🚨 Elite Defensemen Skill Alert 🚨 The difference between a good defenseman and a great one? How smooth they transition with the puck 🔥. One of the most underrated skills in hockey is Underhandling the puck while transitioning from backwards to forwards skating during a regroup in the neutral zone. Mastering this gives defensemen the ability to control pace, create deception, and set the tone of the breakout 🚀. Here’s why it matters: 🔑 3 Keys to Mastering the Transition: 1️⃣ Underhandling = Control & Speed Instead of stickhandling too much, great D keep the puck quiet on their blade. This lets them accelerate through the turn and transition without slowing down, keeping the breakout clean and fast. 2️⃣ Deception Through Body & Stick Position When the puck is underhandled, the defender’s eyes and shoulders sell multiple options — pass, skate, or hit the middle. This forces forecheckers to hesitate, giving the breakout more space. 3️⃣ Efficiency at Game Speed At the highest leve...