This is a great warm-up drill for defensemen from NewEdge Hockey that can be used all of the time. This setup offers tons of repetitions for common defenseman movements. Deception is a critical, must-have skill for defensemen, and sending false signals takes work to do well. Lots of versions from toes and head left to right take, fan at puck, and so on. Puck on hip, eyes up, and superior passing are skills and habits that defenseman need to make a difference in today's game.

Setup

• Each player has a partner. Player 1 chips the puck to the boards, retrieves it, and passes it to Player 2. Player two then chips the puck and continues the drill.
• Progression # 1: Fake forehand to reverse curl.
• Progression # 2: Head up quick pass.
• Progression # 3: Any variation you want! This setup can allow defenders to reinforce retrieval movements. Use deception and keep your head up!

Coaching Points

• Head up!
• Look over your shoulder as you are skating to the puck (make sure to practice this habit!)
• Practice deception in retrievals with your toes, hips, stick, head & eyes!

NEHDA Continuous Retrieval Outlet is an excellent drill from NewEdge Hockey that helps players practice puck retrievals, scanning the ice, passing, shooting, and more. 

Setup

• Spilt up the players into two groups and have each group on a face-off dot.
• To start the drill, a player chips a puck into the corner, P1 retrieves the puck and passes it to P2 at the point. P2 walks the blue line, takes a shot, and then jumps to retrieve a puck in the opposite corner. The next player in the opposite line, P3, chips a puck into the corner for P2 to retrieve.
• The drill is continuous and there are a variety of retrievals techniques that can be practiced. A few that are shown in the video are:
  • Part # 1 Face Up Ice: Retrieve the puck and get it up ice as quickly as possible.
  • Part # 2 Puck Protection & Shot: Retrieve the puck and perform to puck protection cutbacks along the boards before passing the puck up.
  • Part # 3 Puck Protection & Shot With Tip: Retrieve the puck and perform to puck protection cutbacks along the boards before passing the puck up. After a player passes the puck to the point, they go to the front of the net for a tip.
  • Variation: Players can throw puck off the boards instead of a direct pass to the point, so the defenseman works on collecting the puck at the blueline before they take a shot.

Coaching Points

• Head up: Focus on strong surveys / scans before retrieval.
• Deception: Be deceptive and decisive and get the puck on your hip, eyes up and make an excellent pass.
• Shooting: Get shot off quickly.

The goal of this drill is to get players a more comfortable handing pucks along the wall and provides a situation you can use to teach them various techniques.

Setup:

• This station can be set up to use half of one of the zones.
• Pucks should be set behind the goal crease in the middle of the ice with the coach or other player.  If you are using both sides then two coaches can share the pucks and each will rim the puck to opposite sides.  
• A tire or cone can be placed inline with the dots at around the top of the circles.  
• Players are lined up along the blue line with the first player inline with the dots.  
• Player 1 will skate up around the tire towards the wall, open up to face the puck as it is rimmed around.  The players should time it so they are skating up ice as they gather the puck.
• Once they gather the puck they will make a pass to the next player in line, go around the tire, open up and call for the puck, then receive the puck back to take a shot on net.

Coaching Points:

• Encourage players to move their feet and keep their heads up as they gather the puck along the boards.
  • Players should look at the point to see where the defense is. You can do this with no defence just to get them in the habit of looking at the point, or you can have the defence add pressure so the drill can be variable. 
  • Players should get to the wall.
  • After they get the puck, they should skate away from the wall so they have space to play to the center or to the boards.

Variations:

• You can add a defender playing the point that occasionally jumps in, which will require the forwards to be more aware of the situation.
• You can add obstacles that the player needs to pass through when they pass to the point.
• You can require the player to shoot in stride, change their shot angle or practice their one-timer when they are shooting on net.
• You can make this drill half ice so more skating and longer passes are required.
• You can have the forward go to the net and have the defense take a shot so the forward has to tip or deflect it.

This is a variation of the Eagles half ice 1 on 1 drill.  Now we add a forward to make it a 2 on 1. The forwards all line up in the corner without pucks.  The defense line up just inside the forwards with the pucks as shown in the diagram.  To start the drill F1 skates up along the boards and receives a pass from D1.  F1 receives the pass, skates around the circle and takes a shot on net.   F1 then continues around the circle.  F2 follows F1 out of the corner and also receives a pass from D1 out of the corner.  After their shot, F2 tranisions around the bottom of the other circle to receive a breakout pass from D1.  F1 times their break into the slot to receive a pass from F2.  F1 and F2 then continue outside the blue line and transition back against D1 in a 2 on 1 situation.

Suggested Drill Lists

• Breakout Drills
• Half Ice Drills
• 2 on 1 Drills

The Bourque 3 on 3 cross ice game is similar to the Gretzky Game but now the designated passers behind the nets are referred to as "Bourque." The "Bourque" is behind their own goal line and helps to initiate breakout passes to their teammates. It is important that players regroup to support their "Bourque."

Game Rules

• Players must use their "Bourque" on a change of possession before making an attempt to score.
• Players may attack the other team's "Bourque" but they may not shadow them.
• Players that are playing in the 3 on 3 can go behind their own goal line to help out their own "Bourque".
• There is no limit to how often a team uses their "Bourque."
• Shifts should be 30 - 40 seconds to keep a good pace and high intensity.
• If a puck goes out of play, the coach can dump in a new one.

Coaching Points

• Have the "Bourque" work on a good first pass.
• Use "false Information / deception" (fakes & looking off the pass) to get their players open.
• Players need to skate back to support their "Bourque."
• Fill three lanes and skate to open ice.

Variations:

• Can be 3 on 3 or 2 on 2. 
• Can have 2 Bourque's to allow for D to D passes before the breakout starts. 

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