5-Card Skating Drill
5-Card Skating is a great drill my assistant coach, Ryan Newton, came up with. I like this one because it lets you work on the defensive zone coverage skating patterns while getting some conditioning in. Here’s the diagram:
1. Players start in 5-card formation
2. On whistle, each position skates full speed out to his or her designated attack area, pivots, then skates backward into 5-card position
3. Sequence follows, position by position. Center covers for the corner positions until they get back, and takes the seam (attack areas 2 and 5)
4. Wingers alternate between attack positions each “lap”
5. Do 4 “laps” then switch out 5-man unit for a new one
Enjoy!