Sharing some thoughts on transition practice - tell me what you think! 

Why this game?

Hockey is a game of transitions. No matter the playstyle or team identity, transitions will always be a key factor in winning hockey games. Christopher Baker and Stephen Shea write in the book Hockey Analytics: A Game-Changing Perspective that 18.6% of goals are scored on a transition, even though transitions occur in only 1.8% of all puck possessions. The average effectiveness of a transition, according to the authors, is 18.1%. In the book, transitions are defined as entering the offensive zone with a numerical advantage. This means that transitions occurring from an offensive zone forecheck are not included in these numbers. I have struggled to find reliable data on the number of goals scored from transitions following an offensive zone forecheck, but based on what I have found, at least 15% seems like a fair estimate. Combining these, transition opportunities will always play an important role. Mastering these key moments should provide a strong advantage.

Practicing the transition

I believe in looking at the transition as a whole rather than breaking it down into too many separate parts. To initiate a transition, you must first win the puck. I believe that winning puck battles should be incorporated into transition practice. This also makes the start of the transition unpredictable—you never know exactly when and where you will win the puck, and therefore you must always be ready to attack. After winning the puck, you need to move it quickly up the ice, or into the middle if on a forecheck. The ability to play a quick first pass or move the puck forward should also be included in practice. Then comes the transition itself. Most of the time, it will either be a zone entry with a numerical advantage or a brief open window in the offensive zone after winning the puck on the forecheck. A key element is practicing how to convert these opportunities into goals. Finally, a transition opportunity is not over just because you have taken a shot. There is always an opportunity to win the puck back and attack again, while also preventing the opponent from transitioning the other way. Therefore, I want players to compete for the transition in practice.

The Storm transition game

This game is designed to practice transition habits and skills in a competitive game environment. Players must first defend a 2v3 rush, win the puck, and find a way to break out, then attack on a 3v2 rush, and finally forecheck to create a new open window to attack.