What is the backcheck in hockey?

A strong transition game in hockey is one of the most important aspects of being an NHL player. It involves playing the entire 200 feet of a hockey rink and moving effortlessly across the ice. It is one of the hallmarks of the Vegas Golden Knights, as they have players who have been able to move through different zones without complications.

However, a team can be caught off guard and forced onto the defensive. This is bad news, especially if that team has fallen behind the opponent’s attack, leading to a breakout. The result can be a goal that completely shifts the momentum, hurting the victimized team.

Therefore, it is to be expected that hockey teams like the Golden Knights want to avoid this. Whether it is careless turnovers or bad passes, it can cost them the game. It is similar to a bad goalie interference call, which can ruin any hope of winning. Therefore, it is best to avoid this energy-sucking vampire at all costs.

Of course, there is a term that can prevent this if it is developed properly. It is the backcheck in hockey and it is meant to be part of that transition play. What does the term mean on the ice? Is it the exact opposite of the forecheck? Get your pens and paper, class. It’s time for some more Hockey 101.

No, it is not the place where the referees check a hockey player for ticks or other pests. It is also not the place where a player skates backwards into an opponent, causing him to be slammed into the boards. The definition of the term is as follows:

“Skating back to your own goal while defending yourself against the offensive attacks of an opponent in ice hockey.”

– Merriam Webster

A successful backcheck means successfully skating to the other side to prevent the other team from attacking the net. As mentioned, this situation can arise from a bad turnover, a bad pass, or other circumstances that cause the team to go into transition.

The perfect example of this came in 2019 when the Vegas Golden Knights took on the San Jose Sharks in Game 6. With the game in the second overtime, Vegas was on the power play. Suddenly, Marc-Edouard Vlasic gets ahold of a stray puck and passes it to future Golden Knight, Tomas Hertl.

With Vegas on the backcheck, Hertl has just one defender to deal with. He fires a wrist shot past Marc-Andre Fleury for the game-winning goal. Golden Knights fans knew what happened in the next game, with disaster befalling the franchise. Fans will be hoping that no more disastrous backchecks are in store this season…or beyond.