Seven ways for the Colorado Avalanche to defend No. 97, Connor McDavid

Jon Goyens
Jon Goyens
Seven ways for the Colorado Avalanche to defend No. 97, Connor McDavid

If it was so simple to defend Connor McDavid, the Calgary Flames or Los Angeles Kings might still be playing. It is incredible the impact the best player on the planet can have on one game while spending more than half of it on the bench. As a coach, sitting behind my keyboard writing this column, I am sweating at the thought of having to game plan against McDavid for an entire seven-game series.

Really, the better question might be: How do you mitigate the damage McDavid will inflict on your team? Because it’s next to impossible to completely shut him down, just slightly holding him back from revving up those rocket boosters for skates is a win – and probably a lot more plausible.

With that, here are my top seven ways to defend against No. 97:

1. No Surprises: Awareness is huge. Communication from linemates, defensive partners and the bench can help immensely. When McDavid jumps on the ice on the fly, devise a plan so everyone knows what to expect. Don’t let him surprise you on an attack.

2. Early Bumps: McDavid has handled contact so well not just in his career, but especially in these playoffs. Identify his path before he gets the puck. I’m not preaching or advising a team to ‘shadow’ or interfere against him. However, a slight bump of the shoulder, getting inside on his hands, or anticipating his path to getting open for a puck might lead to some frustration.

3. Don’t Be Late: It’s hard to not be late against the best skater the NHL has ever seen, but here’s the key – you can’t try to make up for it. He’s in video game mode against mere mortals. Attempting to make up for it by skating in a straight line is compounding a mistake, with a snowball effect of epic proportions. If your gap is bad, you must protect mid-ice and not try to close that space by skating straight forward. You’re cooked.

4. Don’t Chase: Don’t chase the big hit, don’t get stretched away from your position by chasing him around the zone. One of the amazing things about McDavid in these playoffs is his ability to see the big hit coming and his ability to make defenders look foolish. He uses his backside to bounce off, cut back and find open ice. Protect the middle of the ice and put five guys ‘in the house’ in front of the net.

5. Be Above Him: When your team loses possession, if you hesitate to be above him on the ice, McDavid will convert a situation that looks like nothing into an odd-man rush in the blink of an eye. Once a forward is back and above him, that should force him to the outside of the ice and funnel him into a spot where he is met by a defenseman ready to go chest-on-chest or get puck on stick.

Here’s a clip from Game 1 of the Western Conference final showing the right way to defend McDavid, staying above him, preventing an odd-man rush:

6. Defend by Committee: If you think you can assign just one player to skate with No. 97 all game, most if not all will run out of steam very quickly. He skated more than four miles in Game 1 on Tuesday night, according to player and puck tracking data on the broadcast. It’s not just because of his skating prowess, but his underrated physicality and stamina. He rolls off checks and uses that momentum often enough as an extra booster. I think veteran players like Andrew Cogliano and Darren Helm could help their defense corps in this area.

7. Pray: Yep, if you are religious or spiritual, it might be your best bet.

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Former QMJHL head coach Jon Goyens has 28 years of coaching experience, from the lowest levels of minor hockey all the way to serving as a special consultant for an NHL team during the Stanley Cup playoffs. He is the winningest coach in the history of the Quebec Midget ‘AAA’ league with the Lac St. Louis Lions and has helped develop 25-plus players to be selected in the NHL Draft. He has also worked as an individual skills and development coach with future Hockey Hall of Famer Hilary Knight, as well as NHL players such as Jonathan Drouin and Mike Matheson.

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