ZONE AND TACTICAL THEORY

Zone Rating based on skill, combative, intelligence, endurance (type), and speed 1 - minimal 3 - fair 5 - average 7- moderate 10 - maximal
Description: Corner Zone 1 - 3 basic lanes to enter or exit. characteristics: Into or out of using the side wall lane, into or out of using low back lane or into or out of through mid ice. 2 - sealed off on two sides Side characteristics: Tall or short end glass, tall or short side glass, high or low mid boards, lively or dead mid boards, inset or flush dasher board setup, yield or unyielding glass system, coarse or groomed edges, shallow or deep corner, strong or weak base board rebounds, line visibility (yes, believe it or not) and ice conditions.
Skill Description	D-zone Rating	O-zone Rating	Corner zones 1a, 1b, 17a, 17b
Skating Short game skills (0-30 ft)	10	10	Most skill required for success especially acceleration, crossovers, tight turns
Skating - Transitional skills (30-60 ft)	4	4	Average skill required for success but must be able to increase speed once open to drive to net.
Skating - Long game skills (60 - 100 ft)	1	1	Not a major requirement
Puck handling	10	10	Most skill required for success especially when accelerating, performing crossovers and tight turns. Must be able to protect puck while accelerating into open ice.
Stick handling	10	10	Most skill required for success. Quick hands, strong stance a must.
Intelligence.	8	9	Get open, get to the net is basic requirement of offense. Defensive posture is primarily focused on awareness of time and pressure which translates into low, medium and high risk options. To coin a phrase by Dave King, low risk/high reward options are critical to a team's success.
Passing	5-10	10	Defensive zone passing under high pressure ranks a 10. However, if partners screens off or assists, variables can change. Offensive passing is a must and is absolutely critical to goal opts.
Reception	7	9	Reception skills on defense are rather basic and simple yet do require high success rate. Offensive reception is critical to goal scoring especially when catch and release for shooting skills.
Shooting	8	5	I ranked defensive shooting important from a clearing perspective. Off the glass and out with power and accuracy becomes a problem under high pressure. Offensive shooting skills from this zone are minimal but a quick, accurate well timed shot could score.
Combative	10	10	Most combative place in the rink. Critical to a teams success. Control the corners, control the game.
Endurance	10	10	Anaerobic - very intense. Strong on skates with much upper body work through core, arms, shoulder.

Zone Rating based on skill, combative, intelligence, endurance (type), and speed 1 - minimal 3 - fair 5 - average 7- moderate 10 - maximal
Description: Side Wall Zones 1 - 3 basic lanes to enter or exit. characteristics: Into or out of using the side wall lane, and/or into or out of using mid ice. 2 - sealed off on one side Side characteristics: Tall or short end glass, tall or short side glass, high or low mid boards, lively or dead mid boards, inset or flush dasher board setup, yield or unyielding glass system, coarse or groomed edges..
Skill Description	D-zone Rating	O-zone Rating	Side wall zones
Skating Short game skills (0-30ft)	8-10	8	Moderate skill required. Primarily, quick acceleration (off wall on breakout), crossovers (on swing support or breakout or cycle). Quick stops on cutbacks, etc.
Skating - Transitional skills (30-60ft)	8	6	Defensively more important on breakout fundamentals. Crossovers off of cycle.
Skating - Long game skills (60-100ft)	4	8	Not a major requirement except for breakout attempts and attacking lane off of an outside drive.
Puck handling	5	7	Second most important skill required for success especially when accelerating, performing crossovers and tight turns. Must be able to protect puck while accelerating into open ice or to the net on cycle or when carrying puck into open ice off of breakout.
Stick handling	5	5	Average skill. Most one on ones in this zone pertain to delay options and puck protection off of cycle.
Intelligence	6	8	Get open for breakout pass, understand options off of breakout, read offensive options to outside either from zone entry and top of circle penetration to corner exit and drive off of cycle.
Passing	5-10	8	Passing from this zone defensively to mid ice, near side bank, weak long pass.
Reception	8-10	8	Reception skills on defense are rather basic and simple yet do require high success rate. Offensive reception is critical to goal scoring especially when catch and release for shooting skills.
Shooting	8	10	I ranked defensive shooting important from a clearing perspective. One of the problems in this area is trying to clear or pick up the puck on a rim play. Chipping the puck through the middle or off the glass or wall is a difficult skill especially when under high pressure. Offensive shooting skills from this zone come from either a quick shot off the cycle, pass from down low, an over pass (such as on a power play) to a quick shot (slap, snap or wrist) from the rush.
Combative	8	6	Combative action comes from a pinching defenseman and more or less is limited to getting the puck out of the zone.
Endurance	4	6	Defensive play is minimal. Offensive play is moderate especially when cycling.

Zone Rating based on skill, combative, intelligence, endurance (type), and speed 1 - minimal 3 - fair 5 - average 7- moderate 10 - maximal
Description: Net Zone 1 - 3 basic lanes to enter or exit. characteristics: Into or out of using the side wall lane, into or out of using low back lane or into or out of through mid ice. 2 - sealed off on two sides Side characteristics: Tall or short end glass, tall or short side glass, high or low mid boards, lively or dead mid boards, inset or flush dasher board setup, yield or unyielding glass system, coarse or groomed edges, shallow or deep net lane, strong or weak base board rebounds, line visibility (yes, believe it or not) and ice conditions, net placement.
Skill Description	D-zone Rating	O-zone Rating	Net Zones 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d
Skating Short game skills (0-30 ft)	10	10	Most skill required for success especially acceleration, crossovers, tight turns when protecting puck, driving to net, coming out from behind net, reacting to puck movement, etc
Skating - Transitional skills (30 - 60 ft)	6	2	Average offensive skill required for success but must be able to increase speed once open to drive to net. Defensive skill is important to react to rebound, etc.
Skating - Long game skills (60-100ft)	5	10	Not a major requirement except for some breakout attempts and attacking lane off of an outside drive.
Puck handling	9	9	Second most important skill required for success especially when accelerating, performing crossovers and tight turns. Must be able to protect puck while accelerating into open ice or to the net
Stick handling	10	10	Most skill required for success. Quick hands, strong stance a must.
Intelligence.	8	10	Get open, get to the net is basic requirement of offense
Passing	5-10	10	Defensive zone passing under high pressure ranks a 10. However, if partners screens off or assists, variables can change. Offensive passing is a must and is absolutely critical to goal opts.
Reception	7	10	Reception skills on defense are rather basic and simple yet do require high success rate such as on a reverse, over, over and back, etc. Offensive reception is critical to goal scoring especially when catch and release for shooting skills (one-time shots)
Shooting	8	10	I ranked defensive shooting important from a clearing perspective. Off the glass and out with power and accuracy becomes a problem under high pressure. Offensive shooting skills from this zone are minimal but a quick, accurate well timed shot could score.
Combative	8	8	Most combative place in the rink. Critical to a teams success. Control the slot, control the game. Net drives, crash the net, go to the net are terms depicting play in this area.
Endurance	6	6	Anaerobic - very intense. Strong on skates with much upper body work through core, arms, shoulders.