One thing that kept showing up for us early in the season was panic with the puck. The moment our players touched it, they assumed pressure was coming. They rushed decisions, threw pucks away, or moved it instantly without ever looking up. It hurt our consistency in all three zones, and as coaches we needed to find a way to slow their minds down.
In practice, we started focusing on creating an environment where kids felt safe to hold onto the puck. Small-area games, creativity drills, situations where they were encouraged to take a chance at a deke or simply take an extra stride. I remind them that practice is the place to get comfortable making mistakes — that’s the point. The cue we use in games is simple: when I call out “time,” it triggers them to look up, take two strides, and then make their play. Over time, that one word has started to slow things down for them.
We also use an activation drill where we can go anywhere from 2v2 to 4v4 in one zone, using two nets. It forces players to spread out, move, and support each other. If I see someone struggling, I’ll switch it to a 1v1 or 2v2 so they have more space and time to recognize decisions. We also run 3v2 in the offensive zone with defenders flipping their sticks. When the players realize the defenders can’t really challenge them, they naturally start holding onto the puck a little longer and making better reads.
This past weekend we had two strong games, and one play stood out. Our defenseman wheeled the puck behind the net, made a clean breakout pass to the winger on the wall, and instead of immediately throwing it away, he looked up and hit the far-side winger in stride. That winger drove wide, the center went to the net, and the puck carrier made the right read. We didn’t score, but that sequence was exactly what we had been missing — calm decisions, eyes up, and confidence.
I also try to share this with parents when the conversation comes up. I’ll ask them to encourage their athlete to take one or two strides with the puck before making a decision. One player in particular had been struggling with this. His dad and I both spent time helping him understand the idea, and this weekend, the improvement was incredible. It clicked for him.
We’ve been working on this since September, and it’s a reminder that coaching isn’t about giving up when something doesn’t land the first, fifth, or fifteenth time. It’s our job to find different ways to teach it, to repeat it, and to keep showing them the same concepts until they settle in. It takes time, but when it finally shows up in a game, it’s worth every rep.
About the author:
Jesse Candela is a regional scout in the OJHL, a U10 Rep A coach, and a contributor to The Coaches Site. He shares real coaching experiences from the rink to help other coaches grow in the game.
