The Playmaker Report 🚨
📈 Learn: Why the pass is only one part of a successful zone entry—and how support underneath and continued movement create the real advantage.
➕ Bonus: Read pressure from multiple directions, then create better shooting lanes by changing the angle around or through defenders.
🏆 Celebrate: Hugo Holstensson’s profile showcases a dangerous mix of rush offense, finishing, playmaking, and off-ice work.
⭐ Watch: Owen Griffith stands tall against high-danger chances, Bailey Neumann turns a shot fake into a finish, and Cam Lundin slices through three defenders.
📈 Featured Coaching
The Pass Is Only Part of the Entry
Matt Chiarantano | MAC Hockey Development
Completing the pass doesn’t make a zone entry successful. What happens next determines whether the attack creates offense—or stalls along the wall.
In this breakdown, Matt Chiarantano shows how Colorado attacks the middle or weak-side defenseman before moving the puck wide. From there, the key is continued support: a teammate works underneath the puck while the original attackers keep moving through the zone with speed.
That movement forces defenders to make decisions. If they follow the puck wide, space can open underneath or through the middle. If they hesitate, the puck carrier has more room to attack.
The lesson is simple: don’t admire the entry pass. Support the puck, keep your feet moving, and become part of the next play.
➕ More Development
Jonathan Larsson — Read the Next Layer of Pressure →
Receive the puck with pressure on your back, read the first defender’s stick, then adjust again as a second defender angles you as you attack the net.
Greg Wolfe — Create a Shooting Lane Through Pressure →
Use your eyes, hands, and body position to move the puck around or through pressure—changing the shooting lane while using the defender as a screen.
🏆 Playmaker of the Week
Celebrating a player whose development, effort, and highlights stood out this week.
Hugo Holstensson | Center • HV71
Hugo Holstensson has built a profile packed with dangerous offense off the rush.
His highlights show him attacking from both sides of the ice, beating defenders one-on-one, and finding different ways to finish. He can create his own scoring opportunity, connect on a one-timer, or make the extra pass to set up a teammate.
What stands out is the variety. Hugo isn’t relying on one move or one route to the net—he’s reading the available space and finding ways to turn speed and possession into offense.
Add in a glimpse of the work he is putting in off the ice, and his profile shows both the results and some of the preparation behind them.
⭐️ Playmaker Spotlights
Owen Griffith (Goalie • CHE Academy 18U Prep CSSHL) →
Owen stands tall at Cranbrook Bucks BCHL camp, making a series of saves against breakaways, a deflection, and dangerous in-tight opportunities.
Bailey Neumann (Forward • Grand Forks Aviators) →
Bailey sells the shot, pulls the puck around the defender, and finishes glove side after creating a clean shooting lane.
Cam Lundin (C/RW • 2012 Minutemen Flames) →
Cam turns a neutral-zone takeaway into instant offense, splitting three defenders before finishing low blocker.
🎯 Your Turn.
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Every week, we feature standout players, coaches, and hockey families from across the community.
