Hockey is a fast-paced game that requires decisions to be made in a split second. Rush Attack and Rush Delay are approaches that rely on understanding the flow of the game and making decisions based on the situation. Rush Attack focuses on capitalizing on immediate opportunities to advance, while Rush Delay involves holding back to create better chances. Both strategies demand sharp awareness, quick thinking, and the ability to read the opposition’s positioning. Recognizing the pressure from defenders and anticipating the movement of teammates are key factors in choosing the right approach. These tactics allow players to adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of the game and maximize their chances of creating effective plays.

When to Attack Of The Rush

Choosing the right moment for a Rush Attack can give you a edge. If a defender is chasing from behind, the path ahead may be yours to take advantage of. Speed becomes your ally in these situations, especially when gaps appear in the defense or when the opposing team is disorganized. Observing the defender's positioning and any openings in the defense can help you determine when to push forward. Acting decisively in these moments often forces the opposition to scramble, creating additional opportunities for your team. By recognizing these chances and using them to your advantage, you can break through defensive lines and put pressure on the opposing team, setting up impactful plays.

Manipulating Defenders

Using subtle adjustments in speed and direction can help disrupt a defender’s positioning. A quick burst forward can shift a defender who is beside you to behind you, creating space to execute your next move. Slowing down slightly or feinting can cause hesitation, opening up opportunities to maneuver around them. Small changes in movement force defenders to react, often leading to mistakes or overcommitments. These moments of hesitation can be used to gain an advantage and create openings, both for yourself and for your teammates, allowing for more dynamic and strategic plays during the game.

When to Delay and Wait

Delaying can create valuable opportunities by allowing your teammates to reposition and provide support. Adjusting your pace when facing multiple defenders can buy time to evaluate your options and avoid forcing a risky play. Patience is critical when pressure is high, as rushing forward without assessing the situation can lead to turnovers. Using quick directional changes or slight pauses can disrupt the defensive setup, giving you a chance to find passing lanes or clear paths. This calculated approach not only reduces the immediate threat but also builds a foundation for a more organized and effective offensive strategy.

Exception To The Rule

By staying alert and thinking creatively, you can capitalize on rare opportunities that defy conventional strategies. Recognizing gaps or weaknesses in the opposition's setup often requires a mix of intuition and quick analysis. Adapting your approach in real time allows you to exploit these moments effectively, catching defenders off guard and creating impactful plays. Embracing these chances with confidence can shift the momentum of the game, giving your team an unexpected edge when it matters.

Players who grew up playing shinny hockey on the outdoor rinks before indoor ice arenas were being built in their neighborhoods learned how to play the game of hockey the right way without coaching. Total Hockey Principles were unknowingly being played by kids playing shinny hockey. As kids we wanted to play more with the puck than without the puck. Playing with the puck was more fun attacking on offence than it was defending to win back the puck. We played as a unit and knew the importance of playing as a unit.

Playing shinny hockey as kids we learned to manage the puck as a unit to play a game of keep away. As soon as the other side regained puck possession our group contracted the ice surface with inside out puck pressure to create a smaller area to defend - to win back the puck. 

To win back the puck you needed to contract the ice surface to create a smaller area to defend and to create scoring you needed to expand the ice and be able to play in tight spaces to create space to make plays. The principles of Total Hockey made sense because hockey sense makes sense. 

8 Principles 

1. Fluid Positions: Players aren't restricted to playing rigid positions allowing for dynamic movement and interchangeability. 
2. Versatility: Players need to be adept at multiple roles capable of playing different roles in different areas of the ice surface.
3. Collective Responsibility: The group on the ice play as a connected group of FIVE with all players contributing to the attacking offence to create space and to the swarming defence to take away space. 
4. Emphasis on Puck Possession and Attack Offence while maintaining tactical structure flexibility with the focus on creating attack opportunities and exploiting space. 
5. Puck and player movement based on tactical flexibility is the team's identity. 
6. Total Hockey is played in all 3 zones of the ice surface at even strength and on special teams. 
7. Contract the ice surface as a unit to create a smaller space/area to defend to win back the puck. 
8. Expand the ice surface as a unit to exploit space to create attacking opportunities to score. 

The best offence is a good defence. The teams that play the Total Hockey Concept play a simple style of game that's hard to play. Players must possess excellent technical hockey skills and hockey sense to execute skills, tactics and systems at a high pace of play. The high pace of play and the ability to play in tight spaces requires the athletes to be in excellent physical condition and to have the physical strength to be heavy on pucks. Hockey is a game of battles for possession of the puck in all 3 zones so players must play at a high rate of competitiveness. 

The earlier Total Hockey Principles are introduced to kids interested in developing their game, the better. Players should be encouraged to want the puck by learning how as a collective unit to hunt pucks to create puck battles, win pucks and attack quickly with numbers and speed off puck wins in transition to offence. 

Total Hockey should be part of a team's identity. The Florida Panther's identity in 2024 & 2025 was Total Hockey. You will see the 8 principles of the Total Hockey Concept being played in all 3 zones in their back to back wins of the Stanley Cup. About 90% of NHL teams are trying to play Total Hockey but they haven't been able to play that style of game at a level to beat the Florida Panthers. 

Players are smart and they will gravitate to the Total Hockey Concept with relative ease but will struggle with the physical demands of Total Hockey because it requires them to be excellent at checking, winning battles in tight spaces and playing a 200' game every shift, every play, every game. 

Video: Edmonton Oilers Defensive Zone

Before viewing the 56 seconds in the video clip below ask yourself these questions:

1. We're the Oilers defending as a collective unit? 
2. Were the Oilers demonstrating an ability to regain puck possession as a collective unit? 
3. Were the Oilers able to contract the ice surface as a unit to create a smaller area to defend? 
4. Would the Oilers benefit from playing the Total Hockey Concept Principles? 
5. Is a loose puck a Pressure Trigger for the collective unit to pressure up on to win the puck back?
6. Why didn't the Oilers contract the ice as a unit to force a contested puck battle with #'s to regain puck possession sooner?

The Strength of the Wolf - Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book

The saying "The strength of the wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the wolf" originates from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book and highlights the interconnectedness and mutual dependence within a group. It signifies that the well-being of both the individual wolf and the wolf pack are intertwined. A strong pack relies on the individual contributions of its members, and conversely, each wolf gains strength and support from being part of the collective. 

The saying is true and meaningful and provides the reason for playing the Total Hockey Concept Principles. The strength of the individual player on the ice is the unit of players they play with each shift. The strength of the unit of players on the ice is the strength of each individual player. 

The Strength of the Wolf is more than a saying, it's a proven concept that applies to the Total Hockey Concept and it's principles. The concept provides the reason why every Head Coach must put together 5 player units that support each other to play this fast pace style of game. 

When players on the ice become disconnected in their execution of tactics and systems they're unable to maintain puck possession and control and their ability to regain puck possession is compromised.  

Part 4: Culture is the Constraint - Coaching the Human Before the Skill

By Coach Barry Jones | IIHF Level 3 | USA Hockey Level 3

Part 4 of 5 - From the “Planning the Unplannable” Series: Coaching Women’s High-Performance Hockey Through the Chaos

Beyond Systems and Skills

You can have the best systems, principles, and reps in the world…
But if the culture doesn’t match the environment, none of it sticks.

In an ecological framework, we talk about constraints:
- Task
- Environment
- Athlete

But here’s the hidden constraint that most coaches miss:
Team culture is a constraint.

It shapes behaviour.
It invites (or suppresses) risk.
It either amplifies learning or suffocates it.

Culture Is Not a Poster

It’s not what you put on the wall.
It’s what players feel when they make a mistake.
It’s the vibe on the bench when it’s 2-2 late in the third.
It’s the look you give when a player makes the right read but the play doesn’t work.

Culture is the invisible signal of what’s really allowed here.

And in women’s high-performance hockey, that signal matters even more.

The Women’s Game: Why Culture Hits Different

In my experience coaching women’s teams at the state and national level players, here’s what I’ve learned:

- Psychological safety isn’t a buzzword; it’s a prerequisite
- Athletes won’t risk it unless they know the relationship is solid
- Feedback lands differently, and so does silence
- Clarity, care, and purpose drive performance

So when we talk about habit formation or decision-making, we’re not just talking about drills.
We’re talking about whether the athlete feels safe enough to explore the edge of their comfort zone.

Culture as a Coachable Constraint

Instead of asking “What’s the vibe?” ask:

- What behaviours are repeated in pressure moments?
- What language do players adopt from each other?
- What affordances does our culture invite?

If your culture encourages:
- Communication
- Creative mistakes
- Shared ownership
Then your players will naturally develop adaptive, game-relevant habits.

If your culture punishes mistakes or waits for coach permission?
You’ll see hesitation, repetition, and surface-level performance.

Coach’s Corner: Culture Cues in Action

Let’s say you’re running a SAG on defending the slot.

Player 1 steps late.
The puck ends up in the net.

You could yell: “Too late again!”

Or you could ask:
- “What did you see?”
- “What froze you?”
- “If it happens again, what’s your first move?”

One approach shuts down learning.
The other invites the athlete into the process.

That’s culture in action.

Language That Sticks

- “Mistakes are information, not identity.”
- “Play loud. Think free. Recover fast.”
- “Our culture trains what our drills can’t.”
- “You don’t have to get it right, just keep getting closer.”

Reflective Questions for Coaches

1. What invisible rules are shaping behavior on your bench?
2. Does your culture support exploration, or expectation?
3. Do your athletes feel like they own the team… or just wear the jersey?

Next in the Series

➡️ Part 5: Designing the Season, Themes, Adjustments, and the Coaching Compass

“Planning the Unplannable” Series: Coaching Women’s High-Performance Hockey Through the Chaos

Part 1: The Periodisation Paradox - Why Planning Still Matters in a Nonlinear World

Part 2: Principles Over Plays - Building a Game Model Around What Transfers

Part 3: Reps That Stick - Habit Building Through Ecological Design

Part 4: Culture is the Constraint - Coaching the Human Before the Skill

Part 5: Designing the Season - Themes, Adjustments, and the Coaching Compass

Often times, the role of the head coach is lauded by many. The head coach plays a critical role on the overall performance of the team. However, they can't accomplish their goals alone (well, at least not very well). The role of the assistant coach is just as important and a key to a team's success for the season.

What is the Fundamental Role of a Head Coach?

This is an article for assistant coaches, but I don't feel like you can truly see where I'm coming from without understanding my thoughts on the role of a head coach.

Whether folks want to believe or not, there's a hierarchy on the staff. At the top of that hierarchy for a team (not an organization) is the head coach. Think of this person as the executive. They'll have a direction, team philosophy, and a culture that they want to push. They might not be the one executing the actions. They might need to delegate. Ultimately, when decisions need to be made, they must make the decision. Practice plans, game plans, etc. Those ultimately fall to the head coach. Once again, they can delegate or share these responsibilities as they see fit.

What About Assistant Coaches?

The fundamental role for an assistant coach is to help the head coach execute their plans. Communication is key here. Based on what the head coach is looking for, you need to respond with their overall vision in mind. This is not a role where you can let your ego get in the way and be successful.

You might have your own ideas as to team direction and the like. You should share those ideas with the head coach, and the head coach - as the decisions maker - can choose to bring those ideas into the fold. This communication is key to building trust among the coaching staff. Once again, if they don't incorporate your ideas, don't let it get to your ego.

Additionally, the head coach should tell you what they could use help with. Hopefully, they have enough self-awareness to understand where they aren't as strong. Those are the spaces they will most likely ask others to help out with. Maybe they aren't as good at teaching skating or shooting fundamentals, but they understand other facets of the game really well. Be willing to jump in and help with those areas.

Preparing for Practice

As an assistant coach, you should know the practice plan. Your preparation makes huge impact on the overall flow of the practice. This includes: understanding the practice plan and the order the drills will be run, the intent of the drills, tear-down and timing, etc.

Why are these things important? At a basic level, information helps the head coach make choices on team direction. The best way for the head coach to get this information is to watch the drills and gather information on how the drill is going overall. The might be able to identify areas that players need help, or maybe the identify an adjustment they want to make to a drill. In order to do that, they need assistants that can run the drills. Your preparation as an assistant makes the head coach's job easier. If you don't know the plan and understand its goals, the head coach will have to spend time managing you and not the players.

If you have questions, the best time to ask is when you have them when a practice plan goes out. The next best time is before the start of practice. One of the worst times is in the middle of practice, but the worst is to not ask at all and bungle a drill. There aren't dumb questions. Once again, don't let your ego get in the way. If something isn't clear, the head coach will probably appreciate the question. It might lead to further clarification the players also would've misunderstood.

Also, you should feel empowered to recommend drills and give input/feedback on the plan. The head coach isn't infallible. I don't care what level they coach or their experience; they can't have a successful season alone. These are great opportunities for you to grow as coach and build trust with the head coach. These recommendations should always come from the space of help and not spite or "I know better than you" mentality.

During Practice

This is where the preparation pays off. You understand the drills and the goals of practice. You need to be able to setup the next drill in between drills. You also might need to draw up a drill (either in the locker room or on the ice). Understanding of the practice plan is key to a smooth practice.

You'll also build relationships with the players during practice. There might be guidance you can provide if you notice a player struggling. That also requires understanding the intent of a drill.

You're also another set of eyes for the head coach. They can't see everything. If you notice something not going correctly with drill or other observations, that information can help the head coach make adjustments to the plan mid-practice. Maybe they decide to slow things down, make the drill more challenging, or any other number of adjustments. All of this depends on your preparation and the trust you've built up with the head coach.

Game Time

Game time includes preparation before you even get to the rink. Have lines been discussed? Does the head coach prefer to make the choices for the line-up or will they ask your opinion? What roles will each person play on the bench? What about for pre-game? Who handles an on-ice injury?

This also boils down to good communication between all of the coaching staff for a team. It's critically important for a head coach to delegate these roles amongst the staff on the bench and in the stands. Be willing and ready to perform the role needed to help the team.

You should share your observations with the head coach. It might lead to changes in strategy or tactics. Maybe the lines need to be adjusted because something isn't working with a set of forwards or defensive pair. Maybe a player is just having an off day, or maybe they're having an amazing game.

This last part for game time isn't really limited to the assistant coaches. Keep the bench positive! I'm not talking about toxic positivity. I'm talking about negativity on the bench like players getting on each others' cases, or a sour attitude. That mentality spreads like a disease quickly and is something the entire bench should commit to keeping at bay. People have bad days, but we need to recognize those instances and help keep it in perspective.

Conclusion

 These are all my own observations over years as an assistant. These are hard-learned lessons that can make an overall impact on the season. During my earlier years, I don't think I understood how important the role is. If you approach the season with an open mind and a willingness to help execute, the season will be better.

The game is about the players. The preparation you do as an assistant coach has a huge impact on what those players learn and how they remember the season.

Lastly, don't forget that this should be fun for you too. These players are learning and growing from you. You can be a positive role model, and that often ends up being more important than anything else you do. If the players see you coming to the ice with a love of the game on your face, it has a lasting impact.

I wish you all luck in your coming season. May your players learn and grow!

Free Play - Unstructured, self-directed play where children choose their activities, materials, and play partners, and decide how to play without adult direction or rules.

Is it Important? Absolutely! Play is at the core of the development of the child. They explore their physical environment, express their emotions and build their vocabulary through playful moments. It is a really important tool for children’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional development as well as their imagination and creativity.

So the question for coaches, do you allow and plan for free play within your practices?

Youth hockey is becoming a business and their is increased pressure on coaches to have a well planned and executed plan that maximizes ice time, repetition, and development for players. However, we can't lose sight of the importance that unstructured play has in the development of players and in fostering a love for the game.

Allowing time for free play at the beginning or end of a practice isn't a waste of time, and it doesn't always indicate a lack of planning. It's deliberate and it's valuable.

How can we incorporate free play into practice?

• Allow for 5-10 minutes at the beginning or the end of practice for free play
• Incorporate free play into a station
• If appropriate and possible, skip a flood at the beginning of the ice time and encourage players to get on the ice early 

I'd like to think that hockey innovations and viral moments like 'in between the legs' goals and 'The Michigan' goals are derived from allowing kids to play in an unstructured environment. 

 

 

Start both player on the cricleline, the nets are in the position with space, that a player can skate between net and circleline. The Goal of this drill is, the player have to scan the pressure and can work with the nets as a protection. Competition 10-15sec., if the puckcarier lose the puck before, he must do a roleover.

 

When I first started teaching Daniel Broberg's 7 Steps from Basic Skills to Smooth Power course to my 13-year-old son and his two friends, I was a little overwhelmed with how hard it was for them to grasp the first drill. I thought this course was going to be over their head, and maybe out of my reach with the ability to relay the message. The initial drill, focusing on posture control and hip rotations, took nearly the entire hour of our first three sessions to grasp. Progress felt slow and discouraging, and I would cringe if anyone stopped to watch us. And if I’m being completely honest, it took me a bit to figure out as well. Growing up working on edges like this wasn't a thing 25 years ago, but with the help of a major junior player, incorporating videos from the course, patience, and some deep breathing, it became a possibility. That drill which initially took 40 minutes, while combing warm ups from other steps, had become a smooth 8-minute routine by July.

Once the basics became second nature, we introduced new drills that added complexity while reinforcing core skills. Gradually, we layered advanced movements while always revisiting drills from past steps. These additions challenged the skaters to adapt and improve to the next level of the course, while improving technique and building confidence in past victories. The emphasis was always on quality over speed, breaking each movement down into manageable steps. With time and repetition, the skaters developed greater control and fluidity, enhancing their ability to generate smooth power on the ice.

 

July posed another significant challenge—the outside edge! This step required hours of deliberate practice as they struggled to master the outside edge slide. However, it turned into a triumphant milestone. I’ll never forget a local goalie coach who stopped while walking to his private session in awe, yelling through the glass, "How can they do that?" as the kids landed log jumps with one foot on the ice into their outside edge slide, exiting into a crossover. I replied, “It's taken a month to get here.”

 

In the second week of July, two of our players couldn’t make it to the skate. A few high school players, working on the ice with their skill coaches, asked if they could jump into our session. Looking around at the empty rink with only one player, I figured it couldn’t hurt to let them join. These players, who I always thought of as solid skaters, joined while we were in the thick of our sixth week of training. Ultimately, they had a tough time keeping up with the movements we had been working on. Re-directing my attention from the player who I have been working with since May, towards the two new players working on the fundamentals of step 1. One of the high school players later texted me and asked if he could join us for the rest of the summer, but I ultimately said no. By that point, we’d made so much progress in the six weeks leading up to then, and it didn’t feel right to alter the plan for the sake of someone new. It just wouldn’t have been fair to the original three players or the parents spending a lot of money to split the costs of ice.

 

To keep progressing, I would like to continue one skate per week over the winter to target my son’s areas for improvement. That said, I recommend this course most during the off-season when undivided attention can lead to real breakthroughs. By August, when the boys attended summer camps in groups of players who were outside of the three we were working with. Their improved skating was night and day, leaving their dads amazed at how noticeable the advancement in their edges was. The father of one of the boys said, and I quote, “I’m very pleased with his results” after his son wrapped up his annual summer defencemen camp!

 

This course excels by emphasizing technique and small adjustments that significantly enhance skating. Detailed instructions on posture, hip alignment, knee bend, and edge control ensure every movement is purposeful and efficient. The focus on widening the stance for outside edge slides and refining foot angles transforms basic skills into advanced capabilities. These corrections elevate performance, providing skaters with the tools to achieve greater fluidity and power.

 

This course has been an invaluable resource for developing skating skills with a purpose. The emphasis on detailed techniques and progression through deliberate practice made all the difference. A heartfelt thank-you to Daniel Broberg for his expertise and dedication in creating such a transformative guide, which has truly elevated our approach to skating.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Linktree

Welcome back! We kick off Season 9 of the Glass and Out Podcast with episode 306, featuring Seattle Kraken Assistant Coach Jessica Campbell.

Campbell is of course getting set for her second season behind an NHL bench, after having the distinction of being the first female to be hired as a full-time NHL coach.

The native of Moosomin, Saskatchewan parlayed her skating business and the experience of training NHL players in the off-season in Kelowna into the opportunity to coach professionally in Europe. It was then that Dan Bylsma, then recently hired as the Head Coach of the Kraken’s AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley, reached out to interview her for the opportunity to join his staff.

Two seasons and consecutive trips to the Calder Cup finals later, Bylsma was hired as Seattle’s Head Coach and Campbell got the call to join him. 

You can check out her IIHF Coaching Symposium presentation on Feeding the Attack by Breaking Down the PK now on The Coaches Site.

Listen as she shares her keys to creating a cohesive power play, how to help players out of scoring slumps, and how breaking barriers has influenced her coaching philosophy.

Video Timestamps:

• 00:00 Coaching Through Slumps
• 2:55 Identifying Player Strengths
• 5:35 Offensive Mindset and Goal Scoring
• 8:40 Effective Communication on the Ice
• 11:10 Building Offensive Identity
• 14:30 Puck Management Strategies
• 17:30 Analyzing Defensive Structures
• 20:55 Guiding Young Players in the NHL
• 25:10 The Duality of Coaching: Love and Judgment
• 30:20 Coaching Growth and Reflecting on Last Season
• 35:20 Communication and Simplifying the Complex
• 41:15 Analyzing Power Plays: Strategies and Execution
• 45:35 Developing Cohesiveness in Power Play Practices
• 50:50 The Value of Starting as a Skating Coach
• 57:20 Building a Confidence in Your Coaching Identity 
• 1:01:20 The Journey to Sweden and Germany
• 1:07:10 The Importance of Allies
• 1:09:25 Reflecting on Breaking Barriers in Coaching
• 1:16:25 The Path to Coachella Valley and Mentorship
• 1:20:00 Greenlights and Book Recommendations

After working on technical details of the scoot. We could add a decision and pressure to force player to use in different context. Players  choose one side and attack the net. 

I've been going pretty hard on skating skills with the two teams I coach. One issue I discovered in the last week of September is that I was trying too much. Too many new concepts being introduced, too many key points, too many descriptions. I moved on from simple skating skills skills too quickly and started in on small area passing and stickhandling games, and I was shocked how resistant the group was. 

So resistant, in fact, that one of the captains said "yeah Kelvin, we all kinda thought we were getting skills when we were out with you. That's what we were excited for."

Message received. But I still want to cover more than one skill at a time. The game is dynamic. 

So in this plan I'm working specifically on zone entries, but using skill drills from Daniel Broberg's presentation at TCS Live '25. The key for me is to go back and forth from inside to outside edge, and the players won't even know they're working on zone entries. It's all about skill development, right?

Speaking of development, check out Broberg's 7 Steps from Basic Skills to Smooth Power course today!

 

Click to download the PDF