Winger (ice hockey)

Winger in hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink. Nowadays, there are different types of wing men in the game - out and out goal scorers, checkers who disrupt the opponents and forwards who work along the boards and in the corners.

Offensive Zone Play

A winger's responsibility in the offensive zone is to:

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• fight for the puck in the corners
• position himself/herself in front of the net
• make a play to an open teammate

A winger should NOT:

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• be fighting for the puck in the same corner as his or her fellow winger.

Wingers should be playing low in the zone. They are the grinders who make the difference in the offensive zone. Aggressivity is key. Often times a smaller, quicker player is more effective than a larger opponent.

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Planting themselves in front of the net is an effective way to aggravate the opposition to draw a penalty (opposition gets penalized).

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