The Complete Hockey Tryout Guide for Coaches and Associations

Dwayne Blais, Founder of the NSDA, Hockey Canada Certified Skills Coach and current Skill Development Coach for the Detroit Red Wings gives hockey coaches and associations advice on how to run a smooth, effective, and less stressful hockey tryout. The video and the outline below go though Pre-Ice Preparation, On-Ice Tryout Structure, The Evaluation Process, Making Cuts, Tips for Players, Parents & Coaches, and more. 

1. The Tryout Process Overview

• Tryouts can be stressful for coaches, players, and parents.
• The goal is to make the experience better for all involved by focusing on three key areas:
  • Pre-Ice Preparation – Planning before getting on the ice.
  • On-Ice Execution – Running drills, evaluating skills.
  • Evaluation Process – Selecting players fairly and efficiently.

2. Pre-Ice Preparation

• Know Your Players: Review the list of players trying out, understand their backgrounds.
• Organize Jerseys & Equipment: Assign pinnies with numbers for easy tracking.
• Gather Essentials: Ensure pucks, cones, whistles, whiteboards, and evaluation sheets are ready.
• Have Helpers Available: Older players, assistant coaches, or parents can assist with running drills and organizing players.

3. On-Ice Tryout Structure

A. Individual Skill Evaluation

• Focus on skating, shooting, puck handling, and general hockey skills.
• Use drills that allow multiple players to participate at once for better assessment.
• Limit distractions (e.g., keep pucks off the ice during skating evaluations).

B. Position-Specific Drills

• Defensive players: Transition skating, backpedaling, one-on-ones.
• Forwards: Net drives, puck retrievals, passing under pressure.

C. Game Situations & Scrimmages

• Small-area games (2v2, 3v3) to assess player instincts and decision-making.
• Larger scrimmages (4v4, 5v5) to evaluate team play and hockey sense.

4. The Evaluation Process

A. Player Assessment Best Practices

• Use independent evaluators (assistant coaches, outside experts) to provide unbiased feedback.
• Assign numbers instead of names to avoid bias.
• Keep evaluations simple with a standardized form.

B. Suggested Evaluation Categories

• Skating – Speed, balance, edge work. View skating drills.
• Shooting – Accuracy, power, release time. View shooting drills.
• Puck Handling – Control, ability to play under pressure. View puckhanding drills.
• Competitiveness – Work ethic, effort level. View battle drills.
• Coachability – Attitude, response to feedback.

C. Scoring System

• Use a 1-5 scale (5 = elite, 1 = needs improvement).
• Have multiple evaluators review each player for consistency. You can also select a team by committee to help keep things unbiased, and so decisions do not fall on one coach.
• Use results to validate team selections and provide feedback to players.

D. Evaluation Sheet Examples

• Blank Evaluation Sheets
• Pre-Filled Evaluation Sheets

E. Best Practices for Making Cuts

• Deliver the Message Personally - when possible, have one on one conversations in person or via phone rather than posting a list.
• Be Honest & Kind - Cleary explain why the player was not selected. Avoid comparing them to other players.
• Provide Constructive Feedback - You can reference one or two skills that needs improvement based on your evaluation sheets. You can recommend additional training and give them some camps, methods or ideas on how they can improve those skills.
• Encourage a Growth Mindset - remind players that being cut is only a minor setback and some of the greatest athletes in the world were cut from their youth teams.
  • Many professional athletes were cut from youth teams, including some of the greatest players in the world like: Michael Jordan (cut from his high school basketball team his sophomore year), Lionel Messi (cut from his youth soccer team at age 11),  Martin St. Louis (cut from youth teams at 12, & 14, and was undrafted but went on to win NHL MVP and a Stanley Cup), and many more.
• Support Parents - give the parents support and give them resources and ideas on how they can help their player improve by referencing skills their child should work on along with stories of successful players that have been cut.
• You can even share our video shown below: How Getting Cut Led to Success - with Brianne Jenner & Topher Scott with Players and Parents to let them know getting cut can be fuel to improve and just a small step in their hockey journey.

5. Advice for Coaches & Players

For Players & Parents:

• Remove old team logos/stickers to avoid pre-judgment from coaches.
• Work hard, have fun, and realize that making or not making a team does not end your hockey journey. Many great professional athletes were cut from teams at different points in their career.

For Coaches:

• Ensure the tryout process is structured, fair, and documented to justify selections and assist in player development.
• Key Reminder: Tryouts should be a learning experience for players, not just a selection process. Create a supportive atmosphere by explaining expectations, emphasizing fun, and encouraging hard work. Provide constructive feedback post-tryout to help players understand areas for improvement.

Conclusion

Tryouts, picking a team and making cuts is never easy, but a well-planned, respectful approach can make the process fair and positive for all involved. By focusing on clear communication, objective evaluations, and supportive feedback, coaches can help players and parents move forward with confidence, whether they made the team or not.