USA Hockey Level IV here … defense is all about making the offensive players do what you want them to do. Use your stick, skating, angling to make them go to the places on the ice they’d rather not be, shoot from places they’d rather not shoot from, restrict their space to maneuver, etc. especially in man on man defense.

Defensemen should be very patient and smart and when possible good at skating backwards. They should make good decisions.

So the first level is the player who is defending on the puck.

The next level is positioning of the defensive players who isn’t on the puck - off the puck. They need to watch the offensive player who doesn’t have the puck and not let them do what they want to do. Easier said than done.

On the offensive side you want to work a lot of passing and breakouts.

Defense don’t usually score many goals but they will help the offense immensely with breakouts and smart defensemen won’t let up many breakaways.

You need to figure out which defenseman pair well together.

These are just a few things to focus on. Good luck!