Wednesday Drill of the Week: Double Rim

April 10, 2013 Leave a comment

This week is a Defensemen pinch/shooting drill.

Double Rim

 

This drill starts with two D in position on the strong side of the blue line. Coach will move a puck up the wall (either through a hard rim up the runner, a chip off the glass, a hard play off the dasher, etc – test your defensemen and their ability to pinch pucks in on the wall), the D will stop it, control it, move it D-D who will then take a shot. Once the shot is taken, coach will hard rim a puck the other direction, the D need to move to the other side of the ice, stop the puck, control it, move it D-D for a shot. D need to focus on stopping pucks on the wall, controlling them, and making good hard passes to their partner. The partner in the middle of the ice should focus on keeping their feet pointed up ice, presenting a good target, and keeping their eyes up when they shoot.

Filed under Coaching, Hockey, Individual Skills, Position Play Tagged with , , ,

Wednesday Drill of the Week: 2v2 Short/Long

March 6, 2013 Leave a comment

Re-starting my weekly drill. This week is the 2v2 Short/Long Drill. It works on rushes from both sides (offense/defense)

2v2 Short Long

 

Two forwards (F in a circle) touch the top of the circles, exchange a puck and attack two defensemen 2v2. The two D are cannot play the rush until the coach releases them. On a whistle, the D re-gap and two forwards (XF) leave from the near blue line, touch the top of the far circles, exchange and attack 2v2. The drill then resets and re-starts.

This drill is very good for defensemen to work on their rush defense. It focuses on backwards skating, rush recognition, stick position, pivots, and most importantly – gapping. All of these elements are in play for defensemen. To further increase the difficulty, it is possible to add in a third forward joining the rush late and/or a backchecker. The drill also helps forwards with their rush attack options. Forwards should focus on attacking with speed, creating a 2v1 on a defenseman, driving the net, etc.

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Stick on Puck

February 5, 2013 Leave a comment

Defensive hockey is all about two things, stick position and body position. How you position yourself and your stick will dictate what your opponent can and cannot do. The single biggest teaching point when coaching defensive hockey (whether forwards or defense) is stick on puck.

Bringing your stick to the puck applies pressure on the offensive player. It takes away his or her immediate options. It eliminates any passing lanes that may have been available. It forces the puck carrier into a puck protection situation or creates a turnover. It allows you to position your body to hit/pin the offensive player. Stick on puck effectively shuts down the puck carrier.

The timing of stick on puck is critical. One on One situations call for stick on puck. A defenseman playing a rush should not use stick on puck. A forechecker finishing his check should look to come in stick on puck. A forechecker looking to cut the ice in half should not.

Stick to puck needs to be strong and firm, it should not be a sweep. The player should attack with his/her stick out and a strong wrist. A sweep to the puck will open lanes and options as the stick moves. With the right timing and pressure, stick on puck is the most effective defensive technique for shutting down an opponent.

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Wednesday Drill of the Week (Delayed Version)

July 12, 2012 Leave a comment

It has been far too long since my last Wednesday Drill of the Week. I apologize for the lack of posting recently – there has been some changes in my life that have taken most of my attention. This week I’ve got a simple yet effective 1 on 1 drill that can be used to teach both forwards and defensemen.

Forwards and Defensemen start the drill in opposite corners. Defensemen have the puck. Both lines start skating at each other until the D makes a long pass to the Forward. The D continues to skate towards the F, and then transitions front to back when they gain a good gap. The F receives the puck and attempts to attack the D. The two players play out the 1 on 1.

For defensemen, this is a great drill to work on gap control, skating ability and transition skating. The D has to gain ice as quick as possible, then adjust to the speed of the forward, all while maintaining proper positioning in the middle of the ice. They should also focus on stick position and forcing the Forwards into an unfavorable position (backhand side or out wide/down low).

Forwards need to work on accelerating with the puck and situational awareness. It is a test for the forward to try to put him/herself in the best possible position to get a quality scoring opportunity. They should work on reading the defenseman and recognizing when to attack and when to slow play the situation. They should also attempt to gain the shoulder of the D-man, protect the puck, and drive to the net.

Filed under Drills, Hockey Tagged with , , , , ,

Stick Position

April 6, 2012 Leave a comment

One of the unique aspects of hockey is the “third person” dynamic of controlling a puck with a stick. The athlete has to manipulate an object using another tool at all times. The best hockey players in the world understand that the stick should be used as an extension of the body and that the blade of the stick has a different viewpoint than the eyes of the player. This is what makes understanding your stick and the position of your stick so important.

Offensively, the stick should be used as a way to create options that may not otherwise exist and the game should be seen through the “eyes of the stick.” When I am skating, my stick has a different angle and position relative to the puck and the net than I do. This is an advantage that offensive players have. A smart player realizes that while they might not have a good angle to shoot from, the blade of their stick might have a clean look at the back of the net. The same goes for passing lanes. Players can use their sticks to create passing lanes that wouldn’t otherwise exist. I might be covered, but I can use my stick to present an option for my teammate.

On the defensive side of the puck, stick positioning may be one of the most important concepts in the game. The player applying immediate pressure on the puck carrier must be conscious to play “stick on puck” – that is, using their stick to apply direct pressure near the puck. This often forces a turnover or a miscue by the offensive player. The defenders away from the puck need to use their sticks to close off passing lanes and limit offensive opportunities in the event of a breakdown. Playing off the puck requires you to use both your body and your stick to eliminate passing lanes and cover other attacking players.

Understanding the proper way to use your stick can help you become a more efficient and thorough defensive player, as well as an astute playmaker and goalscorer.

Filed under Hockey, Individual Skills Tagged with , ,

Puck Management

April 4, 2012 Leave a comment

I’ve read that in an average NHL game, the puck changes possession between 200 and 400 times. Thus the question becomes not if you are going to turn the puck over or lose possession, but when or where. No matter what sport you play you want to limit the number of turnovers you have, however hockey is just like real estate – location, location, location.

For the rest of this post, keep in mind that I am not advocating turning the puck over, merely discussing best case scenarios for changes of possession.

Generally speaking, the closer you get to the middle of the ice, the more dangerous a turnover becomes. Turnovers also become more dangerous the closer they occur to your net. Dumping a puck into the corner of the offensive zone away from your opponent is one of the least threatening changes of possession. It is away from the middle of the ice and far away from your own net.

Why do cross-ice passes in the defensive zone have a tendency to drive coaches crazy? Why do most coaches advocate for “glass and out”? Why do practices include drill activities such as “chip and flood” and “post-up”? Because plays on the walls in the defensive and neutral zone have the lowest chance of resulting in an immediate threat.

In the offensive zone, it is extremely rare to have a turnover behind the net to directly result in a chance against. However, how often do you see a D-man turn the puck over at the point and then see your opponent celebrating a goal? Losing the puck low in the zone gives your team an opportunity to recover and play cohesive defense. Giving the puck away at the point gives your opponent a huge transition opportunity.

Puck management in an offensive sense is all about putting the puck is a place that your teammate anticipates and can easily retrieve the puck. This includes concepts such as cycling, net front releases, high rolls, D-D plays and releases, posting in the neutral zone, smart dumps, hard rims, and many other plays. The prevailing principle is maintaining possession by playing the puck to space. Reading the play and anticipating your teammates is a major part of offensive puck management.

Puck management is a principle that is both a defensive and an offensive concept. Hockey is a flow sport. This means that everything that happens is simultaneously offensive and defensive in nature. Puck management is all about putting you and your teammates in the best position to maintain possession, regain possession, or play effective defensive hockey.

Watching the Blues and Red Wings game tonight, the Wings were struggling with their puck management decisions at the beginning of the first period. Early on, they were putting the puck in risky places and giving the puck away in places that represented a direct threat against their net. As they have improved their puck decisions, they have begun to play much better – limiting the chances of the Blues and beginning to control the play on the offensive end.

Improving your puck management is on of the surest ways to improve your game and improve your chances of winning. Puck management will allow you to control the game through possession and limit the chances of your opponent, giving you a great opportunity to win the game.

Filed under Hockey, Individual Skills, Strategy Tagged with , , , ,

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