Penalty Kill: How to Kill a 5 on 3

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy, Special Teams, Team Systems
The Key to Killing a 5 on 3 is to Have the Right Players on the Ice! Killing a 5 on 3 can be tough. In my opinion, the most important factor is having the right personel on the ice. You'll want to throw out your fastest, smartest players. Players who are good at reading and reacting, anticipating, and keeping their heads on a swivel. The video above outlines my preferred method for killing a 5 on 3, the Rotating Triangle. Enjoy!
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Winnipeg Jets’ Penalty Kill (DISSECTED)

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy, Special Teams, Team Strategy, Team Systems
A Detailed Analysis of the Winnipeg Jets' Penalty Kill Forecheck and Defensive Zone Coverage Setups In this video we walk through a detailed analysis of the Penalty Kill Systems the Winnipeg Jets are using. Remember, systems play is very subjective - everyone has their own opinions... this is my two cents worth! Here's a quick breakdown of what to look for: FORECHECK: 1-3 Forecheck: F1 tends to commit too early, allowing the Wild defenseman to walk out from behind the net uncontested. F1's Angle: Breaks my cardinal rule for trap-style forechecks - DON'T GET BEAT BEHIND YOU! NZ Transitions: Jets rely too heavily on picking off passes in the neutral zone, and not enough on solid angling and positioning. This won't work as well against the better teams. PK DEFENSIVE…
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QuickStickz Review

QuickStickz Review

Coaches' Corner, Fun, Hockey Drills, Hockey Equipment, Individual Skill Drills, Misc. Drills, Stickhandling, Useful Products
QuickStickz is a Fun and Effective way to Develop Stickhandling Ability I've been really excited to get this post out, and let you know about a cool product called QuickStickz. QuickStickz is an innovative new way to work on your stickhandling abilities off the ice, and it's a lot of fun too! A few months ago I was invited to take a look at QuickStickz, which is a video-game-based, hockey stickhandling development system. I had seen the product before, but I'd never had the chance to get my hands on one. The idea seemed really cool, so I was excited to see what it was all about. How it Works: QuickStickz uses a special infrared camera that connects up to your PC via USB jack. The camera combos up with…
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Unbelievable Goalie Slide Board

Unbelievable Goalie Slide Board

Coaches' Corner, Goalie, Hockey Drills, Hockey Equipment, Individual Skill Drills, Off-ice Training, Skills, Useful Products
Check out this Slide Board Designed Specifically for Goalies! Every now and then I come across a hockey training product that just makes me go "wow!" That's what happened when I first saw the X-Goalie Crease Slideboard from XHOCKEYPRODUCTS. Now, I'm admittedly NOT a goalie guy. But it's not hard to tell when something is going to be beneficial for an athlete. Watch the videos I've included in this post, and check out how closely this product allows the goalies to mimic their on-ice movements. Incredible! Here are a few of the features you should know about: Regulation-size Crease The X-Goalie Crease Slideboard features an NHL regulation goalie crease that utilizes Fan-tastic Sports technology along with the "ProHybrid Visual Lead Position System." This system allows a goalie to develop muscle…
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Breakouts: Open up Passing Options by Crossing Through Lanes

Coaches' Corner, Defensive Zone, Neutral Zone, Offensive Zone, Philosophy, Team Systems
Open up Passing Options by Crossing Through Lanes When I was a kid, my first coach (NOT MY DAD) took me a side one day, and drew two lines down the middle of a rink diagram. He then taught me that "the right winger stays on the right side, the left winger stays on the left side, and that the centerman mostly stays in the middle, but can help out if a winger needs him..." HOW FAR THE GAME HAS COME SINCE THEN!!! Today's hockey is much more dynamic, with players interchanging positions constantly––especially in the offensive zone. I like this more "European" style of play, and I think it is much more effective at opening up passing options and scoring chances. My general philosophy is to let structured, positional…
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