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Hockey Tactics Newsletter | Jack Han | Substack

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · 20d

Recently on the Hockey Tactics Newsletter:

- How young players can learn to coach themselves
- The most important thing you can learn from Lane Hutson
- Setting realistic expectations for one of the Calder Trophy favorites

jhanhky.substack.com

Learn the hidden patterns of our sport from a professional coach. Click to read Hockey Tactics Newsletter, by Jack Han, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

Behind the biggest early-season platitude

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Sep 10

New on the Hockey Tactics Newsletter:

The biggest lie you'll get told by NHLers this time of year

jhanhky.substack.com/p/best-shape...

"Best shape of his life"

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Sep 7

From earlier this week on the Hockey Tactics Newsletter:

- How to coach your wingers on the breakout ($)
- What I learned from working multiple NHL training camps (free)
- Advice from a WHL coach on how to make it to the next level (free)

jhanhky.substack.com

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Sep 2

New on the Hockey Tactics Newsletter:
- What it takes to succeed in the WHL
- How elite NHL Ds move together
- Podcast recommendation for hockey parents

jhanhky.substack.com

What to expect from Dakota Joshua?

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Aug 27

Recently on jhanhky.substack.com :

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Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jul 23

New Post:

Long before Dakota Joshua was a late-blooming scorer for Vancouver, he was a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect (2014 5th rd).

Here's what I liked in his game back then & where he fits now:

jhanhky.substack.com/p/what-to-ex...

The big-bodied winger comes home again. Here's what I saw in 2017 and still see today.

Zach Bolduc's High-End Skill

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jul 18

New post: How Zach Bolduc fits inside the Montreal Canadiens' offense jhanhky.substack.com/p/zach-boldu...

The Habs acquired a young player with a specific strength - can they leverage it?

Perspectives on how to overcome disappointment

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jul 4

New post:

Advice for aspiring NHLers who *weren't* selected in the 2025 draft jhanhky.substack.com/p/undrafted-...

Undrafted, Now What?

How Marner turns defense to offense

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jul 1

New on the Hockey Tactics Newsletter:

Why Mitch Marner will quickly endear himself to Vegas teammates, coaches & fans

jhanhky.substack.com/p/how-marner...

Creating via track transition rushes

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jun 24

New on the Hockey Tactics Newsletter:

A short post on a variety of topics

1) how to pick a personal trainer
2) why coaches should be concerned about losing their jobs to AI
3) but why the best ones are irreplaceable by tech

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jun 22

An off-season project I'm working on.

Will result in a multi-part video course that will be an affordable resource for coaches of all levels.

Stay tuned for more details...

Improve Your First 3 Steps

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jun 20

New on the Hockey Tactics Newsletter:

The most important skating attribute for NHLers & how prospects can improve in that aspect

(for paid subscribers only)

jhanhky.substack.com/p/improve-yo...

Off-season player development series (1)

The NHL is a copycat league. What should other team *actually* copy?

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jun 18

Florida wins the Cup, again.

What should other NHL teams take away from their "model?"

jhanhky.substack.com/p/lessons-fr...

Lessons from FLA

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Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jun 13

Game 4 overtime breakdown on jhanhky.substack.com:

How fatigue almost doomed the Oilers + 2 great plays by Podkolzin to set up the game-winner

Playoff Playbook: Brad Marchand's Off-Puck Details

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jun 12

New Post:

What does good off-puck play look like & why Brad Marchand is still a force at age 37

jhanhky.substack.com/p/playoff-pl...

How FLA63 takes over the game without having the puck on his stick

Stop Wasting Your Summer Ice Time

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jun 10

The newest post on the Hockey Tactics Newsletter will be of interest to skills coaches, parents & players who want to get more done this off-season.

jhanhky.substack.com/p/stop-wasti...

A practice design tip for developing off-puck skills

Playoff Playbook: EDM-FLA Game 1 Review

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · Jun 5

EDM-FLA Game 1 review, plus a discussion on a fundamental difference between the teams' tactics

jhanhky.substack.com/p/playoff-pl...

A philosophical debate between Edmonton and Florida

Playoff Playbook: Carolina's Toehold

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Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · May 26

New Post:

Carolina's grasping at straws in an effort to extend the series.

Here's one of their only bright spots, tactically speaking.

jhanhky.substack.com/p/playoff-pl...

The only opportunity for CAR to extend the series?

A simple tip with profound implications

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Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · May 25

Money-saving tips for hockey parents:

If you needs an off-ice shooting pad, don't spend $100+ on a hockey specific one, many of which are too thin & light.

Instead use 1/4in thick plywood for less $.

(Melamine slides even better if you have a perfectly flat surface)

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Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · May 25

On the newsletter:

Are you or the players you coach "slow learners?"

This may be why - jhanhky.substack.com/p/timing-shape

Timing > Shape

Playoff Playbook: Digging for Oil

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · May 23

New Post:

Two tactical details that can make all the difference in the Dallas-Edmonton series - jhanhky.substack.com/p/playoff-pl...

Two tactical battlegrounds in the Edmonton-Dallas series

Previewing Both Conference Finals Matchups, and What To Watch For in Each Series

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Reposted by Jack Han

Dimitri Filipovic @dimfilipovic.bsky.social · May 20

New PDOcast with @jhanhky.bsky.social:

•Conference Finals preview!
•EDM vs. DAL - Way Oilers generate looks vs. how Oettinger is playing, Rantanen vs. Draisaitl, and McDavid vs. Miro
•CAR vs. FLA - Canes offensive changes, FLA forecheck vs. CAR D, and odd man rush opportunities

bit.ly/43DNU6H

Podcast Episode · The Hockey PDOcast · 2025-05-19 · 51m

bit.ly

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Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · May 19

New Post:

Rush offense of any kind is tough to come by in the playoffs.

Here's one shockingly simple way to create it.
jhanhky.substack.com/p/playoff-pl...

Playoff Playbook: Exploiting the Long Change

How the Florida Panthers broke Game 7 wide open

Alexander Nikishin: The Throwback

Jack Han @jhanhky.bsky.social · May 17

New Post:

I'll have to see more of Alexander Nikishin before proclaiming greatness, but here's two things he does that I find *interesting* at the very least.
jhanhky.substack.com/p/alexander-...

Why Russian defensemen are built differently