During the course of a practice, it is not uncommon for players to get uninterested and become detached, especially at younger ages while working on boring skills like technical skating. Adding Hockey Shooting Drills into the mix is a wonderful way to liven up your practice and keep your players motivated and up beat. High tempo shooting drills can also help spark some competition and mentally rejuvenate your players during longer practices.

When working with Hockey Shooting Drills, I try to implement a few key points that help my players to get the most benefit possible:

1. Make sure your players keep their feet in motion while shooting, this is called shooting in stride. Many players slow down and glide just before shooting, not only does this affirm to the goalie that a shot is forthcoming, but it also gives the backchecker a chance to get a stick on the shooter and muck up the shot. Shooting in stride is a great custom to get in to!

2. Follow up on rebounds. Coach your players to take their shot, then drive home any rebound. Again, this constructs a good habit that will be useful in games!

3. Add a shot at the end of a skating drill. You can entirely change a skating drill in the mind of a youngster by putting a shot to the end of it, motivating him or her to practice all kinds of skills he or she doesn’t really like. I use this a lot when working on backward skating with the really young kids.

4. Designate what types of shots to use. It is tempting for players to walk the puck all the way in and deke. There is a time and a place for dekes, but most shots in games will not be dekes. Sometimes its helpful to clearly spell out what type of shot you’d like your players to focus on, and where you’d like to see the shot come from. This will guarantee that players are adequately developing a wide range of skills around the net.

As you progress through the season, you’ll get a good feel for your team, and you’ll be able to acknowledge when they need some good Hockey Shooting Drills to get them revved back up again. Give these easy pointers a try and see how it goes in your next practice!

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One of my favorite hockey shooting drills. Simple to set up, but teaches some profound concepts.

This could be one of the most basic hockey shooting drills out there… but it is also one of the most effective because of the concepts that can be applied. Click here for a printout you can bring to the rink with you.

Cheers!

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Click Here for a Printout of the 3 Pass and Shot Drill

The “3 Pass and Shot Drill” is a great Hockey Drill that can be utilized in many different practice scenarios. I like to use it as a warm-up drill, but it can also be used to develop passing and timing concepts, or to work on one-touch passes or shooting.

Enjoy!

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Click Here for a printout of the Figure 8 Shooting and Deflection drill that you can bring to the rink with you.

Here’s a quick and effective hockey shooting drill that incorporates shots from the points, and deflections in front of the net. I like to run this drill from both ends so the forwards get plenty of chances to execute. Encourage your defensemen to fire low, hard shots on net that the forwards will be able to deflect. This is a great game simulation drill for everybody!

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Click Here for a print out of High-Low Hockey Shooting Drills.

Here’s another great hockey drill that I like to use particularly as a warm-up drill. It is quick-paced, and incorporates skating, stickhandling, and shooting in stride. It’s also great for goalies as it gets them moving side-to-side. Players must keep their heads up as they explode through the middle of the ice in opposite directions. Stress that the players keep their feet moving throughout the entire drill. Enjoy!

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