Rover (ice hockey)
A rover was a position in
As the skill level of players increased, the need to have a rover decreased. Shortly after it was formed in 1910, the
As the NHA and later NHL did not have a rover, but the PCHA did, a compromise was made during
The first
In 1923, both the PCHA and the WCHL decided to drop the rover position, as it was seen to be crowding the ice and therefore reducing the speed of play.[1] Moreover, with both leagues in financial competition with the NHL, the added expense of a seventh starter was burdensome. With the decision to remove the rover, it disappeared from professional hockey forever.
Contemporary usage
The term is sometimes used to informally describe fast, rushing offensive defencemen, such as former NHL star Scott Niedermayer, as they often roam the ice creating offensive pressure instead of being simply "blueliners". Other players who have been described as modern "rovers" include Tyson Barrie, Brent Burns, Dustin Byfuglien, Erik Karlsson, Paul Coffey, Cale Makar and Roman Josi, due to their ability to either play forward and defense, or because of their strong puck handling skills. The term is also used to describe the extra attacker, who roams the ice instead of assuming one of the usual positions.
References
Notes
- ^ Bowlsby 2012, p. 211
- ^ Boston Globe Jan. 30, 1912, p. 7
Bibliography
- Bowlsby, Craig H. (2012). Empire of Ice: The Rise and Fall of the PCHA, 1911–1926. Knights of Winter Publishing (Canada). ISBN 978-0969170563.