• Divide players in groups of 3-5 and have them line up
• Draw a circle or place a buck beside each group (this is the cookie jar)
• Place pucks under large cones at the opposite end of the ice (these are the cookies)
• Design a series of obstacles for each group to navigate their way to the cookies
• In a relay race formate, each player must navigate the course, find a cookie, race back to their line and drop their cookie in the cookie jar!

What is a power play in hockey?

Let's establish the basics to get on the same page.

A power play in hockey represents a team’s best chance to score a goal. Powerplays are awarded to a team that is the victim of a penalty committed by the opposing team. A referee can call a penalty for a variety of reasons, including high-sticking, tripping, cross-checking, and more.

The player who commits the penalty is removed from the ice surface and placed in the penalty box for either two minutes or five minutes depending on the severity of the penalty called. This means that the other team receives a power play for the same amount of time. The most common power play in hockey is two minutes long, which is plenty of time for a team to build a specific power play system designed to maximize their chances of scoring a goal. 

Hockey is normally played with five skaters and one goalie per side, which is referred to in shorthand as 5on5 (the goalie’s position is assumed). So, when one team is penalized, it means the other team receives a 5 on 4 power play. 

Any player can be penalized, including a team’s goalie. When a goalie receives a penalty, one player who was on the ice at the time of the infraction must serve the penalty. A second player can also receive a penalty during the ensuing power play, which results in a 5 on 3 power play.

If the team on the power play fails to score during the two minute or five minute penalty, then the penalized player returns to the ice from the penalty box while play is in action. If the team successfully scores a power play goal, the whistle blows and the penalized player is allowed to return to the bench.  

What are the benefits of having an effective power play?

Most hockey leagues have parity among their teams, which means they’re competitive. At 5on5, most teams in any given league will be closely matched in skill. Of course there are stronger teams and weaker teams, but hockey is a sport that involves ten skaters and two goalies, so it’s a difficult game to play. Scoring goals and generating offence is challenging, and as such the average final score of many hockey games is 3 to 2, or 2 to 1. Compared to other sports, it’s relatively low scoring. 

That changes drastically, however, when one player is removed from the ice during a power play. From a young age hockey players are taught to pass the puck to an open teammate. During a power play, someone will always be open. It’s nearly impossible for a penalty killer to defend against more than one player at a time. An effective power play means hockey teams can count on their ability to score a goal during the two or five minute window. Of course they won’t score every single time, but having an effective, confident power play that’s above average or elite in any given hockey league will drastically increase a team’s chances of scoring more goals than the other team and ultimately winning more games. 

How can you choose the right power play for your team?

The right power play for your team depends on a lot of factors. As a coach, it’s important to choose a power play formation that you’re comfortable with. Many coaches, hockey and otherwise, played their sport at one point or another, but previous playing experience is not a prerequisite to running an effective power play in hockey. Developing a strong understanding of the system and its strengths is important so the coach and their team can think quickly and maximize their chances of scoring a goal. 

The second factor is also crucial and combined with a suitable formation can make all the difference: the specific skill-set of the players who play on the power play. Specific formations require specific skill-sets. For example, a formation that aims to set up a player with a blistering slapshot requires a player with a blistering slapshot. Every coach wants the most skilled players, that’s why those players are spread out amongst different teams in each league. 

The best power plays in hockey involve players with different skill sets. If every player had an excellent wrist shot, but none were particularly advanced passers, then the puck wouldn’t move throughout the players on the power play efficiently, and it would be easier for the penalty killers to defend. Any power play formation within a given system can always fluctuate between creative (complicated) and structured (simple).

Choosing your team’s power play formation comes down to analyzing the players available, which takes time, often an entire season, and developing a system that suits their abilities as well as the coach’s knowledge of that system.

What types of power play formations are there in hockey?

Power plays in the National Hockey League often utilize elements of various power play formations, though some are known to stick to what they know and do best. For teams who use various methods, the result is starting in one formation and advancing to another. This makes teams unpredictable and difficult for the penalty killers to defend. An example of this would be combining the umbrella power play with the 1-3-1 formation. Teams can use the umbrella lineup on one side of the ice while a player on their off-wing lines up in the 1-3-1 on the other side. Teams who tend to stick to a static system often do so because they have a special player or two who are so elite at their given skill that it’s nearly impossible to defend, so movement isn’t required. The five most common power play formations in hockey are:

• Umbrella
• 1-3-1
• Overload
• Spread
• 5-on-3

We’ve improved this year.

Our breakouts are better.
We understand our positions more consistently.
We forecheck harder.
We’re not running around nearly as much as we were in September.

But we’re not scoring.

And for a while, I caught myself thinking it was a skill issue.

It’s not.

It’s on me.

 

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Against stronger teams, we’re averaging around 15 shots or less. Against weaker teams, we get more volume, but we don’t finish consistently. Most of our goals come from breakaways, rebounds, or one player making an individual play.

That’s not sustainable offense.

That’s chaos offense.

We’ll drive the puck wide, but no one goes to the net.
We’ll get cycle time, but we chase the puck instead of creating layers.
We’ll go low to high, but then blindly throw pucks into shin pads.
Usually we have one player inside the dots. Sometimes none.

Our net-front player doesn’t move to find soft ice. They let themselves get covered. F3 drifts too high above the circles. We throw pucks up the wall to a covered defenseman. We rush passes instead of holding onto it for one more stride.

And when the puck hits a stick in the offensive zone, you can almost see the anxiety.

Don’t mess up.
Don’t be the reason for a goal against.
Move it quick.

So they do.

They move it quick — right into pressure.

 

What I Realized

I built our season around structure.

Breakouts.
Positioning.
Forecheck pressure.
2v1s. 3v2s. Rush offense.

I assumed the scoring would come once we were organized.

I assumed that if we were “in the right spots,” offense would just happen.

It doesn’t.

Being in position isn’t the same as knowing how to attack.

At U10, kids don’t automatically understand:

• How to create space off the puck
• How to find soft ice in the slot
• When to stay net-front and when to slide backside
• How to relocate after a pass
• How to layer an attack instead of taking one shot and leaving

I expected them to read those things.

I didn’t explicitly teach them.

That’s on me.

 

The Harder Question

If I asked our players, “Where do goals come from?” I’m not sure they could clearly answer.

We work on forecheck.
We work on exits.
We work on structure.

But do we work on scoring identity?

Not enough.

We don’t hold pucks long enough to let a play develop.
When we do, we don’t always have support in dangerous areas.
Spacing isn’t natural yet.
Timing isn’t natural yet.

And I don’t fully understand how to teach all of it yet either.

That’s uncomfortable to admit.

But it’s real.

 

It’s Not a Skill Problem

I’ve asked myself:

Do we not have enough skill?
Do we not pass well enough?

I don’t think that’s it.

When we play less structured teams, we score more. When things are free-flowing, we’re dangerous. But when teams defend inside, we stall.

That tells me it’s spacing. It’s layers. It’s patience. It’s understanding how to attack inside structure.

That’s a coaching gap, not a talent gap.

 

What Changes Now

I’m not scrapping what we’ve built.

Structure matters.

But we’re shifting some focus:

More offensive-zone reps that teach movement after the pass.
More work around net-front positioning and second chances.
More teaching of where the next layer comes from.
More clarity on what F3 actually does in-zone.
More conversations about holding onto pucks for one extra stride instead of panicking.

We don’t need to overhaul everything.

We need to intentionally teach offense the same way we intentionally taught structure.

 

The Real Lesson

It’s easy to teach kids where to stand.

It’s harder to teach them how to create.

It’s easy to coach systems.

It’s harder to coach instinct within a system.

I built a defensive foundation first, and I don’t regret that.

But if we want to score consistently, I must grow as a coach.

Because if we’re not generating inside offense, that’s not on nine-year-olds.

That’s on me.

And that’s the part of coaching no one sees on the bench.

 

About the Author

I’m Jesse Candela, a U10 Rep A coach and regional scout in the OJHL. I share the real parts of coaching — the mistakes, the adjustments, and the growth — because I believe development starts with coaches being honest about what we’re still learning.

There’s one play in the offensive zone that consistently turns good structure into confusion, hesitation, and blown coverage, the high roll. It doesn’t rely on speed, skill, or deception with the puck. Instead, it weaponizes something far more damaging: uncertainty.

At its core, a high roll is simple. As the puck moves low or behind the net, an offensive player rolls up into space above the hashmarks, often arriving late and with momentum. That movement attacks the seam between defensive responsibilities, forcing defenders to make immediate decisions under pressure. And that’s where things break down.

The danger of the high roll isn’t the movement itself, it’s the question it asks: Who owns this player?

Ask coaches, and the debate starts instantly. Some argue the defense must step out and take anything that appears above the dots. Others believe the high forward must stay connected and track the roll. Both answers can be correct depending on puck position, timing, support, and system. But in real time, players don’t have the luxury of debating philosophy. They have milliseconds to react.

This is why high rolls are so effective. They live in the grey area between man coverage and zone principles. If a defender hesitates, worried about opening the middle, the shooter gets a clean look. If the forward is late collapsing, the pass is already gone. Even a brief breakdown in communication creates exactly what the offense wants: time and space in a dangerous area.

At the youth level, high rolls expose developmental gaps quickly. Poor scanning habits, quiet benches, and unclear priorities show up immediately. Players often assume someone else has it covered. When no one clearly takes ownership, the puck ends up in the back of the net and the post-shift conversation becomes a familiar one: “I thought you had him.”

For coaches, the lesson isn’t about choosing the “right” coverage rule. It’s about clarity. Players need to understand not just what their responsibility is, but why it changes based on context. Teaching triggers, communication cues, and early recognition matters far more than rigid assignments.

High rolls don’t just break defensive structure, they expose it. And until teams address the grey areas with purpose and intention, this will remain the most dangerous play in the offensive zone.

The other day at the rink, I sat down with a passionate and well-meaning youth coach over some truly terrible arena coffee. Before his team’s U10 practice, he proudly handed me his first-quarter seasonal plan and that night’s practice plan.

Both were detailed, structured, and impressively thorough. It was clear he had used a digital practice planning tool—and used it well. His plan had been shared in advance with players and parents, complete with key execution points (KEPs), small area games (SAGs), coach positioning diagrams, and equipment lists. Each activity was labeled, timed, and paired with concise key teaching points (KTPs) written in language his players could relate to.

He even had variations and progressions mapped out. It was textbook good planning—evidence of enthusiasm and care for his players’ development.

But as the players and parents arrived, something didn’t match the meticulous plan.

The kids looked tired. They weren’t smiling, talking, or buzzing about what was to come. One parent mentioned it was their 10th practice since evaluations—and thankfully, not another week of early-morning skates.

Before the session began, I asked the coach and his staff to keep one question in mind throughout practice:

“How much do you think is too much?”

I didn’t want an answer right away. I wanted them to think about it, to see it unfold over the next 90 minutes.

Here’s what we discovered together.

---

1. Avoid “Firefighting Coaching” — The Fix-It-Now Trap

Chasing errors in real time rarely leads to improvement. Over-correcting and filling every gap with instruction overwhelms players and can paralyze them with fear of failure. Real learning takes time and spacing. Skill development can’t be crammed—it needs breathing room.

2. Return to the Seasonal Plan

Let your players, not the drill book, drive your interventions. Reference plans and curriculum materials are guides, not rules. Create a simple checklist that helps you recognize when you’re on track versus when you’ve drifted into “chasing the game.”

3. Age and Stage Matter

Know what your players can handle for their developmental level. U10 players benefit from short, fun, focused sessions—not high volume or marathon practices. Consult Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) models or your federation’s skill inventories. Meet recommendations, but don’t exceed them.

4. Three Drills or SAGs Are Enough

Three well-designed activities—with variations and progressions—can fill an entire practice effectively. Overlearning through repetition builds activity memory, confidence, and automaticity. You don’t need ten drills when three great ones will do.

5. Feedback and Reinforcement

Choose analogies that players understand. Keep feedback concise, engaging, and positive. Recognize effort, energy, and small wins. Use chants, cheers, and rituals that connect the team emotionally. Track what works and make it part of your culture.

6. Reflect and Adjust

Reflection is as vital as planning. Whether it’s a brief post-practice huddle or a quiet drive home, use that time to align what you planned with what your players actually needed. It’s how coaches grow in real time.

A week later, the coach told me they had shortened their ice sessions from 90 to 60 minutes, cut back weekly frequency, added off-ice team-building time, and simplified their on-ice structure. They also flipped their feedback approach—less correcting, more catching players doing it right.

They got it.

Sometimes, in coaching, enough is enough.

Stacking is a tactic I introduced to my team last winter because I found that when our D went back for puck retrievals, one of two things would happen.

1. The first D back retrieving the puck would be faced with hard pressure, making a quick pass to their partner on the weaker side. After completing the pass, she continues her momentum toward her teammate, taking the opposing forechecker with them. Typically, what happens is that the weakside D recieves the puck around the same time the strong side D is within feet of them, making the pass irrelevant and often resulting in lost possession and a failed breakout.
2. While the strong side D is retrieving the puck, the weakside D stands in front of the goalie, basically taking themselves out of the play and not being an option for his or her D partner.

 

In this video, you can see how the Portland Winterhawks are going back to retrieve the puck. Since they have numbers back to help, the weak side D will retreat to the weak side of the ice for a viable "OUT" option for his D partner who is under hard pressure. The centerman or first forward back automatically becomes "stack" player for support. 

 

In this video, you can see how there are only two defencemen going back into their zone and zero support from the forwards. In this case, you can see how the weakside D scans the ice and moves into the "stack" position, allowing his partner to pick up the puck along the wall, using the net to create separation from the other team's F1. And begins to wheel to the weak side, all while the weak side D becomes an option for a reverse play.

 

I included this video because it represents 1st reason I mentioned above why I introduced stack plays. As you can see, Josh Morrissey picks up the puck with a lateral support from his D partner and a centerman stacking for support. As Morrissey makes the D-to-D pass, he keeps the momentum towards his D partner. Leaving little to no time for his partner to make the appropriate play. Morrissey continues to skate towards the weak side, taking St. Louis F1 with him. Morrissey is within 10 feet of his partner while the weak side D is receiving this puck, making the D-to-D pass irrelevant. This results in loading the weak side of the ice, becoming outnumbered by the St. Louis Blues, and a failed breakout attempt by the Jets.

A couple of years ago, I started digging into a project to figure out better ways to build more connected teams. I kept noticing this growing gap between today’s players and coaches, and I wanted to understand what was causing it. Pulling from both sides of my world, coaching and design, I started putting together a research document to make sense of it all. That document eventually turned into a book called Coaching By Design. It’s a hands-on guide for coaches who want to lead with more clarity and purpose, using the design process to shape team culture on purpose instead of just hoping it all clicks.

Since putting out the first edition, the game (and the players) keep evolving. Coaches in minor hockey are already working with Generation Alpha, and they’re about to start showing up in junior hockey too. This article includes some fresh thinking and a new excerpt that looks at where coaching is headed and how we can be ready for the next wave. If you’ve already picked up the book, I wanted to make sure you had access to this new piece of the puzzle.

The Future of Coaching: Adapting by Design

As Generation Alpha steps onto the ice, the role of the coach is changing again…and fast.

The future of coaching won’t be defined by who knows the most drills or has the best systems. It will be shaped by who can communicate with clarity, create cultures that connect, and design experiences that engage a new kind of athlete. The rigid, top-down model of command-and-control coaching is giving way to something more dynamic, more human, and more collaborative.

From Authority to Empathy

Tomorrow’s players won’t respond to titles alone. They need to feel respected before they listen, and understand why before they buy in. That doesn’t mean coaches lose their edge, it means they evolve their influence.

Design Insight: Influence is built through empathy, not authority.

Coaches who lead with curiosity, listen actively, and adjust their delivery based on who they’re coaching will outperform those who rely on old-school intensity alone.

From Systems to Experiences

Practice plans aren’t just about skill acquisition, they are experiences that shape motivation, attention, and emotional connection. The best coaches of the future will approach each session like a designer: with intent, structure, and flexibility.

• What are the players supposed to feel here?
• Where are they most engaged?
• What can we prototype and iterate?

Training won’t just be evaluated by technical outcomes, but by how well it fuels long-term development, team cohesion, and mental resilience.

From Control to Co-Creation

The next generation of athletes wants a voice; not to take over, but to be part of the process. That doesn't mean democracy on every decision. It means collaborative environments where players understand expectations, contribute ideas, and feel invested in outcomes.

Design Insight: Design is not done to people…it’s done with them.

The future coach is still the leader. But they’ll lead by designing systems of ownership, not just enforcing rules. They’ll blend structure with adaptability and shift from being the single source of knowledge to the facilitator of shared growth.

Design-Centered Coaching is the Way Forward

This isn’t about trading toughness for softness. It’s about trading rigidity for resilience, and tradition for intentional transformation. Coaching by design means using the same tools that designers use to solve complex human challenges (empathy, systems thinking, rapid iteration, and purpose-driven action) to lead a team.

The future of coaching is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.

The coaches who thrive will be the ones who rethink how they lead…and redesign how they coach.

Generation Alpha (2010-2024)

Generation Alpha refers to those born from 2010 onward, making them the first generation to be entirely born into a world shaped by smartphones, streaming, and artificial intelligence. They are the children of Millennials and will be the most formally educated, technologically immersed, and globally connected generation in history.

They’ve never known a world without on-demand content, digital assistants, or touchscreen interfaces. Their early experiences (inside and outside of sport) are shaped by customization, convenience, and constant connectivity. These young athletes are growing up in households where mental health, emotional expression, and digital fluency are prioritized more than ever before.

Traits

Gen Alpha are true digital natives; technology isn’t a tool for them, it’s the baseline. From their earliest moments, they’ve used screens to swipe, search, and solve problems, which has shaped their expectation for interactivity in nearly every setting. Whether it’s a video session or on-ice instruction, they expect learning to be dynamic and engaging. Raised on short-form, fast-paced content, they’re highly visual learners who absorb information quickly but may tune out during lecture-style teaching or drawn-out explanations.

This generation is also being raised with a strong emphasis on emotional intelligence. They’re taught to express how they feel, ask questions, and seek understanding, not simply follow direction.

They tend to be more self-aware and communicative, but also more sensitive to how they’re coached and spoken to. Their worldview is shaped by hyper-personalized algorithms that cater to their preferences, building self-assurance but sometimes narrowing their exposure to discomfort, delayed gratification, or differing perspectives.

Above all, Alpha athletes are growing up in a safety-first culture that prioritizes inclusion and emotional security. They’re far less tolerant of fear-based coaching and are quick to disengage from environments that don’t feel safe or respectful.

Gen Alpha Hockey Experience (Note: This generation is still evolving)

As these kids start moving into organized hockey and higher levels of training, here are the trends coaches are starting to see and will need to adapt to:

Alpha players are highly coachable, but only when trust is firmly established. They respond best to coaches who explain why, not just what, and thrive in environments where they feel heard, respected, and included. Without that connection, however, they disengage quickly.

They are also extremely sensitive to tone, language, and body cues. Yelling, sarcasm, or passive-aggressive communication tends to shut them down rather than spark motivation.

Alphas are drawn to gamified learning; engaging more when drills feel like challenges or problem-solving tasks rather than routines. Their split-attention wiring makes them natural multi-taskers, but they struggle with sustained focus. Practices and video sessions must be clear, concise, and intentional.

Exposure to social media and highlight culture often builds inflated confidence without the reps to back it up, so coaches must help them develop real substance behind the flash.

Above all, they need psychological safety to take risks and grow. Accountability is still key, but it must be delivered through a lens of support, not fear.

Gen Alpha Coaching Design Insight

Design Principle 101: Design with the user in mind.

In the context of coaching, your “users” are your players, and Generation Alpha is the next evolution of that user base. Instead of resisting these changes, embrace them. Use design thinking to build practice environments, communication strategies, and culture touchpoints that align with how Gen Alpha learns, responds, and grows.

Coaching this generation won’t be about watering things down, it will be about meeting them where they are and building a system that helps them stretch beyond it.

If you’d like to check out the full book and explore the framework in more detail, you can find Coaching By Design at Amazon.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Linktree

In episode 305 and finale for season 8 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we had the pleasure of being joined by Calgary Flames assistant coach Brad Larsen for a live interview at our TCS Live coaching conference.

As a player, the Vernon, BC native won a gold medal with Canada’s U18 team, along with back to back golds at the World Junior Championships. He turned pro with the Colorado Avalanche organization, was named Captain of the Hershey Bears in just his second pro season, and would go on to play over 300 NHL games with the Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers, and Anaheim Ducks. 

He jumped right into the coach arena following his retirement. First in the AHL with the Springfield Falcons before being promoted to the Columbus Blue Jackets and eventually, being named the club’s Head Coach in 2021. Today, he is on Ryan Huska’s staff with the Calgary Flames. 

There are so many take-aways from this final episode of the 2024-2025 season of Glass and Out. 

Listen as he shares how he's learned to lean on his faith, why the standard needs to be the standard, and the importance of blooming where you're planted.

Video Timestamps:

• 0:00 Intro/early riser
• 3:05 Enjoying the Finals as a fan
• 6:50 What makes a true leader
• 10:10 Creating culture
• 14:45 Building blocks for success/best players set the standard
• 20:00 Improving listening skills/sticking to a team identity
• 24:50 Sweeping Tampa Bay
• 30:25 Multiple battles with cancer
• 32:50 Leaning on faith
• 39:35 Keys to first year success
• 41:15 Learning to deal with pressure
• 45:00 Wife’s battle with cancer
• 47:45 Being adaptable
• 50:50 Coaching mentors
• 52:00 Q&A

 

 

I use this drill to teach players the 1-2-2 forecheck, with the added bonus of also teaching defensemen to use each other as breakout options.

Whether I'm coaching squirts or college players I find the hardest thing for players to grasp is letting F1 continue to pressure the puck as F1, while F3 stays disciplined by becoming F2, sealing the wall and not diving in too low, when the puck switches sides in the O zone, especially when the opponents switch sides via the back of the net.

This 3 on 2 small area game has a great progression into a 5 on 3 game.

Pressure-packed moments define hockey. Whether it’s a team battling to tie the game in the final seconds or a defense holding the line with the clock winding down. How players respond to high stress scenarios can determine the outcome of the game. This is where the “Anxiety Drill,” comes into play. This drill is designed to simulate these moments and prepare teams to thrive under pressure. This drill not only sharpens tactical skills, but also helps players build resilience in the face of anxiety.

 

The Breakdown of the Anxiety Drill

 

The drill is simple yet highly effective:

 

• Set up a 5v5 scenario with a score of 2-1 or 3-2.

 

• Put a short time constraint on the scoreboard—2 to 3 minutes, or even less to increase intensity.

 

• The losing team pulls their goalie to add an extra attacker, mimicking a real game situation where every second counts.

 

• The drill begins with a face-off, with teams battling to achieve their respective goals: the trailing team aims to tie the game, while the leading team focuses on defense and clearing the puck.

 

Coaches can layer in extra scenarios, such as offensive zone face-offs, neutral zone scrambles, or penalty kill setups, to replicate many different game sceniros.

 

Why the Anxiety Drill Works

 

This drill is more than practice, it’s a mental and physiological training ground for players to adapt to high-pressure situations.
Here is why:

 

Reducing Anxiety Through Exposure

 

Anxiety in sports often stems from the fear of failure and the unknown. When players face high stakes situations in real games, their bodies respond with a “fight or flight” reaction, causing elevated heart rates, muscle tension, and impaired decision making.

 

By exposing players to similar high-pressure scenarios during practice, the Anxiety Drill desensitizes them to these feelings. This process, known as gradual exposure therapy in psychology, helps players learn to manage their stress response.

 

 

Studies on anxiety and performance, like the one by Dr. Robert Yerkes and John Dodson, show that moderate levels of arousal improve performance (Yerkes-Dodson Law). There is limited research on how long that "boost" can last and how accuracte it is. However, many studies have been done on how excessive anxiety can push players beyond the optimal zone, leading to mistakes. The Anxiety Drill teaches players to maintain focus within their optimal arousal zone.

 

Activating the Prefrontal Cortex

 

In high-pressure situations, the brain’s prefrontal cortex (the area responsible for decision-making and strategic thinking) plays a crucial role. However, stress can impair this function, causing players to freeze or make poor choices.

 

The Anxiety Drill trains the brain to stay engaged under pressure. As players navigate these scenarios in practice, they build the neural pathways needed to process information quickly and make effective decisions.

 

Combating Physical Tension

 

Anxiety often manifests physically, with players experiencing tight muscles, shallow breathing, or slowed reaction times. This tension can severely impair performance, particularly in a fast-paced sports like hockey.

 

The Anxiety Drill emphasizes movement, communication, and execution under stress, teaching players to stay relaxed and fluid despite the pressure. Over time, this improves their ability to stay composed during real game situations.

 

Real Game Benefits

 

The Anxiety Drill translates to in game success by preparing players for the most intense moments of competition.

 

Clutch Performance - Players become accustomed to executing under pressure, making them more confident and effective in crucial moments.

 

Improved Decision Making - By practicing quick reads and responses in high-stakes scenarios, players develop faster reaction times and better on ice awareness.

 

Team Cohesion - The drill forces players to communicate and rely on each other, fostering stronger teamwork in chaotic situations.

 

Anxiety is inevitable in hockey, but it doesn’t have to be a hindrance. The Anxiety Drill equips hockey players with the mindset to manage stress, make smarter decisions, and perform their best when it matters most.