Purpose
Defensemen work on their forward and backward skating skills.Setup
- Defensemen pair up along one side of the ice.

How it Works
- Coach blows his whistle.
- The first defenseman skates forward while his partner the second defeseman mirrors his moves while skating backward.
- At the opposite end of the ice, the players switch and now the second defenseman skates forward while the first defenseman skates backward and mirrors his moves.
- Run the dril so that each pair gets 3-5 reps.
Coaching Tips
- As players improve, you can introduce a puck into the drill and have the forward skating player stick handle.
- You could also have the backward skating player swipe at the puck.