The emphasis of this hockey drill for forwards is moving without the puck.  The emphasis for defense is stops and starts with an active stick.  The diagram shows a set up for a half ice practice, however, it can be used in a full ice situation as well. The hockey drill is set up with four cones in a square in front of the net about 20 feet apart.  Three forwards start with one puck and each player starts next to one of the cones.  The defender starts in the middle.  

On the whistle the player with the puck has to pass to another forward and then move to the cone that is not occupied.  Every time a forward makes a pass they must move to the open cone.  After five consecutive passes the forwards can take a shot on net.  The defender must try to intercept a pass.  If the defender disrupts the play, the coach gives one of the forwards a new puck and the play continues.

Variations

• If the forwards are getting the drill dialed in, add a 2nd defenceman so the game is 3 vs 2!
• You can also make the areas smaller or larger with the cones. It is up to you, have fun with it!!

The L-Support - Basic Triangle Movement drill is from Darryl Belfry's Teaching Hockey Sense Through Triangles webinar.

This simple yet effective drill helps players learn the concepts of puck support and gives them a framework to follow no matter where they are on the ice, whether they have the puck or do not have the puck. This concept will work for youth players and pro players.

Setup

• Have 3 players create an L using the face-off circle.
• On the whistle, the players start to pass the puck and move to continue to create the L-Support triangle, where the puck is in the elbow of the L.

Coaching Points

• The L-Support framework gives players guidelines to follow when they do and do not have the puck. 
  • The puck should be in the "elbow" of the L and players without the puck should flank the puck carrier to offer support at the tips of the L
  • It does not have to be a perfect L at all times. Belfry gave the analogy that the L is a basic guideline but you can tell players that the L can be a "handwritten L" where the angles are a little messy and not a perfect 90 degree angle.
• If coaches practice this concept enough, during any small area game, scrimmage, or real game, coaches can always ask players about the L support concept. For example, "How could you have supported your teammate there?"
• Watch the full Webinar Presentation to learn more coaching points and watch youth practice clips & NHL clips to see the concept in action.

Variations

• Can have no defenders to start and then progress to 1 or 2 defenders
• Learn how to create L-Support situations all over the ice
• Can add goalies and allow players to shoot (like in the Run Ragged Small Area Game)
• Can encourage players to practice L-Support in any small area game that has at least 3 offensive players in it.

The 3 Player - Every Pass a One Touch drill from Darryl Beflry is from his practice plan, Parallel Teaching Structure - Passing Between Two Checks and One Touch Passing. This drill exactly what it states - 3 players work to pass the puck around the zone to each other but every pass must be a one touch. If a player fails to make a one touch, the next group of players is in.

Setup

• Coach dumps puck into the zone and 3 players work to get the puck and make one touch passes to each other. When the players are unable to complete a one touch pass, the next group is in. Players can shoot and score on net.
• For points, coaches can keep track of goals as 1 point and number of one touch passes as a point.

Coaching Points

• Players should know where they want to pass the puck before they get it. This means that every player must keep their head up and know where their teammates are at all times.
• Players should communicate with each other to let their teammates know where they are.
• Players should keep their sticks on the ice to let teammates know where they would like the pass.
• Players should keep moving.

Variations

• Can perform this drill with 3, 4, or 5 players.
• Can add 1 or 2 defending players to make it more of a challenge if needed.

The 3 v 3 with 3 Ways to Score Game from Darryl Belfry stiches all of the concepts taught throughout the practice plan (Parallel Teaching Structure - Passing Between Two Checks and One Touch Passing) into one final game where each team has 3 different ways they can score points.

Setup

• Play in zone 3 v 3. The offensive team can score by the following options:
  • Pass through 2 players
  • One touch pass
  • Score a goal
• Keep track of score!

Coaching Points

• Defensive team should keep their sticks on the ice to block passing lanes and angle players to the outside.
• Offensive team should work hard to pass through 2 players, make one touch passes and score goals.

Variations

• Coaches can have a designated offensive team and defensive team.
• Coaches can allow the defensive team to pass to the coach and receive a pass back to transition to offense.
• Coaches can modify the point scoring based on whatever concepts they would like to reinforce.

The 3 vs. 1 Keep Away Game is as simple as it sounds but the fundamentals and habits players learn while playing this game are extremely valuable.

Keeping your head up, stick on the ice, moving to open space and communicating with your teammates will lead to success.

Game Rules 

• 3 players work to keep the puck from 1 defender. 
• Defense gets a point for stripping the puck and skating it out of the playing area, or if the puck goes out of play.
• Offense gets a point if they can keep possession of the puck until the coach blows the whistle.

Offensive Coaching Points:

• Head up!
• Stick on the ice to give your teammate a target.
• Poise when you have the puck. This takes practice! It is ok if you try new moves and make mistakes. 
• Move to open space without the puck.
• Communicate verbally and non-verbally with your teammates. 
• If you have the puck, use deception or false information (fake passes, no looks, skates & hips pointed opposite direction, etc) to get the defender to commit or open up.

Defensive Coaching Points:

• Stick on the ice at all times (so you can block passing lanes, pick off passes or angle players to go in a certain way).
• You are at a disadvantage in this game. Be smart about your movements. Do not chase and swing stick out of control. 

Variations:

• Can be 2 v 1, 3 v 1, 3 v 2, 4 v 1, 4 v 2 or you can make it more challenging for the offense by going 2 v 3, 2 v 4.
• Can make the playing size smaller or larger.
• Can require forwards to get a certain number of passes to end game or keep possession of the puck for a certain amount of time to win the game. Time can be anywhere from 15 - 45 seconds. Can also keep track of how many passes are made during 30 seconds.
• If you have a goalie, require the forwards to make 3, 4 or 5 passes before they can shoot on net. If the defense strips the puck, allow them to take a shot on net. The goalie can work on tracking the puck during the passes.

The 3 on 2 Keep Away Game from Jeff Meredith is utilized to reinforce good defensive habits and concepts. Two games are set up in zone with one going at a time.

Setup

• Setup two 3v2 games around each of the face-off circles in the zone. 
• Coaches can create boundaries of the game by using the line of the face-off circles, paint, makers, cones, tires (or anything else).
• On the whistle, 3 offensive players work to pass the puck around while the 2 defenders work to block and deflect passes.
• One 3v2 goes until a coach determines a winner. After the game ends, the second 3v2 game starts.

Coaching Points

• Defense:
  • Keep sticks on the ice to block passing lanes.
  • Practice stick on puck poke checks.
  • Work to return to the middle of the circle with your stick on the ice to block passing lanes.
• Offense:
  • Keep sticks on the ice to let your teammates know when you want the puck.
  • Utilize flat crisp passes around the outside of the circle. You do not have to force a puck through the middle.
  • Utilize fakes & deception to create passing lanes.
  • Make area passes if needed.

Variations

• Can set up one game instead of 2 games as shown.
• This game can be played 3v2 or 3v1.
• If offensive players are struggling to complete passes, coaches can have the defenders start by flipping their sticks over. Once the offensive players are able to get the hang of it and complete passes, coaches can progress to have defenders use their sticks normally.