Purpose

Defensemen work on skating backward, passing and shooting.

Setup

  • Defensemen line up along the boards on one side of the ice. Backward Skate To Shot Hockey Defensive Drill

How it Works

  1. Coach blows his whistle.
  2. First defenseman skates backward with a puck.
  3. He pass the puck to the next defenseman in line and receives a return pass while continuing to skate backward.
  4. After receiving the puck he pivots, skates forward and shoots just inside the blue line.
  5. Run the drill so each defenseman gets 3-5 shots.

Coaching Tips

  • When skating backward the player should work on his stride start with C-cuts, but remember the C should actually be like a tear drop. The heel of the players’ skates should always be pointing down the ice.