Defenceman Defence ( defense in the U . S . A . ) in hockey is a player position with a primary responsibility to prevent the opposing team from scoring goals . Defence players are often referred to as defencemen , D , or " Blueliners " . In regular play there are two defence players and three forwards on the ice along with the goaltender . The greatest defenceman in NHL history is often considered to be Bobby Orr who surprisingly managed to win scoring titles while playing defence . Each year the NHL presents the Norris Trophy to the best defenceman in the league . ' Stay - at - home ' and ' Offensive defence ' . Defence players are generally divided into two rough groups . " Stay - at - home " defence refers to a defender who takes few risks and does not score much , preferring to focus on defending against the opposing team . An " offensive defence " player is one who gets aggressively involved in the team ' s offence and gets used more often as a result . To accomplish this , the offensive defence player often goes deep into the opposing team ' s zone to get closer to their net . This makes it difficult for the defender to protect his or her own net from being scored on if the other team gains control of the puck . This can lead to more odd man rushes and breakaway opportunities for the opposing team . Defensive zone play . When in the defensive zone , the defence player is responsible for keeping the opposing forwards ' opportunities to a minimum when they are on a rush , forcing them to the corners and blocking both passing and shooting lanes . When the opposing offence is putting pressure on the defence ' s team , the defence skater usually plays closer to the goal , attempting again to block shooting lanes but also ensure that the goalie is not screened ( i . e . prevented from being able to see the puck at all times ) . Neutral zone play . In the neutral zone , the defence hangs back towards his or her own blue line , usually playing the puck up to other teammates . According to Jay Leach , who writes for NHL . com ' s " learn to play hockey " section , the defence must " Move the puck hard and quick to the open man . Join the rush , < nowiki > [ but ] < / nowiki > do not lead it . " Offensive zone play . In the offensive zone , the defence skaters " play the blue line . " It is their duty to keep the puck in the offensive zone by stopping it from crossing the blue line that demarcates where the offensive zone begins . Defence players must be quick to pass the puck around , helping their forwards to open up shooting lanes , or taking open shots themselves when they become available . The defence must also be able to skate quickly to cut off any breakaways , moving themselves back into the defensive zone ahead of the onrushing opponent . Essentially in all three zones of the rink , the defence is the backstop for the puck . It should never go behind the defence , unless the player lets it . The defence keeps the momentum of play squarely directed towards the opposing goal Backchecking . The backcheck is a play in hockey where a non - defence skater moves back to play defence by keeping an opposing player out of a play through means of checking , stick control , and / or body positioning . Faceoffs . During faceoff s in the defensive zone , most teams have their defence players pair up with opposing forwards to tie them up while leaving the team ' s forwards open to move the puck , though this is at the discretion of the individual coach . In the offensive zone , the defence player acts in his or her usual role , keeping control of the puck as the forwards fight for position . In the first organized hockey , ( see Amateur Hockey Association of Canada ) , defencemen used to line up in an " I " formation behind the rover ( defunct ) as " point " and " coverpoint " . Defence is still referred to as " playing the point " .