Winger (ice hockey)

From ArticleWorld

Essential to the success of any hockey team, the winger needs to be a strong, aggressive player, a fast skater and as willing to throw a hard check as he/she is to fire off a shot on goal. While much of their responsibility is on offense, the wings also have to be tough at the defensive end as well. Some of the greatest players in the National Hockey League gained their fame playing in the two wing positions. The essential players of the glory days of the 1940s, ‘50s, 60s and ‘70s were wings; players like Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Mike Bossy and Maurice “Rocket” Richard. All were as well known for their ability to mix it up along the boards as they were for scoring.

What wingers do

While the left and right wings of a hockey team primarily play along the outsides of the rink, they have responsibilities no matter where the puck is. And, often, where the puck is, a winger is in close pursuit.

1. On offense, the wings play deep in the zone much of the time, fighting for the puck if it goes behind the net or into the corners. They may also cruise in front of the goal to screen the goal or draw a penalty.
2. On defense, good wingers play closer to the blue line than they do the goal. They are responsible for guarding, harassing and checking the other team’s defensemen stationed at the blue line on either side. Often a wing will receive a pass from a teammate deeper in the zone and initiate a scoring rush at the opposite end.
3. In the neutral zone, the wings often will take their cue from the center, possibly following him/her in for a pass and shot on goal.

Great NHL wings

Some of the great wingers ever to put on skates included those who were prolific scorers as well as tough players willing to scrap for the puck behind the net or along the boards. Among the game’s best were:

1. Gordie Howe. Until Wayne Gretzky came along, Howe was “the great one”. He finished in the top five of the league’s scorers every year for 20 years. His two sons played in the NHL.
2. Ted Lindsay. Playing across the ice from Howe for much of his time with the Detroit Red Wings, Lindsay had 426 goals and 521 assists.
3. Bobby Hull. What Howe was to Detroit, Hull was to the Chicago Blackhawks. He was the first player in the league to score more than 50 goals in a season.
4. Maurice “Rocket” Richard. This prolific scorer was the first NHL player to score 50 goals in 50 games.
5. Mike Bossy. Only he and Gretzky ever score 60 goals in 60 games. He was the scoring punch of the New York Islanders when they won four Stanley Cups in the 1980s.
6. Yvan Cournoyer: In 16 years with the Montreal Canadians, Cournoyer was noted for his incredible speed as a skater and scorer.

None of these players was the biggest or fastest or toughest ever to play the game. But all combined those three traits in a player package that helped establish wingers as the ones who brought excitement to the game.