Hockey Positions Explained: Every Role

Ice hockey is played with six players per team on the ice at once: three forwards (a center, a left wing and a right wing), two defensemen, and a goaltender. The forwards do most of the attacking and scoring, the defensemen guard their own end and launch the attack, and the goaltender stops shots, with each role blending offense and defense as the play flows up and down the rink.

Unlike some sports, hockey players do not stay glued to a spot. Positions describe responsibilities and starting lanes, but everyone skates all over the ice as possession changes. Here is what each role actually does, governed by the standard rules used by the NHL and the IIHF.

The three forwards

Forwards are the attacking unit and usually the top scorers. They work as a three-player “line” that changes together, and a team rolls several lines through a game to keep fresh legs out there.

• Center (C): the hub of the line. The center covers the most ice, takes faceoffs, supports both the attack and the defense, and is often the best all-round skater and playmaker on the line.
• Left wing (LW): works mainly up the left side, drives to the net, forechecks the puck and covers the opposing defenseman on that flank.
• Right wing (RW): the mirror image on the right side, with the same forechecking and net-front duties.

The defensive unit

Behind the forwards sit two defensemen who play as a “pairing.” Their first job is protecting their own zone, but modern defensemen also start and often join the attack.

• Left defense (LD) and right defense (RD): they hold the blue line on offense, break up rushes, block shots, and move the puck out of danger. A good defenseman reads the play early and rarely gets caught out of position, because a mistake back there can turn into a scoring chance the other way.

The two forward and defensive groups work in tandem. When you understand who is responsible for the blue line, rules like icing in hockey and situations like a power play in hockey make far more sense.

The goaltender

The goaltender (G), or goalie, is the last line of defense and, many argue, the hardest position in the sport. Wearing specialized padding, the goalie stops shots, controls rebounds and directs teammates in front of the net. Teams almost never change goalies mid-play, so the position carries a unique, constant pressure that skaters do not face.

Positions at a glance

Position	Abbrev.	Main job
Center	C	Faceoffs, playmaking, cover both ends
Left wing	LW	Attack the left side, forecheck, net front
Right wing	RW	Attack the right side, forecheck, net front
Left defense	LD	Guard the blue line, break up rushes
Right defense	RD	Guard the blue line, block shots
Goaltender	G	Stop shots, control rebounds

Lines, pairings and shifts

Because hockey is played at a sprint, no one stays on the ice for long. Teams organize forwards into lines of three and defensemen into pairings of two, then rotate them in short “shifts” of roughly 45 seconds. This is why a roster carries around a dozen forwards and half a dozen defensemen even though only six players skate at a time.

Coaches match lines to situations: a scoring line against weaker opponents, a checking line to shut down stars, and specialist units for power plays and penalty kills. Understanding positions is the first step to reading those tactics.

How it differs from field hockey

If you have arrived from the field game, note that the position names overlap but the roles differ, and the rink is much smaller and faster than a field. Our guide to field hockey positions lays out that version side by side. And if you want to see these ice-hockey roles played at the highest level, our list of the greatest NHL players shows how the best centers, wingers, defensemen and goalies defined the sport.

The short version: six players, three jobs. Forwards attack, defensemen protect and spring the attack, and the goaltender guards the net, while F, D and G on a lineup are just shorthand for those three groups.