There’s a mistake that shows up often at the U9 level, and it usually comes from a good place.

We try to teach hockey.

Crazy, right? Well, teaching the rules of the game that are impossible to grasp until (or even after) a player matures into their body and mind as an adult isn't an efficient use of time. At U9 and other levels of minor hockey players need more skill; they don't need more rules.This is where development has to stay simple: stickhandling, skating, passing, and learning how to use teammates. Not as separate ideas, but as connected skills that show up in every shift. When practices get too structured, players end up standing around more than they’re actually playing. The reps disappear, and when the game breaks down, they’re left without enough tools to react.

It's supposed to be fun! The Carolina Hurricanes are a great example of a team that's built on structure, but still requires skill to take over at the last possible moment.

That’s the idea behind Chaos Passing. The U9 curriculum is all about creating situations where players need to solve problems with skill. It’s not about running a pattern. It’s about creating constant movement, puck touches, and decision-making with teammates in tight space. It forces players to pass, receive, adjust, and react while staying engaged in the play.

But the goal is simple: build skill under chaos, because that’s what the game looks like at U9 and beyond.
You can enroll in the (completely free) U9 curriculum here.