Pit Chaos Handling with Passes

By: Global Hockey Network

The Pit Chaos Handling With Passing drill is an excellent activity that helps players work on awareness, puck handling, and passing skills. This drill can be used as a warm-up in practice or games, or as a drill to reinforce keeping your head up.

Setup

• Setup 2, 3, or 4 players in the middle of a face-off circle. The more players involved will increase the difficulty of the drill because there will be more skaters to pass & stickhandle around.
• Setup 3 or 4 players around the outside of a circle.
• On the whistle, the players in the middle of the circle begin stickhandling within the border of the circle. The players on the outside begin passing the puck to each other. 
• After 20-30 seconds, players rotate.

Coaching Points

• Encourage players to keep their heads up and scan the ice.
• Players stickhandling should work to get to open space.
• Players passing the puck scan the ice and think ahead as to where they would pass the puck before they get it.

Variations

• Can set up in different areas of the ice.
• Coaches can require two touch or one touch passes for higher skilled groups.
• Can increase or decrease the # of players involved. More players inside the circle will make the drill more challenging.