Global drill library

The 2 v 1 Preds drill from Jim Midgley focuses on quick offensive plays around the net, tracking habits, and transition offense. The drill begins with a tight 2-on-1 play down low where forwards try to create a quick scoring chance. Immediately after the play, one forward tracks back to pressure the coach and regain possession, leading into a regroup and a long 2-on-1 rush back up the ice. Setup - The drill can be run out of both ends of the rink. - Two forwards begin low in the zone with one defenseman defending. - A coach is positioned higher in the zone to initiate the tracking portion of the drill. - The drill is whistle controlled by the coach. How It Works - On the whistle, the two forwards attack the defenseman in a tight 2 v 1 down low. - The forwards can use a quick exchange, scissor play, or short pass to create a scoring chance. - The goal is to make a quick play to the net and get a shot. - After the play, one forward immediately tracks back to pressure the coach and attempt to steal the puck. - The other forward works to get back inside the ice and support the play. - If the forwards regain the puck, they pass to the defenseman who quickly regroups the puck back to the forwards. - The forwards then attack up the ice in a long 2 v 1 rush against the original defenseman. Key Concepts - Quick offensive plays around the net - Tracking and puck pressure - Transition play - Regroup habits - 2-on-1 rush decision making

The 2 on 2 Long Transition drill from Jason Lammers focuses on pushing players out of their comfort zones to improve speed, decision-making, and transition play. The 2 on 2 Long Transition emphasizes breakout passes, backchecking, and offensive and defensive transitions. Setup - Players: Divide into two teams (e.g., White and Black). - Starting Positions: Two White players and two Black players start on the ice for a 2 on 2 scenario. The remaining players from each team line up below the hash marks on their respective sides of the ice. - Two White players and two Black players start on the ice for a 2 on 2 scenario. - The remaining players from each team line up below the hash marks on their respective sides of the ice. Execution - Initial Play: The drill begins as a 2 on 2. The offensive team attempts to create plays and score, while the defensive team works to get the puck and pass to their teammates along the boards. - Transition: When the breakout pass is made from the defensive team to their teammates along the boards, one teammate stretches out as a passing option, and the other two players that were on offense, now backcheck. - Rotation: The new pair from attacks, while the original forwards now backcheck. The drill is continuous and the players that backcheck and are on defense work to pass to their teammates in line. Variations - Adjust the number of players to create 3 on 3 or 4 on 4 scenarios. - Can make this drill cross ice (as shown here).

This one on one drill focuses on an area of the ice where a lot of turnovers occur. Being able to transition quickly will help generate scoring chances. This drill sets players up in a situation where the sole purpose is to have them keep moving their feet as they enter the zone, fighting through the check if they have to. Setup - This can be set up as a full ice (as shown in the video), or half ice on both sides, or as a station drill. - The drill is set up with the pucks and coaches in the middle of the ice at about the edge of the center face-off circle with pucks. The extra players are inside the center circle out of the way. The forward starts on the blue line along the wall and the defense start on the blue line just inside the dots. - On the whistle, both players skate up to the red line and stop. The forward calls to receive a pass from the coach (or another player) and the defense transitions backwards... then the danger zone starts! - Variation: If the defense is getting beat too often, you can have them stop or pivot backwards in between the blue line & center line, which will give them a bit of a head start on the forwards. Forward Options - Outside Option: The first is to use their speed and gain the zone to the outside. If the defense is able to play them at the blue line then they can give themselves a soft chip inside the zone and keep their feet moving through the check. - Middle of Ice Option: If the defense does not do a good job at the blue line and allows the forward to enter the zone with space then the forward can cut to the middle of the ice. It is important that the forwards get the puck down deep into the zone in this situation. - Get Creative! Anything goes! Change up your skating speed and tempo, use deceptive moves with your body and puck control to get the defenceman off balance, etc. Have fun and work to survive the danger zone! Defense Coaching Points - This 1 on 1 drill is for a very specific part of the ice. More 1 on 1 situational drills can be viewed on our 1 on 1 hockey drills page.

Retrieve the puck under pressure and immediately play a give-and-go to get out of the zone with speed.

Rims happen every game; what you do after the retrieval creates the offense. This drill develops collecting a rimmed puck, attacking with speed, beating the pressure and getting to the net for a quality scoring chance.

This drill is a quick offensive drill for forwards to work on their stick lifts, timing, and attack. - SETUP: Setup - This is a neutral zone drill, there should be one net on the red line with its back towards the wall. One player on each side of the bottom of the circle ready to receive a pass. - Two lines of players in line with the posts with a pile of pucks nearby. There is only one player ready with a puck per rep. - HOW THE DRILL WORKS: Setup - To start the drill that player going first will make a pass vertically to the player across from them. They will then attack, stick lift, and take the puck and make a pass back to their own line. - After passing back to their own line, the player who received the pass will pass it laterally to the first player in the other line. While this is happening the player doing the drill swings and turns towards the middle to catch the puck from the player who has the puck. - After receiving the puck, the player then attacks the player vertically across from the line they started in and pulls the puck to the outside, making sure they are protecting it with their back and hips and then once they get around the player, they take the puck in and shoot. - COACHING POINTS: Setup - In this drill it is important that the players focus on showing good targets for all of their passes including some communication. They should also make sure that they are being strong and quick in their stick lifts.

The Box Game from Brad Flynn is a small area game that works on quick decision making, transitions, give & goes and net front play. Setup - Teams line up at the blue line. - Coach dumps a puck in the corner, which starts an in zone 2 on 2. - The 3rd person in each line jumps into the zone at the point and they are the "slide player" at the blue line. They are allowed to go to the boards, to the coach. The slide player can pass or shoot. - Anytime there is a change of possession, the team that got the puck must pass to their slide player and work to get open, or get to the front of the net. - Part 2 progression option: Coaches can move the slide players up to the tops of the circle, so there is a smaller amount of space, which will require quicker decision making and give the slide players more opportunities for quick shots to the net. Variations - Can reduce the playing area as shown in the video - Can make this a 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 game.

This is a neutral zone drill that is great for players to work on reading the pressure and quickly escaping to create offensive opportunities. - SETUP: Setup - To set up this drill, there should be a net on the red line with its back towards the wall. A coach off to the side of the circle with a pile of pucks and a line of players starting at the middle dot. - There should be two tires just off of each post and the first defensive player should be just in between those tires. - HOW THIS DRILL WORKS: Setup - To start the drill, the coach will pass a puck to Player 1 whom is in between the two tires and they will pass it to the first player in line (Player 2). - Player 2 will turn their back to Player 1 who is then picking a side and applying pressure to Player 2. Player 2 will read which side the pressure is coming from and then escape out and around the tire to take a shot. - Player 1 then becomes Player 2 and Player 2 goes back into line. - COACHING POINTS: Setup - The main piece of this drill is that the players are reading which side the pressure is coming from and then as quickly as they can escape around the tire to create a quick offensive scoring chance.