Check out these drills from Ryan Huska's 2023 TCS Live presentation on PK Switches and Keys to Applying Pressure.
After spending five seasons as an Assistant, Ryan Huska was named Head Coach of the Calgary Flames this past summer. The native of Trail, BC, previously spent four seasons as Head Coach of the Flames affiliate in Stockton and Adirondack. Overall, Huska has been coaching for 19 years after a nine year playing career in the WHL, IHL and AHL, including one NHL game with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Huska, who led a top-five penalty kill unit last season, presented on PK Switches and Keys to Applying Pressure, stressing that communication is key to protecting the middle of the ice when having one less skater. Get your PK reps in with these great drills.
PK ROTATIONS WIDE PASS
DESCRIPTION
Wide Pass – Forwards exchange positions (look for seam pass or reverse pass back up to D) and play out 3v2.
- Red F skates down the wall. When he gets to hash mark area, he passes (direct
or indirect) back up to red D1 who is outside of the dot lane. D1 then passes to
weak side Red F. - Offensive players work from the blue line to hash mark area. Play out until coach
whistles or PK kills the play.
KEY POINTS
- Good communication between defenders on rotations.
- Quick feet with active sticks in passing lanes.
- Keep PP under pressure.
PK ROTATIONS D WALKS BLUE
D Walks Blue – Crosses midway point (pass to weakside), F1 follows pass and play out high 3v2.
- Red F passes to Red D who starts outside the dot lane. Red D walks the blue line, crosses mid way point and passes to weak side F. F1 slides across with D, staying in shot lane with an active stick and follows pass to weak side F to keep him under pressure.
- Offensive players work from the blue line to hash mark area. Play out until coach whistles or PK kills the play.
KEY POINTS
- Good communication between defenders on rotations.
- F2 reads walking D and holds slot position.
- Quick feet with active sticks in passing lanes.
- Keep PP under pressure.Brake Deception
D WALKS BLUE HIGH REVERSE
DESCRIPTION
D Walks Blue – Crosses midway point (passes back to strongside flank), F1 and F2 exchange, play out high 3v2.
- Red F passes to Red D who starts outside the dot lane. Red D walks the blue line, crosses mid way point and passes back to strong side F.
- F1 slides across with D, staying in shot lane with an active stick and follows pass to weak side F to keep him under pressure. On pass back to strong side F, F1 and F2 exchange positions. Play out high 3v2.
- Offensive players work from the blue line to hash mark area. Play out until coach whistles or PK kills the play.
KEY POINTS
- Good communication between defenders on rotations.
- F2 reads walking D and holds slot position until pass back to strong side F. Then F2 flexes out to exchange positions with F1.
- Quick feet with active sticks in passing lanes.
- Keep PP under pressure.
PK DZ ROTATIONS D STRIKE
DESCRIPTION
D Strike – Work on forward falling back inside dot lane and D striking out at puck carrier crossing the hash marks. Run through a few times slowly before playing out at game speed.
- Red F skates down flank with the puck to below the hash mark area before he makes pass (direct or indirect) back up to Red D who is outside the dot lane.
- F1 pressures F coming down the flank then curls/falls back inside the dot lanes on pass back up to D to quickly regain defensive position.
- D2 strikes out towards Red F as he crosses the hash area, but then curls/falls back inside the dot lanes on pass up to Red D.
KEY POINTS
- Offensive players stay on strong side of ice.
- PK Fwd/D allow flanker F to make pass back up to top.
- Run through this rotation three or four times.
