U16 Backchecking Practice

A warm-up drill that can be performed in any zone with the entire team. Coaches can customize this warm-up activity with different skills based on the age and ability level of the team.

Setup

• Each player has a puck. 
• Whistle # 1 - players skate at 50% speed and their feet do not leave the ice.
  • Skates are in the ice at all times and players move by driving their weight off of their inside edges. Players stickhandle the puck side to side with wide lateral movements as they shift their weight looking for open ice.
• Whistle # 2 - players skate at 75% speed and their feet can leave the ice.
  • Be creative! Players can pick their feet up from the ice and they are moving at about 75% while being creative with tight control turns, sharp lateral movements, and still looking for open ice.
• Whistle # 3 - players skate at 100% speed.
  • Be explosive and move their feet outside of your comfort zone. Jump to open areas of ice. Goalies skate backwards.

Coaching Points

• Players must keep head up and look for open ice during all 3 speeds.

2v1 with a backchecker. Both sides.

Up and Back 2 Part Progression Drill from Topher Scott is a continuous drill that helps work on the transition and communication. There are two parts of this full ice drill: Part 1 is a continuous 1 vs. 1 that turns into a 2 vs. 2 and Part 2 of the drill is a 2 vs. 1 that turns into a 3 vs. 3. Coaches should reinforce communication, transitioning, and getting back quickly.

Part 1 Setup (1 vs. 1 into 2 vs. 2)

• When the coach blows the whistle, Black F1 & Red D1 begin a full ice 1v1.
• When the coach blows the second whistle Red F2 & Black D2 head down the ice while the first group (Black F1 & Red D1) stop and skate to join the play and make it a 2v2.
• Keep score. This drill is continuous!

View Part 2 of the drill (2 vs. 1 into 3 vs. 3) below

Set-Up:

• The game is played on a 200 foot by 42.5 ft playing space. The ice is cut in half length wise.
• Move both nets in line with the dots while keeping them on the goal line.
• Pucks are placed at both ends in the slot (outside the playing area).
• .The defending team (red) players line up on the blue line.
  • One group is along with boards and the other line is on the imaginary mid-line.
• The attacking team (Black) players are lined up in the same formation on the opposite blue line.

Game:

• It is a 2v2 continuous scoring game
• The rotation is Offense — to Defense — Rest
• The game begins with a 2v2 in one zone (White on Offense & Red on Defense in the video)
• The Offensive team tries to score a goal & will receive another puck from the Coach IF:
  • A goal is scored
  • OR a shot hits the net and goes out of the boundary
• The Defensive team attempts to steal the puck and pass it up to their line of teammates waiting on the near Blue Line.
• The Defensive Team receives a puck from Coach IF:
  • The Offensive Team misses the net with a shot & it goes out of play
  • OR if the offensive team gets their puck knocked outside the field of play
• Once the Defensive Team (Red) passes the puck up to their teammates:
  • The Defensive Players are done
  • The (former) Offensive Players (Black) now must backcheck into their own end & play Defense
  • The New Offensive Players who just received the puck (new Red) skate to the opposite end where 1 player has a breakaway attempt (NO 2 vs.0 opportunities)
• Now it becomes a 2v2 at the opposite end with Red on Offense & Black on Defense

The Game is Player for a Set number of minutes or to a certain score. (if the game becomes slow/sloppy, take a halftime & then come back when they are fresh).

Principles:

For the Defensive Team:

• How to handle a 2v2 (while tired)
  • Communicating between partner
  • Keeping body between the Offensive Player & your Goalie
  • Stick position, angling and reacting to loose pucks
• Making a big defensive play (to end the shift, advance the puck, live to fight another day)

For the Offensive Team:

• Chance to score on a Breakaway initially (score with back pressure)
• Teach to isolate a (tired) defender & create a 2v1
• Shots on net (scoring chances) earn you more offense (another puck from Coach)
• Holding on the puck (puck protection) tires out an already tired defense
• Finishing offensive plays in small areas

Description

The Long Bomb Game from Kendall Coyne Schofield is a 2 v 2 or 3 v 3 neutral zone game that allows players to chip the puck behind their own net to activate a new puck from the coach at center ice. This setup creates a lot of fast break opportunities and forces the defense to keep their head on a swivel to try to prevent breakaways. Players are forced to think creatively, be alert and communicate with their teammates.

Setup

• Move up 2 nets closer to the neutral zone. You can move the nets up to the blue line, or if you would like more space you can set up at the top of the face-off circles.
• A stationary coach (or a player) is in the middle of the ice with pucks. The coach needs to be very alert and ready to make long bomb passes!

Game

• On the whistle, a coach flips the puck into the neutral zone to begin a 2 v 2.
• At any point the offensive team can skate or pass the puck behind their own net / imaginary goal line to get a new puck from the coach at center ice. Examples:
  • Example 1: One 'X' with the puck can chip the puck behind their goal line while their teammate (the other 'X') is breaking down the ice. Since the puck was chipped behind their own the goal line, coach can pass to the breaking 'X' player (as shown in the diagram).
  • Example 2: An 'O' gains possession of the puck in their defensive zone. The 'O' can quickly fire the puck behind their net, while their teammate jumps to open ice and they are both able to get a new puck from the coach.
  • Example 3: A 'X' is in the offensive zone but is stuck and unable to make a play. Instead of turning the puck over, the 'X' can fire the puck back down past their own net to activate a new puck from the coach. The coach can pass to either 'X'.
• If the offense (in this example the 'X's) ever misses the net on a shot and the puck goes behind the other team's goal line, the coach passes a new puck to the other team (the 'O's).
• If the offensive team (in this example the 'O's) makes a bad pass and the puck goes behind the other team's goal line, the coach passes a new puck to the other team (the 'X's).

Coaching Points

1. Decision Making - players without the puck need to make smart decisions on whether or not to support their teammate for or start to break down the ice to receive a new puck
2. Communication - your teammates need to be on the same page to take advantage of the opportunities that present itself with this game
3. Scan The Ice - all players need to constantly be scanning the ice to be aware of threats and opportunities