Jack Han, a former video coach under Sheldon Keefe, has given us some juicy insights into the upcoming playoff series between the Edmonton Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks.
According to Han, Edmonton will come out firing, aiming to dominate the play and keep Vancouver pinned in their zone. It's going to be all about applying pressure on the Canucks' defense and testing their coverage strategies.
As for Vancouver, Han suggests their defensive scheme is old-school and passive compared to other NHL teams. They focus on protecting the middle, forcing turnovers up high, and then quickly transitioning into counter-attacks. Yet they seem to struggle when teams activate their far-side defenders, leaving them vulnerable to severe offensive pressure.
Yet, what's interesting is that Vancouver sticks to more traditional roles in their defensive zone coverage. They have designated left-wingers, centers, and right-wingers, each with specific areas to cover. It's slightly different from the rotating coverage you see with other teams. The center stays near the net while the wingers hold down the fort in the high slot.
However, here's where things can get dicey for the Canucks – if the puck-side defenseman gets pulled too far away from the net, it can create some severe
gaps in their defense, leading to opportunities for the opposing team to capitalize. It will be a series to watch as Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch and Canucks bench boss Rick Tocchet trying to outdo each other and put their players in he best situation to win.
