I have a confession to make. In the past I've been guilty of down-playing the level of skill a player possesses by suggesting the best they can do in the offensive zone is go to the net. When in fact, if the best they can do is go to the net, then they're either in possession of a unique skill or they're better at it than their teammates. Think of all the NHL players in the modern era who've achieved premier net front status: Thomas Holmstrom, Ryan Smyth, Patric Hornqvist, Joe Pavelski, and the newest lightning rod for this attention, Zach Hyman. These players often have their offence called into question because all of their goals come from within a few feet of the net. Auston Matthews rips wrist shots from the top of the circle - this takes more skill, people say. It takes skill alright! Ryan Smyth couldn't shoot the puck like Matthews. 

But if it's so easy to score from the blue paint, why don't more players do it?

Shooting the puck is a skill. Skating it up the ice like Connor McDavid and Roope Hintz is a skill. Tipping pucks like Joe Pavelski is a skill. Arriving on time and stopping at the net is a skill. So how do we teach it?

1. Three Games in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs

First we establish the existence of said goals. What piqued my interest was Zach Hyman's goal in the Edmonton Oilers' game one win over the Dallas Stars. It's included in the clip below, which you'll see starts with the Rempire State Building causing a traditional net front goal. After that you'll see different players scoring in different ways, with the common theme being they all had to slam on the brakes to arrive at the net on time. Note: these clips were collected over the course of three days, three games. I'll add more throughout the week as these two series grind on!

2. Who's Up For It?

What do these names have in common: McDavid, Rempe, Reinhart, Hyman, Barkov, Wennberg, and Seguin? They're all included in the clip above of course! But they're all wildly different players in terms of skill-set. Hyman and Reinhart scored 50 goals this year, McDavid was over 30, and Rempe - fought some guys. Anybody can score goals at the net, but not everybody does of course. Maybe you have players on your team who are skilled and better suited to the perimeter of the ice. It's not an insult (sure as sugar sounds like one), but in any case you can't have three of those players on the same line. Next season I'm going to use this skill as a carrot for players who want to play higher in the lineup. Can you use your skating, your strength, and your tenacity to compliment players who can pass, shoot, and stickhandle? At least one player on each line is going to be ready and willing to go to the hard areas. 

3. Arriving on Time

Alex Lafrenière is a player who's been challenged to live up to his hype early in his career, but that's all over since his powerful performance in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He's scored a couple highlight reel goals, but this one demonstrates the skill of stopping at the net and arriving right on time - for the goal, and for the Rangers in the eastern conference finals. 

4. Practice drill

Here's a drill designed specifically with these clips in mind. At first glance it's fairly simple, but the key is in the focus - arriving on time, stopping at the net. 

Structure

• Two forwards retrieve pucks from the corner against one defenceman
• Coaches chip pucks in corner, alternating sides, for forwards to retrieve and pass low to high
• Forwards must arrive on time at net
• After initial shot from D, forwards can collect puck for rebound or another pass to point
• Note: if you don't have multiple assistant coaches, players in line can jump into the designated coaches' spot, chip pucks on your whistle or call, and then jump into the drill on the whistle, replaced by the next players in line

Key Points

• Defenceman plays aggressive - don't play a normal D-zone structure, use feet to check and make life difficult for forwards
• Forwards stop and start - one forward needs to play net front while the other is retrieving
• Bonus - goalie coaches will love this one

Progressions

• Add second defensive defenceman to play 2on2 in-zone
• Add second shooter on point
• Add third forward