Here are a few options for wingers on their off-hand (weak) side when the puck is rimmed around the wall. First and foremost you always want to check what the opposing defense is doing. Are they allowing you time and space to gather the puck or are they applying pressure?

Option #1

• Get to the wall and gather puck at the wall.
• Use forehand to collect the puck faceing your own net.
• Get off the wall and look to make a play to the center or high off the wall and out of the zone.

Option #2 - No Pressure from Defense

• Get to the wall and face up ice skating with the direction of the rimmed puck.
• Once you collect puck get head up and try ot get off the wall as you head up ice.

Option #3 - Heavy Pressure

• Get to the wall and trap puck using skates.
• Use your body to protect the puck from the defense.
• If possible use the angle of your skates to get puck off the wall.
• Once off the wall look to make a play or chip the puck into the neutral zone.

One of the hardest things to teach centers on the breakout is the timing. It is critical that the centers have a good sense of timing so they can support the defense and wingers when they have the puck. If they get too far ahead of the play they create a bad angle for a pass and put themselves in a bad position to receive a pass. By staying low and below the puck then they give their teammates better options.

Tips for the Centers on Breakouts

• Stay low and slow.
• Support your defense and wingers.
• Be ready to skate into the puck.
• Communicate with your defense and wingers.

Here are some breakout tips for wingers on their strong side when the puck is rimmed along the wall. There are three situations listed below but on all situations the wingers should do the following three things:

• look up ice to see what the defense is doing.
• get to the wall before the puck gets to your spot.
• get separation from the wall so you have more options.

Option #1 - No Pressure

• Skate with direction of the puck.
• Let puck come to you as you are headed up ice.
• Get separation from the wall.

Option #2 - Hard Pressure

• Stop the puck with backhand.
• Protect puck with body.
• Get separation from the wall.
• Chip high off the glass.

Option #3 - Hard Pressure

• Get to the wall and stop puck with skates.
• Angle skates to get puck off wall and to your stick.
• Protect puck with body if needed.
• Get separation off of the wall.
• Use forehand to chip puck high off the glass.

The Point to Half Wall is an excellent small area game that helps players practice a 2 vs 1 in a small space along the boards. The game also reinforces important skills like keeping your head up, moving to open spaces, protecting the puck and communication. 

The goal of the game is for the offense is to connect on 4 consecutive passes in a row. If they do so, they win and are allowed to shoot on net. If the defense takes the puck away, or the puck goes out of bounds 2 times during the game the defense wins and is awarded a shot on net.

Setup

• Playing Area: Use 4 cones or tires that create a triangle from the half wall to the middle of the blue line.
• Goalie Setup: This can be set up as a station with a goalie, or without. If you use a goalie it can be placed in the crease or the net can be moved so the drill is a station. 
• Players: Alternate players. It is beneficial for players to get reps on both offense and defense sides. 
• Passes: You can require 4 (or a different amount) of consecutive passes to win.
• Defense: If the defense is taking the puck away too much, you can tell the defense to flip their stick over.
• Winner: The winning side gets a shot on net. Other winning options are: 
  • If the offense wins:
    • The last person with the puck gets a shot on net.
    • Both players are given a puck and can shoot on different goalies.
    • The game moves to a 2 vs 1 in front of the net and offense is allowed one shot if they can get it off.
  • If the defense wins:
    • They get a shot on net.
    • The game moves to a 1 on 1 in front of the net and the defense is allowed one shot if they can get it off. The losing offense team needs to communicate with each other as to who is going to go after the defense.

Coaching Points

• Use the boards! They are your friend!
  • If used properly, the boards can be used as an extra player out there and are helpful for bank passes and puck protection.
• Offensive players need to protect the puck until they can make a play and then expose the puck to make a pass.
• Offensive players have to move without the puck. Think "Give & Go!"
• Defensive players are most successful with active sticks and stop and starts. There are no short cuts!

Progressions

• Have one of the offensive players be a "Point Player" who has to stay up around the blueline.
  • This progression can be great for defenceman working on their puckhandling at the point & forwards becoming outlet passes.
• Create a smaller "playing area" to make it tougher on the offense.
• Play the Corner to Half Wall 2 vs 1.