Skating

Escape Wheel

PURPOSE

Escaping with stops/starts and power turns in a small area. This helps set up nicely for teaching cycling and overload power play situations.

HOW TO

Player 1 from corner curls wide around circle with puck.
At top of the circle they make a full, hard stop away from the net and “escape” back toward the board side.
- THIS IS NOT A POWER TURN!
At the low hash mark they will wheel (power turn) toward the boards.
- THIS IS NOT A STOP!
As they break the top of the circle they will make a give & go pass with the next player in line for a quick (hopefully one-time) shot on net.
Drill can be run out of both sides alternating, or one side then switch.

FOCUS

Starts/stops and power turns are two crucial but very different skills. Players need to be able to use both at any time effectively.
The shooting portion of this drill requires timing. Too soon and there’s too much gap. Too late and there isn’t enough. The pass needs to be crisp and in the shooting range of the skater with understanding of the shooting hand of the skater and their presented target.

Top Side Stitch

PURPOSE

Quick, tight, controlled turns while maintaining or generating speed.

HOW TO

Players start in one corner and skate towards the far face off dot. They make a tight power turn around the far side of the dot and come back to the near face off dot.
Skaters repeat the zig-zag pattern all the way down the ice, always on the “top” side or far side of the dot.

FOCUS

Roll ankles into the turn, keep a solid base with deep knee bend, drive around with hands/stick, and exit with a cross over to regain speed.
Keep as tight to the dot as possible. If the player is taking a wide berth, look at how far they are rolling their ankles and their hockey stance basic stance. Strength, balance, and confidence all play a roll as well.

VARIATIONS

With pucks
Always backwards
In transition

Red Line Blue Line

PURPOSE

Classic conditioning drill that incorporates starts and stops

HOW TO

Split players into lines.
Skate to center red line then to near blue line, then far blue, to center red, and finish at far goal line.

FOCUS

Long skating strides with quick hard stops and efficient lateral take-offs.

VARIATIONS

Backwards
In transition
With pucks
Knee drops at each line to work on falling and getting back up

1/2 Ice Overspeed

PURPOSE

Technical skating drill working on generating and maintaining speed. Also great for effective game-ready conditioning.

HOW TO

Player starts in corner and skates a figure 8 around the near zone face off circles.
Then heads up ice and does as many power turns between the near blue and center read line as they can. There should be no less than 6 turns (3 each way).
Proceed back down the boards into the opposite corner from where they started

FOCUS

Players should feel like they are on the edge of falling with each stride pushing them faster.
There should be little to no gliding at any point.

VARIATIONS

With pucks
Always backwards
In transition

Overspeed

PURPOSE

Technical skating drill working on generating and maintaining speed. Also great for effective game-ready conditioning.

HOW TO

Player starts in corner and skates a figure 8 around the near zone face off circles.
Then heads up ice and does as many power turns between the far blue and center read line as they can. There should be no less than 6 turns (3 each way).
Proceed into the far zone and finish with a half Russian around the far face off circles, ending in the corner opposite the corner they started.

FOCUS

Players should feel like they are on the edge of falling with each stride pushing them faster.
There should be little to no gliding at any point.

VARIATIONS

With pucks
Always backwards
In transition

1/2 Ice Andover 1v1

PURPOSE

Quick escape and angling.

HOW TO

Same as full ice Andover 1v1 but compressed into a much smaller space. Cones are used to designate the “center” ice area.

FOCUS

With the compressed space, angling and getting into a players lane quickly is magnified. Make sure players are not cutting the circle or driving too directly to the net as the intent is still to force a player wide and contain.

Escape Turns

PURPOSE

Technical skating drill for quick stops, starts, and evasive maneuvering.

HOW TO

Line up cones in a slightly staggered pattern the length of the ice. Ideally, you will need enough cones for at least 3 lines to maximize reps and ice time.
Players start by skating up to the first cone and stopping facing away from the cone.
Player “escapes” away from the cone (the bottom side of the cone) using 1-2 cross over strides and goes to next cone.
Second cone they stop on the opposite side, escape away and skate to the next cone. Continue the pattern to the end of ice.

VARIATIONS

Add pucks for stickhandling
Add puck with board pass (passer/rebounder) on the escape

Full Ice Butterfly

PURPOSE

Long skating stride and cross overs. Not a technical skate, but good for conditioning and reinforcing proper stride technique.

HOW TO

Players start from one corner and skate up boards and then curve inward to skate on the inside of the face off dots.
The curve back outward at the second dot and around the bottom of the face off circle.
Player proceeds up through center ice and around the bottom of the opposite corner face off circle.
Curve inward to go on the inside of the far face off dots and back out to go around the face off circle.
Finish drill by skating through center ice and toward original corner.

FOCUS

Long strides and cross overs.
Make sure players keep their head up when crossing at center ice.
Send players 2+ at a time.

VARIATIONS

With pucks
Always backwards
In transition

2v2 Back Check

PURPOSE

This drill serves two primary purposes: skating conditioning and back checking with intent. Puck play/shooting is a side effect.

HOW TO

Players line up in all four corners. Two corners with pucks.
To start, 1 and 2 take off on a 2v0 to the opposite end, passing the puck back and forth. Ideally, they should make 3 passes before getting to the opposite end.
Once a shot is taken, 3 & 4 start the other way. 1 & 2 tag the goal line and then back check 3 & 4.
Once 3 & 4 get a shot off, the pattern starts again from this end with 3 & 4 back checking.

VARIATIONS

Add a 3rd forward to each end and have them weave to the far end, then all out back check.

TIPS & HINTS

Make sure players are picking up an offensive player, not just skating to the other end.
Make sure players play to the end. If the play is broken up in the neutral zone, have all players skate to the goal line to trigger the next line to go.
If players are going hard, they should be practically begging for a water break after 3 reps.