Understanding Your Edges: 6 Edge Work drills to Improve Balance and Control

In order to be a great skater you need good balance. New hockey players are usually off balance, bow-legged, stutter stepping and some look like they just finished riding a horse for 6 hours. Why do new hockey players look so out of place on the ice? Because they don’t have good edge control. Learning […]

The post Understanding Your Edges: 6 Edge Work drills to Improve Balance and Control appeared first on How to Hockey: Hockey Training and Hockey Tips.

1 v 1 Drill Section Added to Site

From time to time you need to run 1v1 drills to work on those skills. Every player needs to know how to defend the 1v1 and how to create offense during the 1v1. Here is a selection of drills that I use throughout the course of the year to work on the 1v1 skills. As I stated in a prior post, I don’t allow my forwards to use the move where they put the puck between a defenders legs and try to go around him to pick it up again. In these drills I want my forwards to work on power moves to either the inside or the outside and to also use the defender as a screen and shoot through their legs. I also insist that they continue to work hard to the front of the net and look for rebounds. For the defensemen I want them to try and keep the rush to the outside whenever possible and to concentrate on the chest of the offensive player. My philosophy on defending the 1v1 is that the defensive player’s job is to ride the offensive player to the outside or off the puck and the backchecker should be there to pick up any loose pucks. Too often you see the defender look down at the puck to try and make a play and the offensive player goes right around him because of that look down. Keep your eyes on the chest and feel for the puck with your stick.

The one downside to running 1v1 drills is it causes a lot of standing around because only two players are working at the same time or four if you go in both directions, so be sure to make the drills run quickly and have the players clear the front of the net as soon as they are finished. I hope you find these drills helpful.

1 v 1 Drills Section

Using your Edges in Dekes – NHL Examples

When you you get a chance to go one on one with a goalie you want to make sure you use all the tools in your tool box in order to be more deceptive. It seems many hockey players forget about their skating and edge-work when they try to beat the goalie. Sure it’s important to have good hands when you deke, but if you incorporate some edge-work into your dekes you can be a lot more deceptive and score more goals.

Good Use Of Edges in Dekes

I recently uploaded this video breakdown to the How To Hockey Youtube channel. The actual deke is paused for the first 30 seconds while I set it up.

Wolski Deke Breakdown

• Wolski approaches from his shooting side, giving the goalie the constant threat of a shot
• He throws out a quick pump fake, keeping the goalie on his toes. If the goalie bites on this pump fake Wolski could easily beat him to the far post, but the goalie stands strong
• Next Wolski cuts to the far post, forcing the goalie to slide across
• Once the goalie slides across Wolski uses his edges to nearly stop, shift his momentum back to the other side of the net, and easily put the puck into the open side of the net.

NHL Examples

Nick Bonino pulled out this beauty a few nights ago against Mike Smith.

Bonino Deke Breakdown

• Bonino approaches almost straight on Mike Smith, just a little to his shooting side. He carries the puck in front of him to start, but then moves it to his shooting side when he gets closer
• When he gets close to the crease Bonino fakes a move to the far post, which sends Smith sliding
• Almost instantly after the fake to the far post Bonino uses his edge to slow down and cut to the other side of the net, giving him a lot of room on his shooting side to score.

Teemu Selanne – Uses his edges a little differently here, he’s pulled this move a few times in Shootouts

 Selanne Deke Breakdown

• Selanne approaches the goalie with a lot of speed, this forces Kiprusoff to back up into the net. If the goalie does not back up at a similar speed to the skater than the skater only needs one quick move to get behind the goalie and score. In other examples the goalie gets even further back than Kiprusoff
• Selanne reads that Kiprusoff is backing up and then uses his edges to slow right down. This buys him a lot of time to decide where to shoot, and because the goalie has backed up he can see more net to shoot at
• Selanne pauses for a second, and then Kiprusoff tries to poke check him, this puts Kiprusoff in a bad position, and Selanne easily shoots the puck over his glove hand.

More moves dekes, and Examples

Another good example of edge-work in a deke is the Datsyukian deke which I explained a few months back. Of course you also need some pretty good hands (and some practice) to pull this one off, but the hardest part of executing the Datsyukian deke is using the edge of the front foot.

If you want to learn the fundamentals of every move you can pull on a goalie, when to use them, and 20+ shootout / breakaway moves you can check out my Goalie Buster training course. I compiled a comprehensive list of pro shootout moves, organized them all into categories, and then shot over 2 hours of on-ice videos explaining each one.  I currently still have the summer special price so take advantage of the lower price As usual if you don’t learn anything I will give you your money back.

Thanks for reading – Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube Channel, and Blog (with the box below) to continue to improve your hockey skills.

Patrick Kane is in my Room (and could be in your’s too!)

Are you a diehard hockey fan? Perhaps you are a diehard hockey player and want a little inspiration, or to feel closer to the pro’s. If this sounds like you then you may be interested in a very cool product from “FatHead” at HockeyShot.com.

Full Review of the Patrick Kane FatHead Decal

Browse the Selection on HockeyShot: Fathead Decals
$10 Coupon code for purchases over $100 – HOWHCKY001
More players and sizes are available on Amazon


What are FatHeads?

FatHeads are wall-sized decals of NHL hockey players. If  you are not a fan of Patrick Kane there are many other players available, players like Pavel Datsyuk, Sidney Crosby, Chara, Rask, and many many more.

How to Install the FatHead decals

The decals are very easy to install (just make sure it doesn’t stick to itself). I found the instructional video from FatHead to be pretty entertaining so I decided to include it below.

If you want to check out the selection of decals available at HockeyShot you can visit the link below

Browse the Selection on HockeyShot: Fathead Decals
$10 Coupon code for purchases over $100 – HOWHCKY001
More players and sizes are available on Amazon

Picture Time!

Defensive Drill Needed

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Defensive Drill Needed

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Robert Morris Head Coach Derek Schooley Brings Us Another Drill

Last week Coach Schooley gave us the Raider Passing drill and today he offers us Canadians Reverse 1 on 1. Last night at practice I ran this drill along with a few others that are designed to work on 1 on 1 skills. This drill works on communication between the defensemen as well as defending the 1 on 1 rush. It works best with six defensemen but can work just as well with four or five also. Make sure D2 is talking to D1 and calling for the reverse. Don’t allow the D to just make the pass without the communication aspect of the drill. The D need to get used to talking to each other in practice so they can do it properly in a game. With the forwards make sure you make them use different attack options during the rush. I don’t allow my players to try the move where they put the puck between the defenders legs and try to get around them during this drill. I want the forwards to work on a power move down the wall if the D has a tight gap, or if the D has a loose gap use him as a screen and fire a shot through his legs at the goaltender. I think it’s important for a forward to have a few moves they can use so forcing them to practice specific moves during this drill will help to make them a more well rounded player. We all know that come game time they are very likely to just try and put the puck between the legs of the defender but if they practice a few other moves maybe they will attempt it during a game.

I hope you find this drill useful, I know it worked well for my team.

Here are two other drills that work on 1 on 1 situations.

Brownie Quick-Up 1×1

123 Flow

Canadians Reverse 1on1

Click to Download the Drill

Your Guide to buying Hockey Equipment Online

Since Christmas is only a few weeks away I thought it would be fitting to write an article on how to get good deals on hockey equipment. From my own experience and the feedback from many hockey players throughout USA and Canada I have compiled a list of good places to buy hockey equipment online.

Looking for a bargain? Where to Find Cheap Hockey Equipment

Hockey Monkey

One of the first places I look is Hockey Monkey, more specifically the Hockey Monkey clearance section. If I’m just looking for a good deal on something, I will check the clearance section. If you are looking for newer hockey sticks the pro stock section of sticks is a good place to save money on the newer models.

Total hockey

Total hockey is another popular online hockey store and they have a lot of great promotions. If you visit their homepage you will see their most recent promotions (like free shipping, or special sales) and I also recommend you visit their sales page. If you visit that page you will see all their products, sorted by best deals!

List of Online Hockey Equipment Stores

There are a few popular sites that you might want to visit to look for deals, here is a list of the most popular hockey equipment stores

1. Hockey Monkey – Use coupon code HOCKEY7 for 7% off site wide (expires 12/31/2013)
2. Total Hockey – Free shipping on orders over $50
3. Ice Warehouse
4. Hockey Giant
5. Hockey Supremacy (for Canadians)

Warning to Canadians: many of the major retail brands like Easton, Bauer, CCM, and Reebok will NOT ship from the USA to Canada. If you live in Canada you pretty much can not order hockey equipment online unless it is from a Canadian retailer. Your best bet is to shop in stores or use some of the tips below

Buying Used Hockey Equipment Online

Buying used hockey equipment is a great way to save money, especially if you are new to the game and don’t want to spend too much money. Another tip I got from a friend who lives in the city is to buy used hockey sticks. He said he gets brand new sticks for cheaper than retail and doesn’t pay tax. Here are some places to look

In your local area

• Craigslist (for Americans)
• Kijiji (for Canadians)
• Play it Again Sports – They have locations all over Canada and USA, new and used equipment with a good selection
• Ask around your arena – If you need some gear ask other players on your team, or if you are just starting put an ad up at your local arena. Hockey players always have extra equipment laying around that they haven’t bothered to sell.

Online

• Ebay – This is a good spot to look for higher end gear that people bought and then didn’t like. If you are buying expensive skates make sure you’ve tried them on in the store first and know they fit properly

What should you buy new and what should be bought used?

This largely depends on how picky you are, but I think we can all agree that you should buy your jock new 🙂  The important part of buying hockey equipment is finding the right fit. If you can find used hockey equipment that fits right then almost everything can be bought used.

I prefer buying helmets new because they are protecting your head so you should get the best fit and protection you can afford. Old helmets may not perform as well as they did when they were new and with used equipment you might not find the right fit for your noggin.

Tips for Buying Hockey Equipment Online

If you are going to buy online you want to make sure that your equipment will fit properly first. Most stores like Hockey Monkey and Total Hockey have sizing charts, consult those for figuring out what equipment will fit you. It helps if you know your chest size, waist size, arm length, and so on.

Another recommendation is to try equipment on in stores first. This is especially true if you are a newer player. I strongly recommend trying on hockey skates before you buy them as proper fit and comfort is very important. You can always try them on in stores and then shop around online. For equipment like shoulder pads, and pants, sticks, jerseys, jocks, and neck guards you should have no problem figuring out your size online. I’m particular about gloves, skates, and helmet so I would try those on in the store first

(edit – The tip to try on equipment in stores is mostly for the new players who don’t know how things feel and fit. I wouldn’t recommend a new player buy gear online until they have tried some on and know what they like and don’t like in general. Go to a store, pick stuff up, squeeze it, feel it, flex it, try it on, get a feel for what you like. Buy it if you like it, but it gives you buying power and more confidence when shopping either in the store OR online!)

• If you can, get familiar with the equipment in the stores first so you know how the gear feels
• If you know what brands you like you can use sizing charts online to ensure you get the right size
• Shop around for the best price, if you want newer hockey sticks look for pro-stock sticks at good discounts

What if it Doesn’t Fit Right?

Most companies do have a pretty good return policy. If you get a piece of equipment that does not fit right you can send it back right away for a refund, or for the proper size.

The only exception for this is with some of the clearance and sale items. If you are making a big purchase then be sure to check the return policy before you check out so you know the conditions.

Did I miss anything?

If you have any tips please leave them in the comments section.

Half-Ice Practice Plan

I get a lot of requests for half ice drills because so many teams are sharing ice to save money. My team practices once each week on shared ice so I thought I would post one of my practice plans for a half ice practice so you can see the type of drills I run with my team. Keep in mind I coach a Tier I Midget 16 team so my needs may be different from yours. I am a huge fan of small area games and I allocate around fifteen minutes of every practice to running different small area games. I start all my practice sessions with five minutes of  informal skating and stick handling then I go into a drill to warm-up the goaltenders. Take a look at the plan, maybe it will give you a few ideas to help with your half ice sessions.

Half Ice Practice Plan

Update: I will add additional half ice practice plans to the Half-Ice Drill section of the site as the season goes along.

Prepare for Hockey Games with the G24 app (or website)

I commonly get asked about the best way to prepare for hockey games. There is a lot to cover with pre-game preparation and as each player is unique there is no “perfect” method, however there are many best practices and tips that will help everyone.

When it comes to preparing for hockey the biggest areas you should know about are nutrition, physical prep, and mental prep. At a young age preparation is important to prepare hockey players for games and also help them create good habits. For competitive hockey players proper preparation is very important as every little edge can help make a difference in the game. For recreational hockey players preparation will help reduce injuries, improve performance, and also reduce soreness after games. I will break down the points above in more detail below the video.

How the G24 app and website works

What I like about the app

I really like this app because it provides a very good base for pre-game preparation. It provides a lot of information about nutrition, physical prep, and mental prep.

I also really like the insight from the pro’s. Sure they don’t have all the big-name players, but every pro gives good advice and these guys are playing the most competitive hockey in the world.

How to access the content

You can access the content through their app, or through their website. The app is only available on Apple products, however you can create an account on their website and access all the content on any device with an internet connection.

Is the app free?

Yes the app is free, and so is an account on their website, however to get access to the pro advice you will have to pay. The players are $5 each or you can pay for unlimited access for 6 months or 1 year which works out being much cheaper.

Downsides to the app

I love the information and the app so finding a downside was tough. Some might find the price of each player a bit costly, but you can get the yearly subscription.

Something else I noticed is that some advice from the pro’s might not carry over to the rec or minor league player. For example many players suggest eating a full meal 20 minutes after a game with Salmon and vegetables, however I’m lucky to get home by midnight after some games and I’m not about to prepare and eat a full meal at midnight.

I found all of the information very informative, and you can use as much or as little as you would like depending on how seriously you take your games. I think most rec level players will benefit the most from physical preparation and stretching.

Where to get the App / Content

If you have an Apple mobile device you can download the app here. If you want to access the content through your computer you can visit the G24 website and create an account.

More Information about Preparing for Hockey

Be sure to follow this blog as I will be posting a detailed article about hockey preparation very soon.

I recently read a great book about mental preparation for hockey games. The book is called hockey tough and is written by a sports psychologist who has worked with many of the great hockey players in the game. I found a lot of great tips in the book and highly recommend it to any player who wants a very detailed breakdown of mental preparation.

Preparing for hockey Games

• Physical preparation
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Activating the muscles used
  • Stretching and Warmup
  • Cool down
• Mental prepartion
  • Mental rehearsal
  • Self confidence
  • Focus
  • Goal setting
• Nutritional preparation
  • Pre game meals
  • Pre game snacks
  • Hydration
  • Post game meals

If you have full access to the content you can work your way through each section of the app and learn about how the pro’s prepare in each area. You can also star your favourite areas and add them to your own profile. You can use those tips to build your own pre-game routine.

Many of the areas have video content from the pro’s. This is especially helpful in the stretching and dynamic warm-up sections. The nutrition section has recipes and pictures and the mental prep section has video advice from the pro players.

For more details about the app watch my video review above and if you want to create an account you can download the app here. If you want to access the content through your computer you can visit the G24 website and create an account.