➡️ Many AAA defensemen think their job is to “not screw up”
But listen to Tkachuk. He described Seth Jones as almost “fooling around” out there.
Does that mean Seth Jones wasn’t taking the game seriously?
No!
It means he clearly wasn’t stuck inside his head, overly focused on not making mistakes.
He was comfortable with the pressure of a big game.
Almost too comfortable for most players to fathom.
Because it’s game 7 and the pressure is on.
But if you’re so focused on the pressure of big moments. You miss the chance to focus on the REAL IMPORTANT DETAILS…
– Closing space early
– Jumping into passing lanes
– Activating when their is a chance for you to join the rush
You gotta still play like you’re on offense, even when you’re defending.
It’s not reckless giving smart and well timed offensive pressure as a D
It’s confidence
And that confidence doesn’t come from hoping you don’t mess up
It comes from training your brain to stay aggressive under pressure, even if it’s game 7 in the Stanley Cup playoffs!
Clip credits: @spittinchiclets
