Brad Larsen is an Assistant Coach with the Calgary Flames and the former Head Coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets. As a player, he appeared in 294 NHL games and won two World Junior gold medals with Team Canada. A TCS Live 2025 speaker, he shares a D-zone coverage drill designed to kickstart your team's rush attack.

Description

• Players set up in D-zone coverage against two players on offence.
• The coach spots a puck in the corner. The defensive players close down the offence and create a turnover.
• Defence switches to offence: all five players break out and attack, executing a predetermined zone entry (mid-lane drive, hit the trailer, etc.).
• On the whistle, the coach spots a second puck into the neutral zone for the group to transition and enter again (zone entry, chip and forecheck, etc.).

Teaching Points

• Use terminology consistently. Whatever words work for your team, use them over and over again.
• Communicate the expected zone entry plan before the drill begins, and encourage communication during the drill.