On-Ice

3 Breakout Drill

PURPOSE

This drill works on building the foundation of breakouts and regroups and aids in developing the related hockey sense.

SKILLS

Passing
Hockey sense

HOW TO

Coach at center ice, 3 forwards at center ice and one D just inside the blue line.
Coach dumps puck into the zone. The D retreats then gathers the puck. F1 gets to the boards, gets open, and takes breakout pass from D.
F1 skates out of the zone and passes to the coach. D follows play, transitions at the blue and retreats when the coach put the puck back in the zone.
F1 and now F2 release and get open for a breakout from the D. F1 & F2 breakout, making at least 1 pass between them, then pass to the coach. D follows play, transitions at the blue and retreats when the coach put the puck back in the zone.
F1, F2, & F3 go into the zone for the 3rd breakout. Making at least 2 passes between them before exiting the zone. All three carry through re-group and go in 3v1.

FOCUS

Getting open for multiple breakout scenarios and being ready for the pass.
There is no pressure, so they should be able to cleanly handle any puck to them.
PASS exiting the zone. 1F breakout – Pass from D to F. 2F breakout – 1 pass from D, 1 pass to other forward. 3F breakout – 1 pass from D, 1 pass from F1 to F2 and one pass from F2 to F3.

VARIATION

Add 2 D
Have 3rd breakout go full ice
Add pressure to breakouts

Swing to Net Support

PURPOSE

This is a simple passing drill that replicates a feed to the point, a cross ice swing (for either D to D in the zone or on a re-group) and then setting up inside for net front presence and support.

SKILLS

Passing
Systems (utilizing the points, regrouping)
Net front presence

HOW TO

Players split up into 4 lines – 2 corners and 2 blues with nests on short ends. Players in corners have pucks.
For example, player in left corner (player 1) chips the puck off the boards behind the net to the player at the near blue (player 2) and then skates in front of the net.
Player 2 swings to the other player at the blue (player 3), while player 1 wide curls in a regroup-like pattern.
Player 1 then curls toward the net, opens up to receive a pass from player 3. Player 3 makes pass and drives to net to support the play and get any garbage.

FOCUS

Becoming an option is critical. By this, player need to time their route and hip open to get into a shooting position.

3v3 Breakout

PURPOSE

Cross ice game for fun and hockey sense development. For this game, players must look to pass as well as score by making a breakout on puck possession changes.

SKILLS:

Passing
Skating
Hockey sense
Systems (breakouts)
Teamwork

HOW TO

Split into two teams, nets places cross zone. Puck is dumped in for 3v3 play.
Players must score on designated goal.
At change of possession, a player must carry the puck behind their net and “break out” to a teammate before they can go back on the attack.
As game progresses, coaches can add in passing parameters, or other game-like situations to overcome.

This small area game helps to force players to look up for the point and then get to the net for rebounds. For goalies, the shot is a relative constant, which allows them to focus more on playing the puck in traffic after the shot and reading screens, tips, and rebounds by minimizing the extra element of where a shot is coming from.

SKILLS

Team play
Utilizing defense to create scoring opportunities
Passing
Shooting
Skating

HOW TO

Divide the team into two groups. First three from each group line up at the blue line. Player 3 is the designated shooter – doesn’t have to be a D-man.
Player 1 from each group skates to edge of circle, player 2 skates to edge of circle twice, player 3 skates to center line and joins play.
Players must move puck in zone to their designated shooter for a shot. They can then tip or play rebounds (one-timers), but cannot stick handle the puck or the play resets.
Goalies rotate every 2-3
Coaches switch up skating parameters to add in conditioning and power skating elements.

FOCUS

Team play, team play, team play. By forcing the players to pass to one person to shoot, they must let go of that urge to do all themselves. As the shooter, the player must recognize that they are not only shooting to score, but to help their teammates score.

3v3 Release

PURPOSE

This game works on quick play as well as creating and using options in a team-first environment.

SKILLS

Passing

Shooting

Getting open/being and option

Creativity & hockey sense

HOW TO

Split team in half and nets cross ice at each circle hash marks.
Coach puts puck into play with one player from each team starting a 1v1.
Players must pass to the next player in line on their team to “release” them into play. Players can release up to a 3v3 situation.
On a goal (or if play goes on for an extended time and coach calls it), play resets to a 1v1.
Coach can add in pass or communication parameters.
For goalies, coach can take away their sticks to force better angles, positioning, and pad/rebound control.

Bull In The Ring

PURPOSE

V1 is a body contact drill as well as a skating/edge drill. V2 is much more about power drive and edge work.

SKILLS

Good body position
Balance
Strength and edge control
Competition

HOW TO

Two players enter a face off circle
On go or whistle, they sumo-style battle each other to try to push the other out of the circle
Allow players a minute or two and if it is a stale mate, swap out for the next pair

Three pucks on the edge of the circle in a triangle, 3 players inside a bit rope ring.
On go or whistle, all three players have to tug of war against the other 3 to get to their puck first

FOCUS

Getting low and into their edges with knees bent and chest up. This is critical for edge drive and safety in both variations

VARIATIONS

V1: Add cones that the players have to touch. They score a point for their team for each one and they must touch the one opposite from them. This teaches not only body contact, but containing space and heads up hockey sense – do you attack for the cone or play defense?
V2: Have the players in the ring tag the hand of a teammate. This can be safer, but also opens doors for cheating so make sure the players stay outside the circle.

Providence Transition Drill

PURPOSE

Screen tip rebounds transitioning to a break out and then back into a zone attack. The low zone part is a common play not only in standard offensive zone coverage (OZC) but also on an overload power play.

SKILLS

Working the half wall for OZC and overload powerplay
Using the points to create space and traffic generating scoring opportunities
Crashing the net, screens, tips, and rebounds
Transitioning (and reading play) from slot to a quick breakout
Regrouping to a zone entry
2v2 containing and creating space for a scoring opportunity

HOW TO

Two lines in the low corners with pucks, two D up top.
Line 1 starts backwards quick passes and receives puck back, transitions to forwards, then passes to point
1 goes to net while D1 swings to D2 who shoots for a screen-tip-rebound (STR).
1 stays in front of the net while D shifts and line 2 starts from the other side with the same pattern.
After the STR shot from 2, one of the players (coach can decide or players choice to encourage creativity) goes low and gets a breakout pass from one of the lines, other player fills gap.
Forwards go out of the zone and re-group while D takes a few backwards strides, transitions 180, and takes 2v2 rush into the zone.

FOCUS

Passes need to be quick and accurate, this is not a stick handling, dangling drill so there should be NO DELAY in moving the puck
D needs to make sure they are shifting. Younger or inexperienced D will want to stay wide, which makes this play vulnerable in a real game situation.
Screen-tip-rebound – make sure someone has a rear in front of the goalie, sticks down and ready, and D making tippable shots

VARIATIONS

Coach can play a puck out instead of getting one from a line
Have goalies get a puck from behind the net to start the break out
Instead of re-grouping, go full ice 2v2 to the other end. This still works on a zone entry, but more from a rush perspective than a calculated re-group.

3 Pass Drill

PURPOSE

This simple drill, often used for warm-ups, is great for working on simple one-touch passing in motion, and sets up concepts of regrouping.

SKILLS

One touch passing in motion
Reading passes and communicating for passes
Mimics a basic regroup pattern

HOW TO

Split into four lines at each blue.
1 & 3 go at the same time (2 & 4 together as well). For explanation purposes, I’ll only explain the route of #1 as it is mirrored in the other groups.
1 skates forward with the puck and passes to line 4 and gets the puck back.
1 continues in a wide arch and passes to 3 on the swing and gets the puck back.
1 then passes to 2 for an on-side give & go, then drives to the net.
If this is a warm-up or early drill, have them shoot from farther out.

FOCUS

Good passing concepts: passing angle, giving a good target, calling for the pass, and leading the pass
Carrying the puck with speed between each player not stick handling

VARIATIONS

Can have 2 or 3 players release from each line. Coach decides who passes and receives puck back (usually first will pass, second receive, then puck carrier/2nd passes and original receives, etc.)
Can work from only one set of corners and opposite corners become trailers, so 1 runs passing route, then after the give & go from 2, 2 becomes a trailer. With this, 2 could also receive a pass from a coach for a second shot/STR
Compress the drill into one zone. Patterns are similar, just a much smaller area making passing more crucial

Quick Pass 1v1

PURPOSE

Passing with pressure and finding time & space.

SKILLS

1v1 battles
Containing and creating space
Quick passing and moving to be an option
Tape to tape passes

HOW TO

Players around circle with 2 players inside.
Players on the inside must battle for the puck. Once someone has possession, they must make 3 clean passes (or designated number) with players on the outside of the circle. They cannot pass to the same person twice (or twice in a row depending on numbers).
Other player is trying to intercept and then make their passes.
Once the 3rd pass is successfully made, the inside and receiving outside player immediately switch spots and that new player starts with possession.
Players on the outside can move, within reason, around the perimeter, but they cannot step inside or cut through the circle unless they are part of the completion of passing requirement.

FOCUS

Quick passes and moving feet to create space in a small area.
Puck protection to retain possession.
Heads up play to see your options.

VARIATIONS

Add players
Add/change passing requirements – quantity, type (forehand, backhand, saucer), pattern (every other person, opposite sides)

Advanced 3-Shot Mustang

PURPOSE

For skaters, this is a quick shooting, rebounding and skating drill with ample opportunities for variations. For goalies, this is a great drill for tracking movement coming from the corners, working on post lock-ups (and recovering to/from posts), and controlling/tracking rebounds.

SKILLS

Passing in transition mimicking board play in OZC and PP/PK situations
Working on net-front presence for a quick scoring opportunity
For goalies, working on post lock and drive situations

HOW TO

Player 1 starts backwards and passes to next player in line (2) and gets puck back. They transition to forwards around cone between blue and top of circle, drives to high slot for shot.
Then player 1 gets in position to rebound for player 2’s shot.
Immediately after player 1 shoots, player 2 starts backwards passing to next person in line (3), receives puck back, transitions to forwards around middle cone, then drives net to shoot.
Player 2 then goes to the front to rebound for 3.
Immediately after the shot, player 3 drives around low cone and either shoots or passes to one of the players in front.
Goalie should focus on tracking puck through shot and quick game-like recovery back to their post to track the next shot.

FOCUS

Player 1 should look to take a mid-range shot, not drive too low or look to deke the goalie out of their pads. This is a shooting drill not a stick handling/deke drill!
Player 2 needs to focus on the shot, not look for the backside read. They are looking to either score on their SHOT (again, not a deke drill) or create a juicy rebound.
Player 3 is looking for options. If the goalie gives short side by cheating to the slot, then take that shot, otherwise look for the options out front. Emphasize with players to not be selfish, even though that short side, top shelf goal may look pretty.
For goalies, post lock ups and recovery is the focus. Be sure to pace the drill correctly so that goalies can get back to their post between reps. This is as much a player shooting drill as it is a goalie drill.

VARIATIONS

Add a rebounder for player 1 to work on adjusting the shooting angle in the slot.
Add a defender
For goalies, have them only use certain save selections or movements like butterfly slides, lateral adjusts, or stay on feet 100%.