Playing with loaded dice

Rot talks defensive structure; Isles host Lightning at UBS Arena

Good Morning, Islanders Country.

I’m proud to say my new weeknight routine is work, dinner, playing with the kids, putting them to bed, and then, when available, watching 7-8 minutes of Patrick Roy’s media availability from the morning skate before writing this newsletter.

Yes, you can see quotes on social media throughout the day, but you really need the full Roy experience, including the French accent and the back-and-forth banter with the media. He enjoys his time in front of the mic and is willing to discuss topics in the same detail with the press as he does with his players.

On Wednesday, Roy spent time breaking down the tweaks in the team’s defensive structure. This was covered well in depth by Stefen Rosner in The Hockey News.

When asked about playing more “man-on-man” type defense since he took over, Roy explained what he doesn’t like about using a “dice” structure.

"Because everybody watches the games. And when you play dice, everybody starts putting three to four guys high," Roy said. "The dice works well when you play down low, but when you start playing on top, the dice don't work anymore.”

The “5 on a Dice” term is often heard in a layer, a zone-like system where the players take spots on the ice that resemble the pips on a die when a five is rolled. Roy's message was that teams know how to exploit that structure, and it often can leave players occupying space but nothing else.

Instead, he wants the team to take a hybrid approach and remain aggressive when the play is down low, pressuring the puck and “protecting the house.”

Some of this is Hockey 101, but it’s still refreshing to have a coach passionately talk about these things openly rather than pretend that by being obtuse and secretive, it will provide some type of an edge.

Listening to him, you can understand how players can quickly buy into his coaching style. He doesn’t want them to be a defensive team but a team that plays good defense. It’s why players like Mathew Barzal believe he’s already building a “championship blueprint” on Long Island.

I can’t wait for tonight’s post-game.