Playing hockey at a high level demands an array of skills. The most important of those skills is skating. The best players are invariably the best skaters. This is best evidenced by the great exploits of Hall of Famers Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky. Players also need to spend time working on their shooting, passing, stickhandling and defensive skills
Skating
Players have to work on their skating to become effective hockey players. Skating with speed, balance, flair and confidence creates scoring opportunities and limits them for the opponent. To improve skating skill, start off at your own goalline and skate to the near blue line and back, the red line and back, the far blue line and back, and then the opposing end line and back. Skate at full speed. Take a two-minute break and then repeat the drill. To get in excellent shape, do this at the start and finish of every practice.
Shooting Skills
While a hard slap shot may draw screams from the crowd, an accurate wrist shot may be the most effective shot in the game. Great players can place wrist shots at any spot on the net, including the four corners. To help players shoot effectively and accurately, a cutout can be placed in the 4-foot by 6-foot goal with openings in the lower corners and the upper corners. Give each player 10 shots at the goal with the cutout in it to work on his shooting.
Passing Skills
Have players come over the center red line in line formation with the center carrying the puck, and the right and left wings on either side. In this drill, the center passes to the right wing, the right wing passes back to the center who passes it to the left wing. The left wing can shoot or pass the puck to either of his linemates for a shot on goal.
Stickhandling
To improve stickhandling, the coach can set up five cones past the center red line. As the player with the puck comes over the red line, he skates with the puck to the right of the first cone, the left of the second cone, the right of the third cone and continue in that manner until the player has passed all five cones. Then he returns in the same manner, passes the puck to the next player in line and that player does the same drill.
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