At TCS Live 2025, Portland Winterhawks President and GM Mike Johnston took to the ice to show how simple passing drills can transform into the backbone of structured team play.

For Johnston, the message was clear: it’s not about the drill itself, but how it’s executed. He emphasized that passing and receiving are the most important details at every level of hockey, from youth players to professionals. As the long-time coach of the Winterhawks (prior to stepping off the ice to focus on the entire ogranization), as well as a one-year stint coaching Sidney Crosby with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Johnston has seen a lot of good and bad passes. 

“You can never make a bad pass to a good player.” 

The Details That Matter

With his junior players, Johnston focuses on passing, drilling home core teaching points:

• Stick in the hip pocket for quick release

• Pass hard every time

• Stick square to the target on reception

These may sound basic, but in Johnston’s system, they’re non-negotiable. Without sharp execution, offensive concepts crumble before they even start.

From Drills to Team Concepts

What made this on-ice session unique was how Johnston wove these fundamentals directly into team play patterns:

• Offensive Zone Sequences – low-to-high passes, D-to-D rotations, defensemen activating down the wall, forwards resetting the puck off the boards.

• Neutral Zone Regroups – defensemen constantly moving, crossing and switching to keep the opponent guessing.

The brilliance of Johnston’s approach lies in how each drill teaches skill execution and reinforces habits that appear in real games. Players aren’t just learning how to pass, they’re learning how to pass with purpose inside a team structure.

“If passes aren’t made or received cleanly, the entire strategy breaks down.”

Tactical Flexibility

Johnston believes that once a team has built this foundation, coaches can exploit opponents by tailoring which strategy to lean on in a given game. The passing habits remain constant, but the tactical layers on top can shift depending on the matchup.

Coaching Takeaway

Passing drills don’t need to be fancy to have lasting value. By demanding precision and execution, Johnston’s approach turns skill development into game-ready concepts, ensuring that every rep on the ice has meaning.

A Challenge for Coaches

The next time you run a practice, ask yourself: are your passing drills just filler, or are they laying the groundwork for your team’s structure? Push your players to execute every pass with speed, accuracy, and intent, and then connect those habits directly to your team play.

For the full on-ice demonstration of these concepts, watch the complete session from Ann Arbor.

Noteworthy timestamps:

• 0:00 Offensive zone passing options drill
• 8:10 Progression - Adding D motion
• 11:45 Progression - Behind the net reverse
• 13:20 Progression - Adding regroup
• 16:40 Progression - D crossing
• 18:35 Progression - D kickback
• 23:35 Progression - D decision