Check out these drills from Dan Arel's 2023 TCS Live presentation on Small Area Games Focused on Possession & Passing.
Dan Arel has been coaching with the San Diego Oilers for nearly a decade and runs the club’s player and coaching development program as the Director of Player & Coach Development. Arel has led teams to the California State Championship Final, and competed on the international stage. In 2020, he was named The San Diego Gulls Foundation Coach of the Year. Arel is also a regular contributing writer to The Coaches Site, focusing on player development through small area games and good habits.
Arel presented on running successful drills without the use of goalies or nets by focusing on how to isolate passing and decision making. These drills push players outside of their comfort zone and increase development.
3 GATE DRILL POINTS
DESCRIPTION
- Can be played with 2 teams of 3 or 3 teams of 2.
- Players get points by skating or passing puck through the sets of tires/cones (three sets spread out).
- No goalie is used and only the gates are good for points.
- Tape to tape passes only. Skating through is worth 1 point, passing through is worth 2 points.
KEY POINTS
- Focus is on heads up hockey and thinking “pass first” with skating through as the back up option.
- For those without the puck, it’s about communication with each other to sort out defensive coverage and make scoring harder.
POWER PLAY PASSING BOX
DESCRIPTION
- 4 players are outside of the face off circle with 1-2 defenders inside the face off circle.
- Around the faceoff dot, set up 4 tires in a square.
- The players on the outside of the circle can move anywhere and pass how ever they please. However, to “score” they must pass the puck through the square inside the circle.
- Attacking players get a point for passing through the square, defenders get a point for intercepting the pass.
- Defender should stay on outside of the square, inside the faceoff circle.
KEY POINTS
- Outside players try to move around to create passing lanes for the puck carrier and draw the defenders away from the square to create scoring chances.
- Movement and communication are key as well as making tape to tape passes.
- Active sticks and quick feet by defenders.
