Dear hockey friends,

Today we’ll introduce a drill that is high-tempo and physically demanding, while also being highly effective on both sides of the puck. It reinforces optimal in-game decision-making in terms of timing and spacing.

Players are given a certain level of creativity, but at the same time they are guided within a clearly structured drill progression.

Objective of the drill

The goal is to achieve maximum intensity.

The foundation of the drill consists of six groups, each with a different workload duration. This creates not only varied game situations, but also forces players to execute under different levels of fatigue—which is critical for real-game performance.

Who is this drill for?

• Recommended for U17 Elite and above

• Ideal as the first or second drill in your practice plan

Drill concept

• The focus is on winning a puck battle in the neutral zone and then executing a controlled breakout into the defensive zone, followed by a puck transfer to a weak-side defenseman.

• The drill is intentionally open-ended:
  I have deliberately not defined the defenseman’s role in the final phase. You can decide based on your team concept:

  • Transition into offense going the other way

  • Engage in a 1-on-1 defensive situation

  • Or activate into a shooting option after a secondary chance

Drill execution

• The drill starts with two forwards moving into the neutral zone (just above the red line), where they receive a pass from defensemen in motion.

• After making the pass, the defensemen loop around the circle in the defensive zone to get into an optimal support position for the next play.

• A transition phase (“middle play”) follows, ending with a pass to a defenseman who must read the situationbased on:

  • Pass quality

  • Stick position

  • Speed and timing of the attacking forward

  Based on this read, the defenseman reacts—typically by moving the puck to a forward driving the net for a scoring chance, then continuing the play with a puck retrieval near the net.

• The player who initiated the drill as a “fake center” follows a defined skating route, loops around the circle, and gets open for a pass.
  This pass can come from the corner, the blue line, or elsewhere, depending on how the puck carrier reads and reacts to the situation.

Coaching emphasis

Although the drill is designed to be open and variable, I recommend the following:

• The weak-side defenseman should apply tight coverage on the second forward looking to receive a pass for a shot.

• Emphasize:

  • Off-puck movement and timing

  • Defensive positioning relative to puck location

These details are essential for long-term player development and game understanding.