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40-649: Young, a defenceman , first played for Ottawa Hockey Club in 1889, as a 19-year-old, playing with his brother George. The team won the Ontario championship from 1891 through 1893. The team also held the AHAC title for most of the 1891–92 season . Young was present at the dinner where Lord Stanley announced the Stanley Cup . Young would play in the Stanley Cup title game in 1894 versus the Montreal Hockey Club. "Chalk" as he

80-459: A defence man and a forward, and is allowed, in virtue of this fact, more latitude with respect to leaving his position, than any man on the team, except the rover. In his capacity of a defence player, he should linger around his goals as long as the puck is near... When the play is at the other end of the rink, the cover-point should advance to about the middle, so that when the puck is lifted down, he may return it without loss of time, in order to keep

120-548: A defenceman will often be described as the power play "quarterback", in particular if an umbrella power play formation is used (where a single defenceman is occupying the point, in the middle of the ice). This is also referred to as "playing the point " (this term derives not from the basketball position, but from an older name for the defence position in hockey itself). During faceoffs in the defensive zone, most teams have their defence players pair up with opposing wingers to tie them up while leaving his team's forwards open to move

160-661: A federal civil servant during a federal election at the time. He also found work as a referee in the Timiskaming League after retiring as a player. When the National Hockey Association (NHA) was holding merger talks with the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA), Young was the representative of the Haileybury club , although the club was owned by Ambrose O'Brien . After leaving Ottawa, Young joined

200-576: A finished season the NHL, the premier ice hockey league in the world, presents the James Norris Memorial Trophy to the best defenceman in the league. Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins – an eight-time Norris Trophy recipient – is often considered to be the greatest defenceman in NHL and ice hockey history. In addition to his Norris Trophy honours, he is the only defenceman in NHL history to capture

240-499: A goaltender; when a team is on the power play (i.e. the opponent has been assessed a penalty), teams will often play only one defencemen, joined by four forwards and a goaltender. In National Hockey League regular season play in overtime, effective with the 2015-16 season , teams (usually) have only three position players and a goaltender on the ice, and may use either two forwards and one defenceman, or—rarely—two defencemen and one forward. Organized play of ice hockey originates from

280-408: A shot on net is made, an unguarded forward can often redirect it too quickly for the goalie to adjust or else score on a rebound. Another important duty is clearing rebounds away from the goal, and preferably to the defenceman's teammates, before opposing forwards can get to them. Often, defence players end up covering the opposing team's wingers while in the defensive zone, while their centre will cover

320-490: Is an offensive defenceman , who gets aggressively involved in the team's offence. To accomplish this, the offensive defence player often “pinches in” to keep the play from going offside and moves towards the halfboards and high-slot area for scoring opportunities. This makes it difficult for the opposing team to protect their net from being scored upon if the team can maintain control of the puck . However, this can lead to more odd man rushes and breakaway opportunities for

360-462: Is still referred to as "playing the point", though this term now refers mostly to the role of defencemen on the power-play. Defencemen must possess excellent skating abilities, specifically in speed, constant foot movement and quick transitioning from forward to backward and vice versa. With regard to skating backwards, defencemen must acquire a higher skill level than offensive players. This allows them to face their offensive opponents as they rush down

400-717: The Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer. In 1998, Orr was selected as the best defenceman of all-time (second overall player behind Wayne Gretzky ) in The Hockey News ' Top 100 NHL Players of all-time . Conversely, according to the IIHF Centennial All-Star Team (also chosen by The Hockey News ), the greatest defencemen to play in IIHF -sanctioned international competition are Vyacheslav Fetisov and Börje Salming . Defence players are often described by

440-415: The defensive zone , the defence player is responsible for keeping the opposing forwards' opportunities to a minimum when they are on a rush, forcing them to the corners and blocking both passing and shooting lanes. The primary responsibility is to cover areas of the defensive zone that would otherwise pose a clear goalscoring threat from the opposing offence. When the opposing offence is putting pressure on

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480-636: The senior ranks in 1894 where he made his debut with the Montreal Victorias of the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC). He scored one goal in eight games in 1895 and the Victorias, with a record of six wins and two losses, won the AHAC title, and with it, control of the Stanley Cup , emblematic of Canada's senior amateur championship. Grant served as captain of the team. The Montreal Victorias were challenged for control of

520-616: The Stanley Cup by the Winnipeg Victorias in February 1896, and lost the trophy by a 2–0 score in a one-game playoff. Montreal regained the Stanley Cup in December of that year, defeating Winnipeg 6–5. In AHAC play, Grant scored three goals in eight games in both the 1896 and 1897 seasons. He captained the Victorias to a successful defence of the Stanley Cup in 1897 and the team retained

560-811: The amount that they participate in offence. The extreme of non-participation in offence is a "stay-at-home" defender, who plays a conservative, risk averse game and does not score much, instead focusing on defensive assignments towards the opposing team. A good example is Rod Langway , who won the 1983 Norris Trophy after having scored only three goals that season, as the award winners before and after him were primarily offensive defencemen such as Bobby Orr , Denis Potvin , and Paul Coffey . Other examples of stay-at-home defencemen include Leo Boivin , Chris Chelios , Tim Horton , Harry Howell , Tom Johnson , Jacques Laperrière , Kevin Lowe , Brad McCrimmon , Bill Quackenbush , and Scott Stevens . The other extreme of participation

600-470: The blue line because his slapshot was simply too fast to block effectively. When a team is on a power play , a defence player can set up plays in the offensive zone, and distribute the puck to the teammate that he or she feels is in the best position to score, similar to a point guard in basketball , a playmaker in soccer , and a quarterback in American football and Canadian football . For this reason,

640-455: The blue line that demarcates where the offensive zone begins. Should the puck cross this line, the offence cannot touch the puck in their opponent's zone without stopping play (see offside ). Defencemen must be quick to pass the puck around, helping their forwards to open up shooting lanes, or taking open shots themselves when they become available. The defence must also be able to skate quickly to cut off any breakaways, moving themselves back into

680-451: The defence's team, the defence skater usually plays closer to the net, attempting again to block shooting lanes but also ensure that the goalie is not screened (prevented from being able to see the puck at all times). It is especially critical for the defenceman to keep opposing forwards from being able to move effectively in front of the net, which is why defencemen are frequently tasked with playing physical hockey in front of their own net. If

720-408: The defensive zone ahead of the onrushing opponent. Essentially in all three zones of the rink, the defence is the backstop for the puck. It should never go behind the defence, unless the player intentionally lets it for strategic reasons. The defence keeps the momentum of play squarely directed towards the opposing goal, or at least away from his own. Because defencemen are often expected to shoot on

760-466: The first indoor game in Montreal in 1875. In subsequent years, the players per side were reduced to seven per side. Positions were standardized, and two correspond to the two defencemen of current six-man rules. These were designated as cover point and point , although they lined up behind the center and the rover, unlike today. Decades later, defencemen were standardized into playing left and right sides of

800-411: The game centered around his opponents' goals, and to save his forwards the trouble of skating up to him so that they may again 'get in to play.' It is by playing far up under these circumstances that a clever cover-point can chine to the advantage of his team. If he has a good opening he should shoot well for the goals, but if he has not, he should, as I have said, return the puck instantaneously." After

840-460: The hockey rink where Grant played cover point ( defence ). He is regarded as one of the first rushing defencemen in hockey history; Grant used his skating ability to generate offensive chances from his defensive position. He played his youth hockey with the Crystals organization that won the Montreal city junior championship in 1891 and intermediate championships in 1892 and 1893. Grant graduated to

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880-421: The ice toward the defensive zone. A defenceman must be as comfortable going backwards and sideways as forwards. Defencemen must also gain confidence in quickly carrying the puck to open up the attack during a defensive zone break-out. This requires the ability to burst out of the defensive zone with speed, yet at the same time having the ability to use their vision to execute quick passes to open forwards, or gaining

920-416: The ice. According to one of the earliest known books on ice hockey, Farrell's Hockey: Canada's Royal Winter Game (1899), Mike Grant of the Montreal Victorias , describes the point as "essentially defensive. He should not stray too far from his place, because oftentimes he is practically a second goal-minder ... although he should remain close to his goal-keeper, he should never obstruct that man's view of

960-549: The ice. Grant later traveled around the United States where he organized demonstrations of the sport and staged exhibition games, making him one of the sport's first ambassadors. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950. Grant's father, Alex, was a blacksmith and his family's Montreal business dated back to the 1830s. Grant became involved in horse racing through his family's blacksmithing connections and served as

1000-552: The mining business in Dawson City, Yukon Territory. By 1911, he was back east in Haileybury, Ontario during the "silver rush" in the area and he became an investor in several mines. Young later became the president of Young-Davidson mines , Weldon Coal Mines and vice-president of Matachewan-Hub Pioneer Mines Limited. Young died at his home in Collingwood, Ontario on October 27, 1944. He was survived by his wife Jessie Williams. Young

1040-443: The neutral zone before shooting the puck into the offensive zone. Mike Grant Michael Grant (November 27, 1873 – August 20, 1955) was a Canadian ice hockey player. He played nine seasons of senior amateur hockey between 1894 and 1902 for the Montreal Victorias and Montreal Shamrocks . Grant was a member of the Victorias squad that won or retained possession of the Stanley Cup five times between 1895 and 1899 during

1080-414: The offensive momentum without leaving the defenceman out of position should his team lose control of the puck. In certain situations the best option could be to skate the puck into the zone to maintain offensive speed as well as preventing an offside. In the offensive zone , the defence skaters usually "play the blue line". It is their duty to keep the puck in the offensive zone by stopping it from crossing

1120-431: The offensive zone; defencemen generally position themselves along the line to keep the puck in the zone). They were once called cover-point. In regular play, two defencemen complement three forwards and a goaltender on the ice. Exceptions include overtime during the regular season and when a team is short-handed (i.e. has been assessed a penalty), in which two defencemen are typically joined by only two forwards and

1160-402: The opposing net from long range, these players often develop the hardest and most accurate slapshots . This is because taking a more stationary position on the blue line rewards pure accuracy and patience, rather than the adept hand–eye coordination attributed to forwards. Al MacInnis , who was seven times decorated with "Hardest Shot" in NHL skills competitions, was able to score frequently from

1200-432: The opposing team if the defender does not succeed. Bobby Orr's end-to-end rushing allowed him to defend effectively as well as attack, helping his teams win two Stanley Cup Championships. By contrast, Paul Coffey enjoyed high offensive production but his defensive play was considered mediocre for most of his career; he helped his teams win four Stanley Cup Championships, often paired with a "stay-at-home" defender. When in

1240-496: The opposing team's centre. In the neutral zone , the defence hangs back towards his or her own blue line, usually playing the puck up to other teammates. According to Jay Leach, who writes for NHL.com's "learn to play hockey" section, the defence must "Move the puck hard and quick to the open man. Join the rush, [but] do not lead it." Because of this responsibility, defencemen must read the other team's defensive strategy effectively in order to make an effective first pass that furthers

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1280-401: The puck, though this is at the discretion of the individual coach. In the offensive zone, the defence player acts in his or her usual role, keeping control of the puck as the forwards fight for position. In the first organized ice hockey, (see Amateur Hockey Association of Canada ), defencemen used to line up in an "I" formation behind the rover (defunct) as point and cover point . Defence

1320-537: The puck. He should, as a rule, avoid rushing up the ice, but if he has a good opening for such a play he should give the puck to one of the forwards on the first opportunity and then hasten back to his position, which has been occupied, in the interim, by the cover-point." Also in Farrell's 1899 book, Hugh Baird, then captain and cover-point of the Montreal Hockey Club , describes the cover-point as "a combination of

1360-596: The rush, while Pulford would be the steady player backing up the team. His final season with Ottawa was 1899. In the early 1900s, Young moved out west, finding work in Dawson City , Yukon Territory during the Klondike Gold Rush . He was recruited by the Dawson City Nuggets which challenged Ottawa for the Stanley Cup in the 1904–05 season , although he was unable to participate in the series due to his duties as

1400-531: The team before returning to the Victorias for a final season in 1901 . Grant remained active in hockey following his playing career. He became a referee and officiated several Stanley Cup challenge games. Among them was the 1905 challenge series between the Ottawa Hockey Club and the Rat Portage Thistles . A physical and sometimes violent series, Grant famously wore a hard derby hat while on

1440-523: The trophy in 1898 by virtue of winning the AHAC title. The AHAC disbanded in 1898, and the Victorias moved to the newly formed Canadian Amateur Hockey League (CAHL) for the 1899 season . Grant scored two goals in seven games in CAHL play. During the season, Grant and his teammates fielded another Stanley Cup challenge from the Winnipeg Victorias. They retained the trophy following a two-game series; it

1480-521: The trophy's challenge era . Grant played cover-point and was known for his speed and skating ability. He is regarded as one of the first defenceman to rush forward and with the puck. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950. A gifted and fast skater, Grant won speed skating championships at three different age groups when he was 11 years old. He also played amateur lacrosse while he grew up in Montreal , Quebec. His skills transferred to

1520-495: Was Grant's fifth and final Stanley Cup win. Grant was offered a professional contract in New York that was worth the equivalent of $ 3,500 per year in the earl 1900s, but opted to remain in Montreal. After playing the 1900 CAHL season with the Victorias, he was loaned to the cross-town Montreal Shamrocks in 1901 as an emergency replacement for Frank Tansey. Grant appeared in two league games, and two Stanley Cup challenge games for

1560-590: Was buried in the Trinity United Church cemetery in Collingwood. Defenceman Defence or defense (in American English ) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from scoring . They are often referred to as defencemen , D , D-men or blueliners (the latter a reference to the blue line in ice hockey which represents the boundary of

1600-589: Was nicknamed, played for both the Ottawa Hockey Club and Ottawa Football Club. He lived at the fire station in Ottawa where his father was the chief superintendent. Young was active on the organizational side, being on the executive committee, served as team captain and was a vice-president of the AHAC from 1893 to 1897. He played on defence, the position of coverpoint, teamed with Harvey Pulford "The Slugger" on point. The two complemented each other, Chalk often leading

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