Purpose

Players learn practice handling the puck through a variety of game-type movements.

Setup

  • Players set up anywhere on the ice.
  • Each player has a puck.
forward backward sideways hockey stickhandling drill

How it Works

  1. Coach blows whistle.
  2. Players take 5 strides forward while stickhandling the puck.
  3. Coach blows whistle.
  4. Players take 5 strides backward while stickhandling the puck.
  5. Coach blows whistle.
  6. Player takes 5 chop steps to the right while stickhandling the puck.
  7. Coach blows whistle.
  8. Player takes 5 chop steps to the left while handling the puck.
  9. Run the drill for 3-5 sets. One set includes each of the progressions listed above.

Coaching Tips

  • Look for proper fundamentals – hips bent in athletic fashion, top hand a glove’s length from body, puck should stay in front of body, dribble puck with back heel of blade, front toe of blade moves back and forth in windshield wiper fashion.
  • Player’s head should be up, not staring down at the puck.