How important are faceoffs in the NHL?

"If you don't win the faceoff, you can't run the play you want, so you have to play defense," said Montreal Canadiens assistant coach Guy Charron in explaining the importance of faceoffs.

From that simple premise, Charron has fashioned a reputation as one of hockey's foremost experts on a play that happens about 60 times in every NHL game. The 12-year veteran concluded his playing career in 1981 and has gone on to be an NHL head coach and assistant coach with several NHL teams as well as an assistant with the Canadian national team.

Charron was the previous head coach of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, not coincidentally the best faceoff team in the NHL last season, while the Canadiens improved to fifth place in 2002-03. He's working on a daily basis with Yanic Perreault, the NHL's faceoff win-percentage leader the last four years.

"I was Guy Charron's roommate in his last professional season in New Haven and if you want to talk to an expert on faceoffs, he's your man," said Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell. "He's given the subject a lot of thought."

Charron made a skill-instructional video for the Canadian Hockey Association that would make an excellent holiday gift for any hockey player 12 and older. It should be in the library of every progressive hockey coach.

The video begins with standard positioning for the common faceoff situations at center ice and in the defensive and offensive zones. Charron then brings his international experience to bear by showcasing variations used by Europeans teams, including several used by the Swedish, Russian, German and Finnish national teams.

Among the different strategies that Charron explains are a setup used by the New York Islanders when they won their four Stanley Cups in the early 1980s. The Islanders used a left-side, offensive-zone setup that placed right-hand shot Mike Bossy on the left wing. Bossy would move to his right after the drop and be in position for a shot from the slot off a pass or rebound. A favorite Islanders right-side offensive faceoff strategy had Bossy moving to the high slot after the drop to be in position for a one-timer. Brett Hull has used this play for many goals over the years.

"As much as you introduce it to your players, it's up to the players to integrate it," Charron said. The video includes instructions for players at all positions, not just the centers. With each faceoff arrangement, Charron explains the objective as well as the positioning. "We used some of the most common arrangements in the video but there are a lot of variables available."

Charron said that just as there are offensive-attack strategies that can backfire, there are faceoff strategies with inherent weaknesses. Game situations dictate whether the risk is worth it. Player skills are also an important factor. On faceoffs, as in so many other aspects of hockey, Wayne Gretzky could do things few others could.

"Gretzky would set up with Jari Kurri behind him and he'd tap the puck forward, then pull it back to Kurri, who had never moved, for a shot," Charron recalled. "We have a lot of different formations. A guy I thought used a lot of formations was Ron Wilson when he was coaching Anaheim. I see some teams try unusual formations, but a lot of teams don't try things because if they lose they don't want to look vulnerable. Some arrangements can result in weakened defensive positions if you don't win that faceoff. Other teams can counter your players and that's when your players defensive skills can make a difference.

"[Yanic] Perreault will go with his forehand or backhand, depending on the play, which sometimes depends on the opponent," --Guy Charron

"You can't have the same conservative alignment every time," he continued. "And, you have to be able to 'read' the other team. Sometimes, they may position their players in different areas and you have to be able to adjust your defensive-zone alignment.

Faceoff options

A center taking faceoffs has three basic options. He can draw the puck back to himself or a player behind him; he can push it forward so that he or a teammate can get to it first; or he can block his opponent and try to collect the loose puck or have a teammate breaking in to the circle control it.

Some players try to take faceoffs on their forehand, some on their backhand and many are adept either way. Charron said there are times when one is better than the other but in general it's best to take faceoffs on the forehand.

"You can try to draw the puck with your forehand or backhand but when you're tapping the puck forward past the opposing center, use your forehand," Charron said. "Use your forehand to block your opponent's stick to create a loose puck for yourself or your winger.

"Perreault will go with his forehand or backhand, depending on the play, which sometimes depends on the opponent," Charron said. "The technique that is not used as much is the blocking technique. We don't see a whole lot of that in the NHL. A player who would use that strategy is stronger physically, so most players use the quickness of their forehand or backhand."

While Charron learned a lot from the Europeans in the 1980s, they apparently learned a lot from the Canadians.

"At that time, I didn't think the Europeans were as thorough as we were and I thought that was an edge we had," he said. "As Canadians we had an edge because we worked on it a lot more. That's because with the bigger rinks and fewer stoppages, there were not as many faceoffs as in North America. They got a lot better with practice."

Charron said there are seven ways for a player to improve his chances of winning faceoffs:

1. Keep your skates spread slightly wider than your shoulder width.

"Some centers tend to get too wide and lose their balance," he said.

2. Keep your knees bent for power and stability.

3. Keep your hands as far apart as possible to overcome the resistance of your opponent's stick.

"Usually the bottom hand is quite low and the top hand is higher," Charron recommended. "Some players choke down to get their hands closer together. A taller player may want them closer for leverage. Whatever a player feels comfortable with is best. I'm seeing a lot more finesse than before in terms of watching the placement of hands."

4. Your hands should be held firmly on the stick, but able to maneuver in any direction.

5. Be close to the faceoff dot so that you can use your upper body and leg strength.

6. Lean on your blade in order to be stronger on the puck.

Some players try to take faceoffs on their forehand, some on their backhand and many are adept either way. Charron said there are times when one is better than the other but in general it's best to take faceoffs on the forehand.

"Ryan Walter got down on his stick with a lot of strength," Charron said, recalling his Washington Capitals teammate. "If the first motion doesn't work, it can be a lost cause, but if you have good balance you can change hand position and fight for it again."

7. Forward or regular hand position makes your faceoff intentions less predictable.

"This is a general rule that I believe in but when you are comfortable with the reverse or backhand, then go with it," Charron said. "I'd say about 80 percent of centers go with inverted hands in certain key situations but it limits your ability to come back on the forehand. I encourage youngsters to win with the forehand. Start with the backhand when you are older and you have confidence in your forehand."

Charron likes a left wing with a right-hand shot on an offensive zone, right-side faceoff and a left-hand shooting right wing on the other side. Late in a game, he likes to see two players capable of taking faceoffs lining up for a drop in the defensive zone, in case the first center gets tossed from the circle.

Defensive strategies

Charron also explains how to thwart offensive strategies on faceoffs. The video includes strategies you should use when you win the faceoff and strategies to employ when you lose. For instance, in any 5-on-5 defensive-zone faceoff, the center should stay with his man if he loses the faceoff.

In one demonstration, he showed how the Soviets used to have great success playing all five defenders in a line on defensive-zone faceoffs. Because their opponents were facing forward and the defenders had their backs to their net, Charron said the offensive center should push the puck forward and skate forward, gaining a step on the defenders and perhaps getting off a quick shot.

The video is replete with tips and suggestions and is worth watching again and again to reinforce the learning process.

His rules for defensive-zone faceoffs are:

1. Always cover the opposing faceoff man.

2. Have a strategy in case you lose the faceoff.

3. Don't screen your goalie.

4. Avoid being "picked."

5. If you are waved out of or into the faceoff circle, know the responsibilities of the position you are assuming.

6. Someone, in addition to the center, should be looking for a loose puck in the faceoff circle.

7. Avoid being predictable; change your alignments.

8. Elude opponents who try to tie you up.

Charron played in a different era, but faceoffs continue to be an area where individual skills rather than advanced strategies prevail. As good as he was, there were players that gave him trouble. Among his toughest competitors were Stan Mikita, Peter Stemkowski, Phil Esposito, Bryan Trottier and Bobby Clarke.

"I learned from Stan Mikita because I had difficulty with him, a right-hand center and I was a lefty," Charron said. "He taught me how to counter-attack. Other guys like Trottier and Stemkowski were stronger and more powerful. Esposito was very good on faceoffs but he always did the same thing. Clarke was very gritty and aggressive and he intimidated linesmen. His wingers helped a great deal."