U16 - Defensive Skills & Habits

Coaching Points for a 1 on 1 (Defensively)

• On a rush the defense as to try and match the speed of the attacker.
• In defensive zone you have to take a good angle and try to dictate where you want the opponent to go.
• Make sure stick is on the ice with entire blade on the ice if possible.
• Use short stabs and not a sweeping motion to acheive stick on puck.
• Always face player and never turn back on opponent.
• Keep stability and never lunge at the opponent.
• Keep your eyes focused on the chest, not the puck.
• Try to go blade on blade while finishing with your body.

Backwards crossover starts are an important skating skill especially for defensmen.

Key Coaching Points

• Good hockey position with bent knees and chest up.

• Weight on balls of our feet.

• Careful not to lean too far forward.

• One crossover and then stright into our c-cuts.

• Push with outside edge of inside foot.

Key coaching points for pivoting from backwards to forwards:

• Make a C-cut to open up hips
• Bring heels together
• Transfer weight and push off back foot

This is the next progression in this simple breakout series. This time the defense will retrieve the puck off the dump and wheel the puck around to the far post, stop, and come out the other way (typically called a "counter"). The forward will skate down to the half wall and transition up the ice so they are available for a breakout pass. The forward will then attack the defense from the other end. After the defender makes the pass then they need to re-take as much ice as possible and make sure they skate out around the tire to take the oncoming forward in a 1 on 1 situation.

Welcome to the Danger Zone!

This one on one drill focuses on an area of the ice where a lot of turnovers occur. Being able to transition quickly will help generate scoring chances. This drill sets players up in a situation where the sole purpose is to have them keep moving their feet as they enter the zone, fighting through the check if they have to.

Setup

• This can be set up as a full ice (as shown in the video), or half ice on both sides, or as a station drill.
• The drill is set up with the pucks and coaches in the middle of the ice at about the edge of the center face-off circle with pucks.  The extra players are inside the center circle out of the way.  The forward starts on the blue line along the wall and the defense start on the blue line just inside the dots.
• On the whistle, both players skate up to the red line and stop.  The forward calls to receive a pass from the coach (or another player) and the defense transitions backwards... then the danger zone starts!
• Variation: If the defense is getting beat too often, you can have them stop or pivot backwards in between the blue line & center line, which will give them a bit of a head start on the forwards.

Forward Options

1. Outside Option: The first is to use their speed and gain the zone to the outside.  If the defense is able to play them at the blue line then they can give themselves a soft chip inside the zone and keep their feet moving through the check.  
2. Middle of Ice Option: If the defense does not do a good job at the blue line and allows the forward to enter the zone with space then the forward can cut to the middle of the ice. It is important that the forwards get the puck down deep into the zone in this situation.
3. Get Creative! Anything goes! Change up your skating speed and tempo, use deceptive moves with your body and puck control to get the defenceman off balance, etc. Have fun and work to survive the danger zone!

Defense Coaching Points

• Try and match the speed of the attacker and keep stick on ice.
• Keep your eyes focused on the chest, not the puck so you can play and angle the body.
• The defense should take away as much space as possible and pressure the forward at or before the blue line.
• Do not get stuck by crossing over to many times. If you cross over too many times and start to move lateral, it gives the forward an option to get you off balance and skate the other way. Watch the video demo below "Backwards Crossover Start" for tips to immediately gain speed and not lose your balance.
• Try to go blade on the blade while finishing with your body.

This 1 on 1 drill is for a very specific part of the ice.  More 1 on 1 situational drills can be viewed on our 1 on 1 hockey drills page.

 

The Neutral Zone Angle 2 V 2 to 3 V 2 forces players to step up and make a play in the neutral zone! The drill is a valuable exercise to help defenders practice angling techniques in the neutral zone while offensive players can practice making plays instead of dumping the puck.

Setup

• Goal: Forwards can not dump the puck and are trying to score. Defenders are trying to angle, make a play and stop the forwards before the blue line. 
• Split up the team and at each blue line there will be a line of forwards and a line of defensemen.
• On the whistle, 2 forwards and 2 defensemen skate out into the neutral zone. 
• The forwards receive a pass from a coach and begin the 2 on 2.
• Forwards try to score while the defense tries to create a turnover at the blueline.
• Coaches should give players reps at both sides of the ice.
• This drill is continuous and can progress to a 3 V 2.
• Coaches can keep score by giving the defense a point if they take the puck away before the blue line and forwards get a point if they score a goal.

Coaching Points

• Defense: 
  • Always keep the stick on the ice.
  • Try to match the speed of the players you are defending against.
  • Do not let them cut back in the middle of the ice.
  • Try to angle the players into the boards & go stick on stick to take the puck away.
• Offense:
  • Try to create space between you and the defenders.
  • Cut back into center ice if they commit too far.
  • Communicate and use your partner as an outlet.
  • Create give & go situations!

Variations

• Can make this drill 1 v 1, 2 v 2, or 3 v 3.
• Coaches can change up where they are passing from.
• Can make this a half ice drill if you do not have access to full ice (see half-ice setup below).

This 2 vs 2 drill is excellent for working on high-speed turnovers or transitions in the neutral zone. When a turnover occurs in the neutral zone it is important for the forwards to get up ice quick, find passing lanes and work to generate a scoring opportunity. On the defensive side of things, it is important to work with your partner to keep the forwards to the outside of the ice with good gap control. 

The video clip is from Buffalo Sabres Development Camp. The drill is set up to be half-ice situation but it is running out of both sides of the ice for full ice drill. Coaches can easily set up this drill to be full ice (like shown in the video), half ice (with only one side running), full-ice half-width (so the other width can be used for stations) or a 1/4 ice station. The variety of ways this drill can be set up makes this an excellent option for many ages and skill levels.

Setup:

• Have 2 forwards and 2 defensemen ready to go 2 vs 2.
• Can be full ice, half ice, or set up as a 1/4 station.
• When the whistle blows, the two forwards cross to generate speed coming through the neutral zone. You can have the players skate around the players waiting for their turn (like it is shown in the video). This makes it hard for the defense to know which forward is coming out with the puck.
• The forwards go into the zone and the 2 vs 2 begins.
• The forwards work to score a goal. The play goes until a goal is scored, the play is whistled down, or the defense takes the puck out of the zone.
• When the whistle is blown all players need to sprint out of the zone.

Forward Coaching Points:

• Forwards should work to generate speed crossing over at the start of the drill.
• Forwards should be mindful of the defense and consider crossing with their teammate to drop the puck or changing up their skating speed to create space and throw off the defenceman's gap.
• The forward without the puck should be looking to go to open space to be an outlet or driving to the net to bring the defense with them.
• Communicate with your teammate!

Defensive Coaching Points:

• Stick on the ice!
• Use good defensive stick position to steer forwards to the outside and take away dangerous passes.
• Work on keeping a close gap to the forwards. You do not want to be so far back that they can easily shoot.
• Work to angle forwards to the outside of the ice.
• Communicate with your partner!

Variations:

• Quick Turn Up 3 on 2. Same setup as the drill above but add an additional forward.
• Quick Turn Up 2 on 1
• Quick Turn Up 1 on 1

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