15 Hockey Tips
Hockey fans and players alike are always looking to better understand the game. As a player, there are seemingly a thousand things going on at once on the ice. As a fan, understanding of the basic concepts will increase your enjoyment. And if you are both, then you will definitely want to read the tips below.
A few ideas from puckmasters (an awesome training site):
Tip No. 1
Learn To Jam
Formerly a rare power play strategy, “jam” plays are now commonplace. Attacking teams rush in front of the net from all angles while attempting to keep the puck moving to rotating pivot men, hoping to free up an open man one-on-one against the goaltender. The strategy is risky because there is often no one back in time to prevent a short-handed rush if the puck squirts away from the corners or behind the net.Tip No. 2
Play Without The Puck
A good player’s actions and movements away from the puck are just as important as – and sometimes more important than – his play with the puck. If you’re playing with a Gretzky, or some other clever director, it’s imperative to play smart without the puck. “That’s why he’s accomplished what he has, because of anticipation,” Colin Campbell says of The Great One. “And if you’re going to play on the same line as him, you better know where to be and when to be there.”Tip No. 3
Dish Or Dump?
Fromer defenseman ESPN commentator Brian Engblom on carrying the puck out of the zone: “If the defenseman has been able to get the puck under control and gather speed coming out of his zone, he must be very careful to make the right play in the neutral zone. If it’s congested, often the right play is not to pass it at all, but instead, get to the red line and dump the puck into the opposition’s zone. If he makes a bad pass in the neutral zone and it is intercepted, he is caught travelling in the wrong direction and is susceptible to a breakaway, or out-numbered attack on his partner (who’s backing him up).”Tip No. 4
Be Indirect
A popular misconception is that most goals are scored on direct shots. “They’re not,” says Nelson Emerson. “Especially on power plays. Most of the time, you score on tips (redirections) or rebounds off missed shots.Tip No. 5
One Hand Can Help
“Try to keep one hand on the stick as much as possible,” says Steve Duchesne. “I like to use my stick a lot in tight situations to take the puck from the forward or intercept a pass. Freeing one hand from the stick also really helps my balance and my speed because I can extend both my legs and arms when I am skating. Also, like most other defenseman, I like to use the crossover a lot when going backwards. But crossing over too much can get you burned because a smart forward will watch your feet and when you crossover one way he goes the other direction and it can be very hard to untangle your feet. So when the forward is near it is better to go straight backwards and let him make the first move.”Tip No. 6
Work On ‘D’ Skating
Steve Duchesne says that it’s important for defensemen to work on their skating skills. “The stop and go, forward to backward movement and quick turns are all important for my position, and I train these skills by working on turning and stopping in practice. Good balance is important for all players. Staying low, using your legs and keeping all your weight over an edge will help the balance, especially when checking. Too many players try to check with the upper body (only using the shoulders), but a good, solid hit comes from the lower body – the strength in the legs – and also a strong abdomen and lower back.”Tip No. 7
Position ‘A’
“The biggest thing is positioning. You’ve absolutely gotta protect the dangerous scoring areas of the ice,” says Dean Kennedy. “An opposing offense will try all sorts of things to try to confuse you, but the one common thing is to keep proper positioning. You have to be able to put the opposing player where you want him, as opposed to letting him go to the place he wants to be,” he adds. “That’s half the battle right there.”Tip No. 8
Bigger Isn’t Always Better
A bigger goaltender has more reach, has more range and probably can fill more net than a smaller goalie. However, bigger goaltenders often don’t have the same agility, speed, or ability to move as a smaller goaltender. A 6’4″ goaltender isn’t necessarily better just because he’s bigger than a goaltender who’s 5’10”. Sometimes bigger goaltenders, when they venture out to cut down angles, actually take their biggest blocking area – their chest and arms – out of the net. For a bigger goaltender, it’s a long way to the ice when they drop to use their pads. When big goaltenders drop, they often open more holes than small goaltenders. While in general you would believe that bigger is better, it is not always the case. Don’t give up on a smaller guy just because of his size.Tip No. 9
Cover The Corners
“It’s an under-appreciated part of the game,” notes Coach Brian Sutter. “Teams that can come away from those battles in the corners at both ends of the rink with possession – or more importantly, without giving the puck away – are the teams that are successful.”Tip No. 10
Keep Them Outside
The common team strategy when play comes back in your own zone is to attempt to fan the puck as well as the offensive players toward the outside – and outside the corner areas. A team on the defensive then might try to infiltrate the middle of the ice upon possession and institute a break going the other way. This hourglass effect allows centers to control play on the offensive end after playing a key role defensively.Tip No. 11
When To Be Creative
For teams on the offensive, when the battle takes place in the zone of the opponent, there’s a great deal more room for error and, therefore, for creativity. “Usually, if you can move the puck anyplace that the other guy doesn’t want it, you’re in good shape,” says Troy Murray. “Most of the time, they’re concerned with keeping the puck away from you in front of their goal. That can actually work for you as an attacker, because that can end up as a one-timer and a rebound.”Tip No. 12
Angle & Anticipate
“I try to take an angle that hurts their ability to come out of the corner with the puck,” Brian Leetch says. “I try to anticipate where they’re going next. And then once I’m in there, I just do what’s necessary to get the puck out of there and to a teammate. Anything I can do to dislodge the puck and pass it to a teammate or clear the zone, basically.”Tip No. 13
Goal Stick Options
On many occasions when a goaltender uses the half-butterfly save, the goalie could get the stick involved and prevent a dangerous rebound from coming out into the slot, but does not. He allows pucks to hit the pads and bounce right back out. If there is no deflection or screen, try to get the stick more involved by using it to deflect the puck to the corner, backed up by the pad.Tip No. 14
Shoot The Puck!
Consider the top goal scorers in the NHL. Not one of those guys got where they are without shooting 300-to-400 pucks a day. This may be on the ice or off a sheet of plywood, with or without formica, or even on smooth concrete, but top scorers will always put in this intensive type of training.Tip No. 15
Goal Scoring Attitude
Scoring is both mental and technical. Shooters expect to score. They bring this goal-scoring attitude to the game. Win or lose, if they don’t score, they’re not happy with themselves. A shooter doesn’t make that “last pass.” He shoots and he expects it to go in.
Click here to read all 99 tips.
Photo courtesy of Greg Matthews.
