The Center Lag Timing Drill

Timing in hockey is a skill that requires not only physical ability, but mental ability as well. It is not uncommon to see young players buzzing around in practices or games – they appear to only have one speed: FULL SPEED.

Since they’re working hard, they think they’re doing a good job… In reality, it is the player who arrives in the right spot, at the right time, with speed that will be the most effective.

Teach your players to pass to designated receiving areas, not necessarily to players. The responsibility lies with the receiver to make the play work. The receiver must select the proper route to the receiving zone so that he or she arrives on time, with speed. He or she must be ready to receive the puck when the passer is ready to move the puck, that’s timing!

The Center Lag Timing Drill is a fantastic entry level drill to introduce timing concepts to your players.

Here’s the diagram and explanation:

Center Lag Timing Drill Explanation

1. Players line up in opposite corners
2. On whistle, 2 players leave from each line
3. First player from each line leaves without puck, skates up to the blue line and cuts across (staying on side)
4. Second player from each line leaves with puck, skates up and hits the first player of the opposite line in receiving zone
5. Receiver takes puck wide
6. Passer drives the net
7. After driving wide, first player passes across to the second player for the one-timer

Variations:

• Have second player trail as the “lag man” for a drop pass instead of driving the net
• Add a third player as a defenseman to play a 1 on 1, or as a forward for a 3 on 0
• Utilize other attack options such as a misdirection in the zone followed by a cycle to the second player supporting
• Be creative!

Enjoy!

USE THIS DRILL IN YOUR OWN PRACTICE PLAN:

• PDF: Center Lag Timing Drill

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Jeremy Weiss (with his translator) presenting at a hockey coaching symposium for the Russian Federation in Moscow—2018.

Who is Jeremy Weiss?

Hockey coach and international consultant, Jeremy Weiss, has worked with thousands of coaches worldwide since 2008 to help produce championship teams at every age and skill level.

He is known internationally through the work he has done online. In 2008 he invented “digital chalktalks” which combined screen sharing with drill diagramming software, to produce a training experience nobody had ever seen before. His YouTube following quickly grew to over 19,000 subscribers, and he has produced over 130 training videos.

Jeremy runs a development blog for coaches, which has over 280 posts. He is the author of 10 hockey books for coaches, and is the editor of Hockey Development Magazine.

He was trained in the Eastern European style as a pre-teen, by his Czechoslovakian skills coach, and competed internationally as a “Wexford Raider” among the top youth hockey programs in the world including Russia, Czechoslovakia, Finland, and top teams in his home province Ontario, Canada.

He majored in Exercise Sciences at Brigham Young University, and subsequently worked as a Personal Trainer, where he continued to study and develop ideal training methods for hockey.

He has incorporated the very best pieces from the various training styles he has been involved in, and has built a world-class off-ice strength and conditioning program that fits the specific needs of hockey players.