The Coaches Room is a regular feature throughout the 2025-26 season by former NHL coaches and assistants who turn their critical gaze to the game and explain it through the lens of a teacher. In this edition, Drew Bannister, former coach of the St. Louis Blues and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, and defenseman with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and New York Rangers, provides insight into the impact defensemen are making by becoming more offensively involved without sacrificing defensive-zone coverage.

Over the past 10 years, we've seen defensemen being more active. Whether it's on breakouts or in the offensive zone, there's been a real push to have them more involved in the offense.

The thing I've noticed, since the NHL paused

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