Defense Reaction

Drill
1. Forward starts at blue line, builds speed, picks up puck at far blue line and carries it into the zone with speed along the wing. Can also start at far end if using the whole deck.
2. Defense read the play to stop the puck carrier.
3. 1st defender (player closest to F) moves out to take on the forward.
4. 2nd defender (Read D) reads the play and reacts to F’s move. If inside, challenge and steal, if outside, move to front of net to support.

Keys:
-Forward must enter the Zone with speed.
-1st defender job is to force F right or left.
-2nd defender needs to read play, if left, challenge to stop, if right, provide support and not allow shot.

Thanks to Nino Febbraro for submitting this drill.

Read More

Pass, Sk8 and Go

Drill:

1. Line 2 players up at the blue line on each dot
2. Player 1 makes a long pass out to the blue line and skates an 8 around the 2 players
3. The 2 players at the blue line each pass back and forth
4. Pass is then made into player 1 breaking down the middle

Focus:
1. Hard Pass out to the point
2. Point players work on moving the puck laterally across the ice (as Defenseman should be able to do)
3. Player 1 then looks for a return pass as they are streaking down the middle

Notes:
The sk8 play on words is because player 1 is essentially skating an 8 around the Point men and I couldn’t come up with a better name.

Read More

Start Stop Races

Drill:

1. Split players into 2 even teams
2. On whistle, first player picks up a puck and skates to first cone.
3. Picks up the puck on the cone and sets the puck they were carrying on the cone
4. This continues thru each cone
5. Next player starts when first player stops at last cone and sets the puck down

Focus:
1. Hard stops
2. Direction change
3. Quick starts

Notes:
My players are over skating plays and I need to teach them to stop quickly and change directions. Because they have to pick up a puck and place the puck on the cone, they can’t loop around . The race will make them go faster.

Read More

Pass and Crash

Drill:
1. Player 1 starts backward skating to blue line with puck
2. Stops at cone and passes to next player in line
3. Player 1 crashes the net looking for a pass from behind the net
4. Player 2 starts their backward skating once they receive the pass

Focus:
1. Skating backward while carrying the puck
2. Good hard passes to the corner
3. Crashing the net looking for a pass, deflection or tip

Notes:
Replace the coach with a player to make the passes from behind the net
Switch to other side to get used to working this from both sides

Read More

Backward to Forward Transitions

Drill:

1. Players start facing the wall and backward skate to the top of circle
2. Transition to forward to the bottom of the circle
3. Repeat at each circle, always facing the same wall
4. Mid circle face other direction and complete circles facing other wall

Focus:
1. Transitioning between forward and backward going both direction
2. Focusing on one wall will make them be able to transition both ways.

Notes:
This can be done half rink with full skating circles

Read More