The D-Zone Coverage Tire Drill from Tyler Bielby is a great 5 v 5 drill to practice your defensive zone coverage. The 2 parts of the drill allow teams to practice a full 5 on 5 defensive zone setup, and then practice getting back into coverage after the forwards are forced to go out to the neutral zone. 

Setup

• Setup the drill to be 5 v 5 in one zone. Place 3 tires of objects in the neutral zone that the forwards must skate around.
  • Part 1: On the whistle, play all out 5 v 5. Offense is trying to score, while defense is trying to defend and get the puck out of the zone.
  • Part 2: On the second whistle, the 3 defending forwards skate out to the neutral zone, pick a tire to skate around, and then fly back into the zone to resume d-zone coverage.
  • While the forwards are skating to the neutral zone, the offensive team can move the puck around in the zone. 
  • On the third whistle, the 5 v 5 resumes. Coach can blow the third whistle whenever they want to give the offense more of an advantage or disadvantage. 

Coaching Points

• Defensive team should keep sticks on the ice to block passing lanes, keep the puck to the outside, and communicate with their teammates to sort out coverage.
• Offensive team should support each other by moving to open space and being passing outlets for their teammates.

Variations

• Can make this a half ice drill (as discussed above) or full ice to allow the defense the opportunity to skate down to the other end to try to score.
• Can have 3, 4, or 5 defenders. 5 on 5 will be more game like, but 5v3 or 5v4 will allow your offense to practice moving the puck before you progress to full 5v5.
• Can move the tires far apart so the defending forwards will be more spread out when coming back into the zone.