Breakout Habits

Billy Purcell Off the Wall Drill from Coach TJ Manastersky is a warm up drill that gets shots for goaltenders while working on passing & receiving along with getting off of the wall to create space for yourself.

TJ Manastersky shared this game with the IHS Community while he was an Assistant Coach at Union College. TJ is the Current Head Coach at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Setup

• The whole team is split up in opposite corners and sides of the ice (as shown in the diagram).
• On the whistle, the player with the puck in the corner JUMPS off of the wall to the dots of the ice, then passes the puck to the player at the hashmarks.
• The player that receives the puck, jumps off of the wall, gets to the dots on the middle of the ice, then passes the puck to the player at the blue line.
• The player that made the pass then takes the space of the position of the player they passed the puck to.
• When the puck gets to the blue line, the next player in the corner begins the pass & follow movement.
• This drill continues down the ice until the player on the far blue line takes a shot on net.

Coaching Points

• Use your forehand and backhand to catch passes and make passes.
• Get your head up and practice getting off of the wall to create space for yourself.

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!

The Quick Start Continuous Outlet from NewEdge Hockey helps players practice breakout passing, retrievals, communication, and more. This drill should have flow and a very strong focus on quality passing.

Setup

• Split up players on each of the half-walls.
• One player will start in the slot and receive a pass to start the drill:
  • Part # 1: Continuous Outlet Passing: players will work on practicing to both of their outlets (as shown in the video).
  • Part # 2: Continuous Retrieval Outlet Pass: players work on retrieving a puck off of the boards before they pass to their outlet (as shown in the video).
  • Part # 3: Continuous Retrieval Reverse Outlet Pass: players work on retrieving a puck off of the boards, then performing a reverse curl (with puck protected) before they pass to their outlet (as shown in the video).

Coaching Points

• Passing: Put a strong emphasis on passing quality and communication during this drill.
• Vision: The defenseman's quick start should get them into a position that allows them to see as much ice in front of them as possible. If not pressured, the defenseman should not turn their shoulders while moving behind the net. Doing so will take most of their vision/options away.
• Footwork: When the situation permits, a right handed defenseman should always put their left skate out on a forward to backward pivot which puts them in a ready to receive position instead of a crossed up position. Left handed defenseman should lead with thier right skate.

The Breakout Regroup Shooting drill helps players work on breakout principles, edge work, and quick release shooting.

Setup

• Player 1,  at the top of the circle passes to Player 2 on the goal line. 
• Player 1 pivots and opens up at the boards to get a pass back.
• Player 1 passes back to Player 2 for a give & go and jumps to the slot for a one timer shot.
• After player 1 takes a shot, and plays the rebound, they go to the goal line and wait to receive a pass from Player 3, the next player in line.
• The drill is continuous.

Coaching Points

• Keep stick on the ice to give your teammate a passing target.
• Communicate and call for the puck.
• Keep your head up and scan the ice when heading into breakout position along the boards.

The Dinks Warm Up from John Dean helps players practice bump or dink passes off the wall, along with breakout and zone entry concepts.

Setup

• Forwards and defensemen lineup on top of opposite face-off circles.
• On the whistle, the defensemen chips a puck and goes to retrieve it. The two forwards get into breakout positions, with one forward supporting the defensemen as a center and the other going to the weak side winger position.
• After retrieving the puck, the defensemen dinks (or bumps) the puck off of the boards, so that the forward can easily collect it.
• This starts a full 3 person breakout with the weak side winger pushing the pace and going to the wall on the far blueline. The puck carrier gets middle ice and kicks the puck out to the forward on the far blue line. The forward with the puck gains middle ice and passes the puck to the defender that has worked hard to get up ice.
• The defender takes a shot on net with everyone following up for a tip, deflection or rebound opportunity.

Coaching Points

• Defender retrieving the puck should shoulder check both shoulders & scan the ice before collecting the puck.
• The center should yell "Dink Wall" to let the defender know they want a dink off of the wall.
• Puck carrier should always work to get middle ice.

Variations

• Coaches can use this setup to work on different breakout and zone entry options.

The Billy Purcell Breakout Drill from Coach TJ Manastersky works on fundamentals of breakouts, such as passing, support, communication, and it leads into zone entry concepts.

TJ Manastersky shared this game with the IHS Community while he was an Assistant Coach at Union College. TJ is the Current Head Coach at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Setup

• Forwards are at center ice.
• Defenders are at opposite corners.
• Coaches are set up in each zone.
• On the whistle, the first D will skate and pivot forwards to backwards around the first dot.
• The second D chips a puck behind the goal line for the first D to pick up and wheel around the net.
• The forwards at center ice come down into their defensive zone and help with the breakout.
• One forward goes to the boards as a breakout option and the other forward acts as a center and swings low in the middle of the ice for support.
• The coach in the zone will take one of the forward options away. This makes the D keep their head up so they can select the appropriate passing option.
• After the D makes the pass, this begins a 3 on 0 rush. Coaches can be an obstacle in the offensive zone and teams can work on various zone entry options before they attack the net.

Coaching Points

• Defensemen need to pick their head up coming around the net to be aware of the opposition and where their forwards are.
• Forwards need to work hard to get back and support their defenseman.

Coach rims puck for goalie to set or pass to D in corner. 5v0 breakout. When both teams get to neutral zone, Coach blows whistle. All 10 guys must stop, drop, and roll over then get back up. Coach will dump anoother puck in and one team will be breakout out and the other will be forechecking.

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.