Hockey 4-1 System / Set Up Russia

I wrote earlier about the Swedish 2-2-1 set up and quite aggressive forecheck, if you then look at the World Champions in hockey Russia, you find almost the opposite, very defensive 4-1 or V set up. When the forecheck is started they have almost a 2-2-1 set up, that is transferred to a wall or trap when they stop the attack from the opposite team. Not maybe fully transferrable to floorball, but I hope this post still will create some thoughts outside the box…

Russia 4-1 system, set up, tactic in Hockey / Floorball

Hockey Game Tactics Sweden

In the International Hockey Coaching Education, during the World Championships in Sweden, we had the opportunity to listen to the Swedish National Hockey team coach, before each game.

“We want to play with full puck control / possession towards the offensive zone, and in the  offensive zone we try to go straight towards the goal, P1 goes in front of the goal and P2 seeks up the rebound area. We also try to stay in the way of the goalie and steer the shots. Other areas we focus on, are to “win the inside” in 1-1 situations. You can say that, the more skilled hockey players you have the less we talk about how, it’s more about what.”

Roger Rönnberg Swedish National Team Ice Hockey Sweden

/Roger Rönnberg, Swedish National Team Coach in ice hockey

Hockey set up / system 2-2-1, 1-2-2, 1-3-1 and 2-1-2

Hockey game systems and hockey set ups like 2-2-1, 1-2-2, 1-3-1 and 2-1-2 are basically only visible when the hockey team has lost the puck and changed from attack to defense, or are just changing from defense to attack, that will say in a fast counter attack in a hockey game.

I will add a few examples of the different hockey set ups, such as 2-2-1, 1-2-2, 1-3-1 and 2-1-2. The set ups can be played in many ways, for example, offensive, defensive, and right or the left-weighted.

Systems can also vary depending on the hockey team, coaches, players, their competence or skills level and their given roles, so for an example a 2-2-1 hockey set up found on this page does not need to be the same as how all hockey teams and coaches will play the 2-2-1 set up, these are just my examples.

Images are marked with green areas, the plan is to win the puck primary in that area. Red areas represent dangerous or game system / design / set up weaknesses.

I will also add various openings / break outs in hockey, or the small golden details which will help you break the different hockey systems, if you can’t wait you can purchase the drills 😉