when you don’t have the puck,” Osiecki said. “It might not just be the immediate puck carrier that’s closest to the defender, it’s the ability to know what the other situation is.”

This requires practice, reps and experience – not just for 14U/16U players, but juniors, college and pro players, too.

“It’s not easy; you see elite players that really struggle with that,” Osiecki said. “If they can learn that, if they can pick that up, you can work with them on it on the ice a little bit. But you can also watch a lot of video and pick things up. Just learning the game and understanding what players are going to do against you and where the other layers are.”

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