The modern game requires defencemen have quick feet.

Nothing drives the compete level up in your practice more than a good ol' fashioned 1-on-1 drill. There's nowhere to hide, and for Colorado Avalanche assistant coach Nolan Pratt, when it comes to the defence, that's a good thing.

The modern defenceman is tasked with jumping up into the rush on the offensive side of the puck more than ever before. That's a good thing too, as long as they remember that priority number one is stopping the other team from scoring.

Having quick feet can help a team offensively, but it's a trait that's beneficial to the defensive side of the puck as well. For defencemen, it's important to get up in the play and establish a good gap.