This is a great hockey drill to work on if you have a station-based practice or at a stick and puck session. Being able to retrieve the puck well to start a breakout is a great skill for the defense to master especially as they get older and play at higher levels. Lots of opportunities for repetition and practicing various fakes as the players improve. 

Setup:

• To start the drill have a coach or another player with the puck just outside the blue line in the middle of the ice.
• The player should start at about the top of the circle in line with the face-off dots.  
• On the whistle, the player takes a few hard strides forwards and transitions towards the middle of the ice.
• The coach then dumps a puck in deep just off to the side of the net.  The player needs to open up without crossing over and take a good angle when retrieving the puck so they collect the puck on their forehand and are able to face up ice as quickly as possible.

Coaching Points:

• On their way to retrieving the puck they should get in the habit of looking over their shoulder and reading the ice before they get the puck.
• The player should go at a puck at an angle so they can keep their speed up.
• The player should also try and face up ice and stay inside the dots to give them better passing options.  
• Once the player gains control of the puck they should skate it up to about the dot and make a pass back the coach.
• The players can do 2 - 3 reps each time.

Variations:

• Once players are comfortable with retrieving the puck on their forehand: work to add in deceptive fakes with their upper and lower body before collecting the puck.
• Get comfortable with picking the puck up with forehand and backhand.
• Practice coming out both sides of the ice.