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We wanted to make it easier, more fun, and more motivating for players to track not just how many shots they’ve taken, but how many of each type of shot. We even included some free lessons on shooting right within the “Learn” tab of the app.

To download the 10,000 Shots app click the download button below.

A few tips to get you started

While working on your shot, it’s important to focus on the fundamentals, that way you’ll get the most out of your practice time. Be focused, and put in a good effort and you’ll see big improvements. Here are some tips for your wrist shot

Tips for your snapshot

We have more tips inside the app, it’s 100% free and made to help hockey players improve their skills. There are no ads, and no in-app sales, Haden and I created this to give back to our fans and help anyone, anywhere get better

If you are a true beginner you may want to practice some balance drills (the next video I will be uploading) but don’t be afraid to try out these edge work drills as well. The only way you will get better is if you keep challenging yourself.

If you are an experienced player these drills can also challenge you.

• Do them first correctly
• Next correctly and with more power
• Next correctly with power and speed
• Now correctly with power, speed and a puck

By using this progression you can continue to use the same drills, and the same routine and continue to improve as a player.

Get to Know Your Edges – With 6 Edgework Drills

Edges 101

Each skate has two edges, an inside edge and an outside edge. See the picture below for a better idea.

How to use your edges

When you are accelerating you want to use your inside edges. You will be leaning slightly forward, with your feet turned and your skates on an angle to the ice. You want to really dig your blades in with each stride, bite those edges into the ice and go!

When you are turning you will be using an inside edge, and an outside edge (depending on which way you turn). If you are new you might not trust your edges and keep a very wide stance while turning. You need to trust your edges and let them grip into the ice while you make sharp turns.

When you are stopping you are also using one inside edge and one outside edge, you achieve this by bending your knees, getting lower and having your skates at an angle. In this case you don’t want your weight right over your feet though as that will cause your edges to dig in, you want to “slide” a bit on your edges.

When you are gliding you are not really using either edge. They will both be in contact with the ice, but you will be gliding on the hollow between the edges. If you are gliding with a wide stance it can slow you down because your inside edges will be digging too much into the ice.

Pro’s Use Edgework Drills

In the videos below you can see Crosby using the inside edge drill that I describe in the video above.
21 seconds in Crosby warms up with the inside edge drills

Here is another video of Crosby using the mohawk drill that I show in my video on how to do the Mohawk turn. This drill uses the inside edges. Crosby is pretty good so he uses a puck at the same time.

Why should you work on your edges?

In my opinion edge work drills are the best way for hockey players to push their limits and become more comfortable in their skates. A good hockey player will feel just as comfortable in their hockey skates as they do with running shoes on.

I really like drills that force players to balance on one leg because it teaches them how to balance their weight over their skates and pushes them outside their comfort zone. Now once they are using both legs they will be feel a lot more comfortable and be able to perform the task much better. Also, during a hockey game players will need to balance on one leg very briefly over and over, every stride, crossover, or pivot requires brief one leg balance. With balance comes power and control

• Edge control will help you with speed, balance and agility
• Good edge control will help you get more scoring chances
• Good edge control will help you with turning, stopping, and shaking defenders
• Good edge control will make you more like Crosby and less like Mackinnon (in the video below)

Want more skating tips?

We have a full series on skating called the fundamentals of skating. Visit this link if you want to learn to skate, or become a better skater.

If you’re looking for more ways to improve all of your hockey skills, check out The Pond. The Pond is our all in one hockey training platform designed to continually challenge you. We provide you with the most efficient path to improve the skills you will use the most in game. Use coupon code TRYOUTS to get your first month 100% free!

If you found this article helpful feel free to share with your team, league, or on Facebook or Twitter.

Recently I have been reading the book Hockey plays and strategies (Amazon.ca link for Canadians) by Ryan Walter and Mike Johnston and I have found a lot of great plays, strategies and tactics that are important for any hockey player to know. The trick with putting these plays into practice is having your other team mates on the same page as you, so in this article I am going to go over 5 breakout plays, how to perform them, and the best time to use each one. These plays are started by the defensive partners, so as long as you and your defensive partners know the plays you should have no problem initiating a decent breakout. These plays are crucial for a good breakout!

Knowing these 5 breakouts should give you an option in every situation you face on the ice, no more giving the puck away over and over until the other team scores!

5 Easy Breakout Strategies

These strategies are explained in the book Hockey plays and Strategies by Ryan Walter and Mike Johnston, I have re-drawn the diagrams as shown in the book and explained the breakouts in a similar fashion as they were printed in the book.

Up – Hockey Breakout

In this breakout D1 is moving for the puck and D2 has an eye on the play. D2 will call “UP” to D1 letting him know that the best play is to turn up the strong side of the ice and pass the puck to the winger on the boards (LW). If the winger is tied up while D1 is moving with the puck the centermen is there for support and D1 can also make the pass to C.

The best time to use this breakout is when the other team has players near the net, or behind the net (or moving to that zone) and the best option is to move the puck right away up the strong side of the ice.

C is there for support (another option for D1) and RW will move across the ice to provide support once LW get’s the puck.

OVER – Hockey Breakout

In this situation D1 has moved to pick up the puck, while D2 is reading the other teams position. D2 recognizes that the other team has flooded one side of the ice so he calls “OVER” to D1. This tells D1 that the best play is to pass the puck behind the net to D2 (A direct pass is ideal, but a bank pass can be made as well)

Caution: In this play it is important that D1 makes the pass quickly to D2, some players may try to skate with the puck towards D2 before making the pass, however this would carry the pressure over to D2’s side and could result in a turnover.

The best time to use this breakout is when the other team has flooded D1’s side of the ice and D2 can quickly move to get a pass behind the net.

WHEEL – Hockey Breakout

In this situation D1 is moving for the puck (or has the puck) and he has a step on the forechecker. D2 yells “WHEEL” to tell D1 to skate with the puck around the net. D2 should stay in position as a “pick” so that the forechecker can not easily cut across the top of the crease and check D1 on the other side. D1 should use the net as a screen by cutting close to net while skating behind it (not giving the forechecker room to check him, or get a step). D2 holds position in front of the net until D1 makes a pass, or skates the puck up ice. RW provides an option for a pass, C supports low giving D1 another option for a pass, LW moves across the ice.

The best time to use this breakout is when D1 has some speed, and the other team does not have pressure down low.

Reverse – Hockey Breakout

The Reverse is a good “plan-b” for the WHEEL breakout. In this situation D1 has started to skate the puck behind then net, however their is a forechecker right behind him and checking hard. D2 yells “REVERSE” signalling D1 to bank the puck hard off the boards (and behind the forechecker) to D2

C gives support by moving with D1, and then back low through the slot after the reverse pass is made, LW moves inside initially (anticipating the pass to RW) but then moves back to the boards when the reverse pass is made to receive a breakout pass, RW moves to prepare for the UP pass, however when the reverse pass is made he moves across the ice to support the breakout.

D2 can pass to LW or C

The best time to use this breakout is when D1 initiates a WHEEL breakout, but cannot complete it due to a quick forechecker right on his tail.

RIM – Hockey Breakout

The RIM breakout is used when the other team is forechecking hard and the best option is to send the puck hard around the boards to the winger. D1 gets the puck and quickly rims it around the boards to RW. C supports from underneath while LW moves across the ice to support.

“Against teams who pinch down with their defense on rimmed pucks, the wingers who receive the rim must be able to protect the puck, control it, and then move it to support. In this situation, RW must be able to control the puck and make a play, skate with the puck, or chip it behind the pinching defenseman. As mentioned earlier, the ability to get pucks off the boards under pressure is a skill that also involves a component of toughness” – Ryan Walter & Mike Johnston

Caution: D1 and D2 need to be on the same page here so either D1 or D2 should call “RIM” otherwise either defencemen could confuse the breakout with the OVER play.

Jeremy’s note: As a coach I prefer to see direct passes, many newer players will ALWAYS rim the puck as it is the easiest way to send it up the ice. Usually it’s laziness so I try to encourage my players to make smart plays and direct passes, although as mentioned in the book, sometimes the RIM breakout could be the best play.

If you learned anything from these breakouts I highly recommend picking up the book, I have links at the top and bottom of this article.

How to start implementing these breakouts

As a coach implementing these breakouts comes down to proper practice planning, and getting all the guys on your team on the right page. You can pick up a copy of the book, photocopy pages 10,11 and 12 and hand them out to your players, and then start using them during practice. Once you have the book you can review the other 200 pages for some more great plays and strategies

As a player there is nothing more frustrating than trying to play positional hockey, only to have the other guys on your team completely out of place, or moving the puck to the wrong spot. The easiest way to start using these breakouts would be for the defensemen to start talking and discussing the 5 different breakouts while on the bench. Try using 1 or 2 each game so you can eventually commit them all to memory. Once you and your partner knows the 5 different calls you can start yelling them out when the time is right during the games. Most of the work for the breakouts is done by D1 and D2 so start by getting your defensive partner on board, and then work on the forwards, most wingers should know where to be anyways.

 Quick Tips For Breaking Out

• 

  Take a look before you get the puck so you know where your players are

• Don’t make blind passes
• Don’t pass the puck through the middle (unless you are 1000% sure, and even then be double sure)
• Make plays quickly – hesitating gives the other team time to read your play and break it up
• Make direct passes – get your head up, look where you are passing, and send it hard
• Communicate (especially defensemen), call out the plays described above
• Play your positions! – This is especially true for the wingers, if you are down near the goal line when the defence get the puck they will have no one to pass too!
• If you have the puck and it doesn’t look like you have any options for passing, put the puck high off the glass to get it out of your zone
• Keep your feet moving and your head up (Don’t stand still) – The play is always moving and you should be too, keep your feet moving and your head up so you can read and react to the play at any time
• Give your player a target – This is a good one for wingers, when you are breaking out put the blade of your stick where the defense can see it (as shown in the picture, he doesn’t have his stick on his shooting side, or in front, he’s moved it to the right side to receive a pass). By showing them your blade you are giving them a target and letting them know you are ready for the pass.

Coaches! If you’re looking for ways to help your team improve their individual hockey skills, check out The Pond. The Pond is our all in one hockey training platform designed to continually challenge players. We break down every skill in an easy to understand, step by step format. After learning our methods you will be able to easily teach fundamental skills to your players so they can improve faster.

Use coupon code COACHESRULE to get your first month 100% free! You’re welcome to pass the coupon on to your team as well, because we all know coaches rule.

The responsibilities of a winger

Your general duties as a wingman are to dig in the corner, feed the centermen and defence, wreak havoc in front of the other teams net, and outsmart the other teams defensemen on both ends of the rink. I will explain more below

A wingers duties and positioning in the defensive zone

The defensive zone is your teams end of the ice (the side where your goalie is in net) When you are playing in the defensive zone your team is trying to get the puck out (break out) and get into the offensive zone (the other teams end of the ice). When you are in the defensive zone you should generally stay between the blue line and the hash marks. You want to stay in that area for a few reasons:

• To stop the other teams defensemen from getting the puck and getting a shot on your goalie.
• To get a break out pass from your own team member
• To block shots or passes if the other teams defensemen does have the puck.
• To intercept passes and break out.

Video Tips on Defensive Zone Coverage For Wingers

This video was created by Kevin at HockeyShare.com, thanks for the awesome tips! Most wingers start just trying to cover the defense. As you get older and more skilled you can come down further and further like shown in the video.

What is your job in the Defensive zone?

When you are in the defensive zone it is your job to cover the other teams defensemen. When the other team has the puck you should keep a close eye on the defensemen as some times they will sneak in front of you, or move over to the center. When you are in the defensive zone the defensemen is your man, but it is also your job to accept passes from your own team members. You typically stay between the hash marks and the top of the circle. You will come up to the blue line when challenging the defence.

If your team has the puck there are a few ways to get the pass. The easiest way to get a pass is to take a few quick strides forward and take a pass at the hash marks along the boards, now your job is to break out. The safest way to break out of your end is to bank a pass off of the boards to your center men who should be breaking out, or if the defensemen is right against the boards you can gently redirect the puck to your centermen, or your winger who should be cutting to center (Always look before passing because the last thing you want to do is give a one timer to the other teams defence!). Another option is to carry the puck out yourself, don’t try anything to fancy because if you mess up and the other team scores it will be very embarrassing.

How to break the puck out of the defensive zone

One of the biggest responsibilities of the winger in the defensive zone is breaking the puck out. Usually you will be taking a pass from the defencemen and it is then up to you to receive the pass, control the puck and either break out with it, or make a quick pass to your centremen or other winger. Playing the puck off the boards and making yourself available to receive that pass from the defencemen is VERY important. Here is a great video from HockeyUS.com that explains how you can become more effective when breaking out of the defensive zone

A wingers duties in the offensive zone

When you are in the offensive zone your team is trying to score a goal. You will mainly play in the corner, inside the circle, and in front of the net. When the puck goes into your corner it is your job to get it out. If the puck is in your corner you have a few options, the most common and usually the best options are.

• Carry the puck out and get a shot on net (your centermen or other winger should be there for a rebound).
• Look for a man in front of the net and set him up with a pass
• Look to see if the D is open, if so give them the puck.
• Carry the puck up the boards a bit and cycle it back. Cycling the puck may be a bit advanced, so we will cover that in another article

Sometimes when the puck is in your corner the other teams defence will get there first, as it is their job to get the puck out. If this happens you can try to take the puck from them, or tie them up and wait for your centermen to help you out. A good trick is to put your knee between their legs and press them up against the boards, this makes it hard for them to move the puck.

If the puck is in the other corner then you have a few new jobs. When the puck is in the other corner you can.

• Go to the net and look for a pass from the winger
• If your winger looks like he is going to be tied up you could skate behind the net and call for a pass
• If it looks like the other team may get the puck you could skate to the hash marks and try to cover a man / take away a pass.
• If the other team does clear the puck being closer to the blue line makes it easier to back check.
• Do not go into the other wingers corner unless you have learned a special drill in practice that calls for this. If your winger is in trouble, it is the job of the centermen to help him out.

Wingers duties in the Neutral Zone

Typically in the neutral zone you are either breaking out, or back checking. If you are on the attack you make hard passes through the neutral zone and feed the head man. This means if you get the puck out of your end you should be looking for a streaking centermen or your other winger. If there are no options try to break into their end, and if that is not an option just cross the red line and dump the puck in (then chase it, or get a line change). If your team mate has the puck and you are breaking out skate for open ice and try to get that lead pass.

If the other team has the puck in the neutral zone you are playing defense. You should be hustling to get back into position and get the puck from them / cause a turnover. Keep an eye on who has the puck, and where they might be skating to or who they might be passing to. If you see a potential passing lane try to block it.

I like to always think of the ice as lanes, lanes for them to skate and lanes for them to pass. I am always looking at the guy with the puck and thinking “what are his lanes, what are his options” I try to get in their lanes and take away options.

What about the faceoff?

For a winger you also have a role on the faceoff. When you faceoff you will be facing off against the other team. When you are on the face off both teams want the puck, but only one team can have it. This means your role during the face off is to either get the puck, or stop the other team from getting it. Talk to your centermen before the faceoff because he usually has a devious plan as to what he is going to do with the puck. Most face offs involve winning the puck back to the defensemen, when this happens your job is to tie up your man so your defensemen has time to make a play. Sometimes the centermen will pole the puck forward and have you pick it up with speed, or the centremen could tie up the other centermen and have you get the puck. This means you have to explode off of the hash mark and go right for the face off circle.

A wingers responsibilities on the power play

A power play means that the other team is playing with one less man on the ice. Your position does not change during the power play unless you have a set play with your team. When the other team is down a man they will play with two defensemen and two forwards, this means that on the faceoff there will one open spot. This means if you are on the open wing, and the centremen wins the faceoff to you, you will have some time to skate with the puck and set up a play.

Wingers duties on the penalty kill

When your team gets a penalty there will be one less man on the ice. This means that on the faceoff you need to pick a side to faceoff on. The proper side to faceoff on is the side closest to the center of the ice. If you were to faceoff on the side closest to the boards then the side closest to the center would be wide open, and give the other team more of an advantage if they win the faceoff.

When you are on the penalty kill you should think of your position more like another centermen. If the puck goes into the offensive zone either you or the centremen will go in after the puck, only one man should go deep into the offensive zone, while the other hangs back near the blue line.

When the puck is in the defensive zone most teams play in a box formation, this means your two defensemen will play down low, and the centermen and the winger play up high. The idea is your formation will look like a box, and you want to keep the other team outside of the box, and take away any passing or shooting opportunities.

If you have any other tips for positioning for forwards you can add them below. I will be adding positioning for the centermen and defence soon.

If you’re looking for more ways to improve your hockey skills, check out The Pond. The Pond is our all in one hockey training platform designed to continually challenge players. We provide you with the most efficient path to improve the skills you will use the most in game. Use coupon code TRYOUTS to get your first month 100% free!

The Role of a Centerman

Want to read more about hockey positioning? Check out our article for the role of a centerman

Photo Credit: Thumbnail – Dan4th Nicholas, Breakout – U16 Panthers, Faceoff – Michael Erhardsson, Penalty Kill – C Stein

In this article I will be going into detail about the roles and responsibilities of the Defensemen. I’m going to start by making it VERY simple, and then we’ll go into a little more detail based on zones.

The responsibilities of the defensemen

Your basic duties as a defensemen are to keep the other team from getting good shots on your goalie. There are many other roles you will play, but all of them lead back to this. A good defenseman will:

• Maintain good defensive positioning (stay between the puck carrier and the net)
• Battle in the corners
• Protect the front of the net
• Initiate breakouts from defensive zone
• Make clean crisp outlet passes
• Be a great skater (especially backwards)
• Have a good shot from a distance
• Control the play when the other team has the puck (angling, steering)
• Block shots
• Communicate well with team mates
• Evaluate the play and try to control the opponents moves
• Make quick decisions

This is a list of some of the main qualities of a good defensemen. Defense is a thinking position so if you like to hang back, read plays, and control decisions it may be for you.

Lets get into some more details of the positioning and duties in each zone

Defensemens duties and positioning in the defensive zone

The defensive zone is where all eyes are on the defense. Defense is played in pairs (left D and right D) and in the defensive zone it is crucial to work with your defensive partner and cover your own zone. The best scoring opportunities for the other team will happen when a defenseman is pulled out of position. There are two areas that the defense will find themselves the most. The corner, and in front of the net. Lets talk about the “zones” first

Check Zone, Support Zone and Net Zone

As a defenseman, these are the zones you need to know about. In this situation we will assume the puck is in the right corner (left corner in the picture, but right corner of the rink for the defensive team) The check zone is the area within 5 feet of the puck carrier, usually the defense plays in this zone. The support zone is about 5 – 15 feet from the puck carrier, usually the center stays in the support position. The net zone is about 10 feet out from the net, and we ALWAYS want at least one defenseman responsible for this area.

The Check Zone

When the puck goes into the corner, the defenseman responsible for that side should be the first on the puck. You need to get your feet moving fast and win puck races. If you can beat the other team to the puck and win possession you can start a breakout. Being first to the puck is very important for a defensemen, but if you’re not first then you need to know how to fight for the puck!

This is usually called the hit zone because it’s where you engage in contact with the puck carrier, but I’ve changed it to the check zone.

Why the Check Zone and not Hit Zone?

The hit zone suggests you are going to hit the player, but a check is not a hit. A check refers to angling, lifting a stick, poking the puck, pushing and contacting the player without throwing a full on body check. Not all leagues permit contact (a full body check) but even in “non-contact” hockey, a certain level of contact is allowed. It’s generally OK to push, shove, nudge, and bump for the puck, and this is what happens in the check zone. Keep your stance low and wide, get in the corner, lift sticks and tie up the puck carrier. Below is a rule you should memorize

Pressure or Contain?

Pro Tip – “If you can see the players eyes, contain them, if you see their numbers, or they bobble the puck, pressure them”

Contain – You don’t always want to go balls out to towards the puck carrier. This can leave you looking a little silly, especially if you’re going against a player who can control the puck well. If they have good possession, (or you don’t have good support) just contain them. Try to take away passing lanes, get your stick lined up with theirs so they’re always in a low percentage scoring area (don’t let them walk in front of the net), force them to make a pass (hopefully a bad one), or cause them to lose the puck (then you pounce). Good containment can lead to pressure.

Some coaches may prefer to always pressure, but this usually only works when everyone on your team can skate and check, and they all understand and play a system.

Pressure – This is when you leap into action in an attempt to get the puck. You have to think and act fast to decide when the right time to pressure is. Typically when you see the other players numbers, they can’t see you, so you should go in and surprise them quickly and try to strip the puck.

You can apply light pressure to players even when they are in possession, this is when you should be angling them and blocking passing lanes. There are two good ways to angle a player, you can angle them into a low percentage scoring zone or to their backhand. Most players are weaker on their backhand, so if you force them along the boards to only be able to make a pass out on their backhand, you increase the chance of them losing the puck or making a bad pass.

The last scenario when you can pressure hard is if the puck carrier loses the puck. Act quickly, tie up their stick, get good body position, and then grab the puck.

Here is a video that will help explain and demonstrate board play for defensemen.

The Support Zone

The defense will sometimes find themselves in this zone. You’ll be in a support position if you were NOT the first player on your team to the puck. Sometimes the centermen will get there first, that’s fine, let them battle and back off a bit to offer support. When in support you have two jobs, help out if needed in the corner AND have your head on a swivel to cover a player if needed. If your centermen loses the battle, it’s now your job to contain while the centermen recovers. This means their team has the puck and is looking to make a play, so you need to know where the open player is (the one your centermen normally covers) so you can stop a pass out to them.

You can rotate from the support zone into the hit zone – Your position is not set in stone. A good team knows when to swap spots. We DON’T want to have two players in the hit zone for too long, momentary 2 on 1’s are fine, but if a new team mate enters, the other should be ready to back off and enter the support zone.

The Net Zone

This is probably the most important zone for the defense. We always want one defense here, but it’s OK to have two in close proximity. Just outside of this zone is the high percentage scoring area. In the high percentage scoring area we want to always outnumber the opponent.

I have two simple rules for defensemen in front of the net. Head on a swivel, and don’t let the other teams sticks touch the ice. I see defensemen get pulled into the corner and unaware of an opponent that is now wide open in front of the net. With your head on a swivel you will recognize this threat, and stay assigned to your #1 role, protect the front of the net.

My second rule is to keep the other teams sticks off the ice. This rule is in place because many times a loose puck is bouncing around and both players go for it. If the forward on the other team gets to the puck first it could be in the back of the net, however if the defense plays the body and lifts the stick, he takes away the scoring opportunity. I know it’s not possible to ALWAYS lift the other players stick, but having that thought in your head helps you make better plays.

The Break Out

Breaking out of the defensive zone happens when your team regains possession of the puck and exits the defensive zone. Typically puck recovery happens deep in the defensive zone which leaves the defense in charge of initiating the breakout. We can’t always have a perfect breakout, but sometimes the situation allows for it and we can have a breakout formation (most commonly right after the puck is dumped in).

The biggest things to remember on the breakout are to make a hard and accurate first pass, support your defensive partner, and stay in good defensive position if the breakout fails.

The main types of breakouts are the rim, reverse, up, wheel, and over. For more details on the breakout and these formations you can read my article the 5 breakouts every hockey player should know

Defensemens duties and positioning in the offensive zone

The offensive zone is pretty simple. Keep the puck in, keep the other team from breaking out, and put the puck on the net. Of course there is more to it than that, but for the purpose of this article I’ll keep it fairly straight forward.

Playing with your partner

It is very important to play in tandem with your defensive partner in the offensive zone. If you are not moving together it opens up kinks in the armour, and can allow for some odd numbered rushes for the other team (2 on 1, 3 on 1, or GASP a breakaway). In addition to better defense, moving in tandem with your defenesive partner allows for more scoring opportunities and better D to D passes.

You can see that in the first three diagrams the defense moves together, and fairly evenly spaced. I’ve drawn a green line which marks the “safe zone”. Anywhere above this green line the defense generally has free roam. The positioning of the letters are not exact this is a general position and it can vary depending on the situation.

What to do when the defense pinches – It’s very important to understand what to do when your defensive partner pinches. You need to move to the center of the ice and retreat a little so you will be in a good position if the pinch does not work. Depending on the situation you may need to retreat out past the blue line in order to prevent a breakaway and keep it a 2 on 1. If you’re too aggressive it can lead to an opponent slipping behind you and getting a breakaway pass.

Keeping the puck in

You can use anything to keep the puck in. Your stick, hand (don’t close your hand on the puck, but you can bat it down) your feet, knees, or butt. The best way to stop a puck that is coming up the boards is to form a complete seal with your skate, legs, and backside, stop the puck, then play it with your stick.

When to retreat

You don’t need to always hold the blue line. If the other team gains clear possession of the puck, and is moving out of the zone with multiple passing options – retreat. It’s better to stay safe with a 3 on 2, rather than pinch and end up with a 3 on 1, 2 on 0  or breakaway.

Shooting the puck

As a defenseman your bread and butter is the slapshot, one-timer and wristshot. Typically you want the puck hard and low to make it through traffic. Your best scoring chances will come closer to the center, and closer to the net. You won’t score many right against the boards on the blue line! Take a few strides in if you can for a better scoring chance.

Some defensemen get the puck off the boards and then instantly shoot it. This is a bad idea for a few reasons, one you are further from the net, and it’s an easy save for the goalie, and two, it’s likely you will miss and have the puck rim hard around the boards and out of the zone, or into the corner away from the net. When you get the puck at least take a stride off the boards before getting your shot off. It allows you to evaluate a pass, get some momentum, and get into a better shooting position.

To give you an idea where some top NHL defensemen shoot from I’ve created these charts below. They show a heat map of shots and goals. I made one for regular strength, and one for the power play

You may be surprised to see shots from a defensemen all over the ice, but we do see some trends here. I’ve drawn some lines to show the area above the circles and you’ll notice most shots are taken from this area. This gives you a general idea as to where defensemen spend most of their time, but what about all the other spots? I have four comments about that

• These are NHL defensemen, they can afford to be a little more aggressive (it’s a game so I encourage you to deviate a little as well to find your playing style)
• Hockey is dynamic, so you never know where you might find yourself depending on the situation. Some of these may have been a quick dash to an open puck, a shot, then a return to their position
• Skilled players and skilled team mates allow players to rotate positions and deviate a bit more from their position. The better you are, the better your chance of scoring from anywhere on the ice. If you have great team mates you can take a rush, or carry the puck deep in the zone, because you know one of your team mates will cover you.
• The is offensive positioning, so in most cases the respective teams had good possession of the puck. If we had a heat map of the offensive zone when the other team had the puck, the map might look a little different.

Defensive Zone play in the Neutral Zone

The two most common scenarios for defensemen in the neutral zone are defending an attack after a breakout from the other team, or a regroup / counter after regaining possession in the neutral zone.

Defending the attack in the Neutral Zone

The enemy is advancing, what should you do? The answer is…. it depends. Let’s go through some scenarios

• The other team has poor possession, and not much support and your defensive partner is in good position – This might be a good time to make a move and try to strip the attacker off the puck early.
• The other team is breaking out with good support and possession – Typically the defense will retreat into the neutral zone and get into good defensive position to slow the attack. This gives the forwards a good opportunity to back check. Both defense will be inside the dots (see my defense 101 video for more details) and trying to maintain a good gap (see my 1 on 1 defense video for more details). Some coaches like you to stand the attacker up at the blue line and be aggressive, but others prefer to keep the players to the outside, let them gain the zone, angle them into the boards and hopefully initiate the breakout.
• The other team is breaking out, and your defensive partner is out to lunch – In this scenario you retreat while moving towards the middle of the ice, but shading towards the puck carrier. If you are caught too far to one side or the other it gives too much ice to the other team to make a play and get a breakaway.

Lets take a quick look at the picture above.

• D1 (closest to the puck, or first D back) is responsible for the puck carrier and closing the gap (space between him and the puck carrier). He’s attempting to angle the puck carrier to the outside by holding the inside of the ice. He will back into the zone, while closing the gap to attempt a forced dump in or shot from a distance from the net
• D2 is checking CHI71 his stick is in front to attempt to block a pass, but he also wants to have good body position to prevent CHI71 from easily getting past him and to the net uncontested. D2 is also holding the inside of the ice while retreating into the zone
• Notice D1 and D2 are both inside the dots (faceoff dot markings on the ice) to force opponents to the outside
• F1 (first forward back) is back checking hard to check CHI88. The responsibility of the first forward back is to pick off a man and basically ride him into the zone to take away a chance at a pass to the high man

The above is a good example of retreating to the neutral zone gone bad.

1. The opponent has good possession, this is a bad time to pinch because it could result in a 2 on 1 or 3 on 1 so both D retreat to establish their checks.
2. A good start to regaining possession.
3. D2 is puck watching and drifting from his check, F1 hasn’t established a check and is lost
4. D2 and F1 both decide to help D1 which leaves two opponents wide open (one is off screen) in a high percentage scoring area (Patrick Kane scores here)

Regrouping  and counter attack in the Neutral Zone

A regroup happens when your team recovers the puck in the neutral zone, regroups, and then initiates the attack. This can happen after intercepting a pass, taking the puck off the opposing team, or winning a foot race to the puck after a clearing attempt.

For a good regroup a defenseman should have good heads up awareness and be aware of his team mates on the ice. A common regroup play is to start with a D to D pass, so if you’re the defensemen without the puck GET OPEN. Using a D to D pass to initiate a regroup helps open up some ice, rather than trying to make a pass from the strong side where the other team has established their checks. Being able to skate backwards with your head up while handing the puck is a crucial skill to have for a successful regroup.

Regroup vs Counter

The difference between a regroup and a counter is the time it takes to move the puck up ice again. A counter attack happens very quickly and can result in more scoring chances. A regroup takes more time and requires the team to set up.

The faster you can move the puck up ice, the better chance you have to catch the other team by surprise and get a good scoring chance.

Defensemens role on the faceoffs

The defense play a very important role on the faceoff. A well planned faceoff can result in a quick scoring opportunity, but EVERYONE needs to know what their role is.

• In the offensive zone
  • Both defense should be in a position to receive the puck off the faceoff. Sometimes defense will switch spots on the faceoff to set up better for the one-timer. Be on your toes and ready to move because the puck won’t always come clean back.
  • If the faceoff is lost your job is pretty simple, just stay in a good defensive position as you normally would when the other team has the puck. If you’re the weak side defense (middle of the ice) you may need to haul ass over to the far boards. A common breakout play for the other team is to win the puck back, rim it hard for the winger, and the winger skates full tilt to pick the puck up. If you’re not ready, the other team may get a break away.
  • If the faceoff is won – The strong side defense (closest to the boards) typically receives the puck and makes a quick D to D pass.
• In the neutral zone
  • If the faceoff is won back to the defense the D will look for open players to move the puck up ice. Backwards skating is important to buy a bit more time. D to D passes are common
  • If the faceoff is lost play defense as normal
• In the Defensive Zone
  • If the faceoff is won we are looking to clear the zone quickly. Typically only one defenemen will be behind the “line of scrimmage” with all other players squaring up along the hashmarks. The center, defense, and winger will briefly tie up the other teams players, while the other winger will break for the weak side. Typically the defense will look to make a play to this breaking winger. The puck can also be moved up the strong side.
  • If the faceoff is lost one winger should be challenging the shooter, the defensemen who was lined up at the hashmarks will cover the net zone, and the defense who was closest to the boards will tie up a man and move into good defensive positioning.

In closing, as a defenseman you will be watching plays unfold, and controlling the flow of the game. You will direct and influence the other team when they have possession, and help your team initiate offense. You will battle hard, skate well, and communicate well with your team mates and defensive partner. Many defensemen enjoy stopping a player on the other team from scoring, just as much as a forward enjoys putting one in the net.

That’s all for now. If I missed anything or you have questions please let me know in the comments below. This is a live article so I will come back and tweak it from time to time based on suggestions and comments. Thanks for reading and sharing.

If you’re looking for more ways to improve your hockey skills, check out The Pond. The Pond is our all in one hockey training platform designed to continually challenge players. We provide you with the most efficient path to improve the skills you will use the most in game. Use coupon code TRYOUTS to get your first month 100% free!

Recap of Today’s Drills

1. Side to side Mohawk, stick handle
2. Slalom Mohawk, stick handle
3. Circle Mohawk, stick handle around the stick
4. Circle Mohawk, flip the puck over the stick
5. Figure Eight Mohawk, flip the puck over both sticks

There you have it folks, this is how you add some serious skill development to an already useful move, the Mohawk.

Free sample lessons from our off-ice skating course on The Pond

If you’re looking for more ways to improve your hockey skills, check out The Pond. The Pond is our all in one hockey training platform designed to continually challenge players. We provide you with the most efficient path to improve the skills you will use the most in game. Use coupon code TRYOUTS to get your first month 100% free!

Cardio Isn’t The Whole Deal

Lots of people will tell you that all you need to do to improve your speed is to run, or hit the bike. Those exercises are cardiovascular, meaning they work on exerting energy over long periods of time. Those kinds of exercises are great for improving your conditioning, and making sure you can play an entire game of hockey. They are helpful, but not for building speed. Hockey shifts are different than a full 60 minute game, however. In a shift, you want to go all out for 60 seconds, and then rest, so, we want to do some exercises that reflect that desire. We’re going to try and engage the fast twitch muscles, rather than the slow twitch muscles.

3 Things to Consider While Building Speed

1. Coordination
2. Balance
3. Speed

They are important, in that order. Without coordination, your body won’t be moving in one fluid motion, therefore, you’ll be losing speed, and balance. Without balance, you’ll be skating, and fall over. That’s no way to be fast. After you nail the first two, you can move onto actually building your speed. Let’s look at the drills that do just that.

1. Sprint
   Not your average sprint; you’re going to place your foot angled, like you would in a skate, and sprint as fast as you can for 10 seconds, then, jog back to where you started. Repeat.
2. Keeling Sprint
   Start on both your knees, jump to one knee, and go. This trains you to get speed from a deep knee-bend position, much like you would on the ice.
3. Backwards Kneeling Sprint
   Same drill, but you start facing the other direction, spin around, and go.
4. Falling Sprint
   Start from a standing position, feet less than shoulder width apart. Lean forward, until it feels like you’re about to fall on your face, and then sprint.
5. Lateral Sprint
   Starting from a slightly sideways position, sprint to a marker, bend over, touch the marker, run back. Feels like a beep test.
6. High Knee Skip
   A slow run, but with every step, you’re driving your knees into the air, and jumping.

 
You can watch me demonstrate all these drills in the video above. Once you’ve got these ones down, contact a strength coach, or a skating coach, to more completely develop your speed.

Why You Might Be Missing Passes

The way you grip your stick is incredibly important. We all know that’s the case for stick handling, and we’ve all made adjustments; however, it’s actually very important when you’re receiving passes as well. The grip that you have when you catch a pass in the perfect spot is great for that kind of pass, because it means the blade of your stick is flat on the ice. However, if you try to move your stick (while keeping that grip) far away, or close to you, you’ll notice the blade isn’t flat on the ice anymore. It’s going to be a lot harder to catch a pass like that.

Check out these two different grips I have when I’m catching a puck near my feet.

You can clearly see in the first picture that there is hardly any blade for the puck to hit on, meaning my chances of receiving that pass are a lot lower. When you widen your grip, and lower your stance a little, you can see that the blade is flat on the ice. That means there is a lot more of my stick for the puck to hit, and once it does, I’ll have a lot more control.

Another technique you can use is to actually roll your top hand forward. By doing that, the blade of the stick is (again) flush with the ice, meaning there is more area for the puck to rest in. Check out the video to see the demonstration.

Drills

There actually is some drills that you can do to put some work in on pass reception. It’s incredibly simple, actually, all you do is pass the puck (or ball) off an object that will bounce it back to you. If you have a teammate, a friend, or a parent who can pass you pucks, this works even better. All you want to do is practice having passes far out from your strong side, and into your feet, all while using these new techniques in order to receive those passes a lot crisper, and smoother.

The likelihood of you getting tape to tape passes all game, every game, is incredibly low; use these techniques to receive tough passes better and to continue the flow of offensive momentum in your game.

If you need more help with your passes I have a few more videos that should help

Avoid the Pokecheck

The first one is really easy. You drop your pile of pucks down, and then create an obstacle for yourself to shoot around. You want to pull the puck towards yourself, around the obstacle (treat it like a defenceman) so that you can still get a shot on net. Not only can this create a lane for you to shoot through, but it can also fool the goalie. Auston Matthews may be one of the best in the league at changing the angle before he shoots. Just look at this snipe where he fools the defense and goalie in one motion.

Here’s another beauty by Duchene

Notice how Matthews has his head up while pulling this move off. He needs to do this so he can ensure he finds a shooting lane, and the back of the net. While you’re practicing, try taking shorter and shorter looks at the puck. If you can feel where the puck is on your stick, it means you can have your head up even longer.

What’s also important here is to not always be shooting at the same side of the net. It’s natural to want to shoot at the left side of the net if you’re a right handed shot, and pulling into yourself. The goalie knows that about you, and will adjust based on what he sees. If you’re a right handed shot, do you best to vary your shot locations when you’re pulling in; try shooting at the right side of the net as well. Vice versa if you’re a left handed shot.

Make Your Own Lanes

Set up a few boxes, or whatever you have lying around, that can create a shooting lane for you. Obviously these are static lanes, so they’re not exactly like a game situation, but unless you have a buddy who’s willing to stand in front of you while you shoot through his legs, this is your best bet. Stand behind the boxes and try to pull that puck quickly to shoot in the different lanes. This gives you three different feelings as you shoot through three different lanes.

You can also start with the pucks on your backhand side, so that you have to reach for the pucks, choose and angle, and shoot all in under two seconds. This variation gives you more of a game situation feeling because you have to be constantly making adjustments. You can shoot on your forehand, your backhand, pull the puck across to shoot in the middle, whatever you feel like. There’s lots of options here.

Beat the Goalie

Again, a really easy drill. Grab some sort of obstacle (garbage can, cardboard box, your little brother) and shoot around it. But first, try this. Look at what part of the net is available to you from where you’re standing, once that obstacle is in place. Now, put your face down where the puck is. See the difference? Your puck has a different angle than your eyes do. Train yourself to see all the angles, including the one the puck sees. Here’s a full video I did explaining the shooters illusion

If you’re looking for more ways to improve your hockey skills, check out The Pond. The Pond is our all in one hockey training platform designed to continually challenge players. We provide you with the most efficient path to improve the skills you will use the most in game. Use coupon code TRYOUTS to get your first month 100% free!