Playing right wing or left wing in hockey means you are going to get heavily involved in your team's offensive play. You will have defensive responsibilities, but coaches are looking for players who have an aggressive drive to the net, skate with balance and speed, have a terrific and explosive shot and know how to put themselves in position to deflect shots and score on rebounds. A tough, physical presence also helps a wing do his job.
Position
Hockey teams put five skaters on the ice to go along with the goaltender. In addition to two defensemen, there are two wings and a center. The latter three players make up a line. The two wings -- right and left -- are often expected to provide the bulk of the scoring. The wings will regularly take passes from the center or the defensemen, drive toward the net and fire hard shots at the net. The two wing players also qill venture into the corners, dig pucks out and pass the puck within the zone to set up scoring plays
Scoring Opportunities
Skating down the wing with the puck will present scoring opportunities for a hard-skating wing player who builds up his speed and has a step or two of space from defending players. Wingers also skate toward the slot area looking for passes from teammates so they can fire quick shots at the net. A wing also must go toward the net to look for rebounds that come off the boards or the goalie's pads so they can deposit those pucks in the net. Wings must be able to deflect shots that come from the defensemen and put them past the goalie.
Defensive Responsibilities
A good wing will play up and down the ice and take his defensive responsibilities seriously. Coaches often will bench a right wing or a left wing who are looking for the next breakaway and don't stay with the opposing team's wing in the neutral zones or don't try to get in the way of shots from the defensemen at the point. Playing defense requires an alert attitude that allows a wing to know when an opponent is going to pass the puck and where it is going to end up. A good wing can get in the path of the pass and intercept it or knock it out of the zone.
Top Wings
Brett Hull was one of the game's most consistent and explosive scorers. He manned the right wing position for the Flames, Blues, Stars, Red Wings and Coyotes and finished his career with 741 goals. He scored the winning goal for the Stars in the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals against Buffalo. Gordie Howe earned the nickname of Mr. Hockey and was the sport's highest scorer until Wayne Gretzky broke his records. Bobby Hull, Brett's father, was one of the most explosive scorers and highest-scoring left wingers while playing with the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets. The senior Hull had perhaps the hardest shot in the history of the game. Luc Robataille was a high-scoring left winger for the Kings, Penguins, Rangers and Red Wings and was known for his quick release and a nose for the net. Bob Gainey was a five-time Stanley Cup winner for the Montreal Canadiens and won the league's best defensive forward award four times.
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