NHL special teams are the skaters deployed when a penalty leaves one team with more players on the ice than the other. The power play tries to turn that advantage into a scoring chance; the penalty kill tries to disrupt the attack, protect the goal and clear the puck. Their assignments are coordinated, and coaches adjust formations, face-off plans and personnel to the situation.
What are special-teams units?
“Special teams” refers to the units used during a manpower advantage or disadvantage created by a penalty. A power play is the team with the on-ice advantage. The penalty kill—often called the PK—is the team defending while short-handed. These units have different objectives from ordinary even-strength play, so coaches prepare specific players and plans for them.
The exact number of skaters and the consequences of a penalty depend on the applicable rules and situation. The NHL’s Video Rulebook links to the 2026–27 Rulebook and includes a section on rule changes for that season.
How does an NHL power play work?
The power play uses its extra skater to get the puck into the offensive zone, retain possession and create a shot or other scoring chance. The added player can give the attacking team another passing option, but the unit still has to organize its entry and move the puck against defenders who are trying to break up the play.
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Common power-play responsibilities
- Gain the zone: Carry or pass the puck across the blue line in a coordinated entry.
- Keep possession: Move the puck and reposition to make defenders cover multiple options.
- Create a chance: Look for a shot, a passing lane or a breakdown in the penalty kill’s coverage.
NHL.com’s analysis by former NHL goaltending coach Jim Corsi describes power plays as organized attacks that can use set patterns, zone entries and shots. The specific pattern and player assignments vary by team.
What do penalty killers do?
The penalty kill aims to prevent a scoring chance, pressure or contain the puck, and clear it from the defensive zone. If a defender forces a turnover, the short-handed team may also get a chance to counterattack. A clear can relieve pressure and make the power play recover the puck and enter the zone again.
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Common penalty-kill responsibilities
- Pressure the puck: A forward may challenge the puck carrier, trying to disrupt a pass or force a hurried decision.
- Protect dangerous space: Teammates may limit access through the middle and guard passing or shooting lanes.
- Contest possession: More than one killer may challenge for the puck along the boards.
- Prepare for a clear: A higher forward can be ready to move the puck up ice if the team wins it.
- Choose pressure carefully: An aggressive challenge can disrupt a power play, but an uncoordinated move can leave an opening.
Corsi’s NHL.com analysis highlights speed, pressure and anticipation as ways penalty killers can disrupt an organized attack. Pressure is not automatically safe: killers need to work together so a challenge does not expose space the power play can exploit.
Power play vs. penalty kill
| Aspect | Power play | Penalty kill |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | On-ice manpower advantage | On-ice manpower disadvantage |
| Main objective | Create a scoring chance | Prevent a scoring chance |
| Puck approach | Gain the zone, keep possession and attack | Contain or pressure the puck and clear it |
| Main tactical risk | A turnover can give the opponent a short-handed counterattack | Uncoordinated pressure can open a passing lane or dangerous space |
Why are special-teams face-offs planned?
A face-off can determine what a unit does next, so players are expected to know their assignments before the puck drops. Winning a power-play draw can let the attacking team begin its setup immediately. On the penalty kill, a face-off win may create an opportunity to clear the puck.
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Former coach Don Nachbaur explains in NHL.com’s face-off coverage that teams plan these situations and assign each player a role. A coach may choose an alignment or route based on the opponent and the situation; there is no single face-off plan used by every team.
How do line changes fit into play?
Line changes let teams replace players as play continues and manage who is on the ice. NHL.com’s beginner-oriented Hockey 101 with Snoop covers line changes alongside penalties and the penalty box. On special teams, coaches also have to consider which players are available for the unit and when to deploy them.
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The precise current procedures for substitutions, penalty durations and manpower effects are governed by the rulebook, not by a universal tactical convention. Consult Rules 16–20 and Rule 82 in the 2026–27 Rulebook linked from the NHL’s Video Rulebook for the wording applicable to that edition.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why do roles and formations differ by team?
Power-play and penalty-kill responsibilities are examples of coordinated jobs, not a universal position chart. One team may emphasize pressure; another may prioritize keeping players between the puck and the goal. Personnel, opponent, face-off location and the coach’s system all affect the plan. NHL.com’s Corsi and Nachbaur analyses illustrate possible approaches rather than rules every team must follow.
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