The 3 Man Weave is a Simple, but Highly Effective Hockey Passing Drill!
Use the 3 Man Weave to teach and reinforce key concepts like timing, support, and offensive zone triangulation. As skill progresses, increase the demand on the players. I like to insist that all my lines are able to get in three stick-to-stick passes before the far blue line, then a controlled attack on net. Here’s the diagram:
3 Man Weave
1. On whistle, center passes to one of the two wingers, who is cutting through the middle for a pass.
2. After making the pass, the passer loops in behind the receiver, providing back-side support, then explodes up ice to become the front side option for the 3rd player.
3. Receiver picks up the pass, then head mans to the 3rd player, who is providing a front-side passing option
4. Passer loops in behind the receiver, and all three players weave down the ice.
5. After crossing the blue line, the puck carrying forward becomes F1 and drives wide, the second forward becomes F2 and drives to the far post, the third forward becomes F3 and trails, thus creating the “Attack Triangle”
Enjoy!
USE THIS DRILL IN YOUR OWN PRACTICE PLAN:
I like to add a forecheck to my breakout drills once they seem to have it down. It forces them to adapt within the system and learn to recognize their options quickly. I think this would work well with your goalie idea too, since the goalie will need to know how to read and react to the forecheck when playing the puck.
I like it!
Great Drill. I find the younger kids struggled with this but got it over time. I think it really helps focus on moving across the rink instead of straight up the ice. The younger guys seem to have a tendency to just skate up the ice making it hard for the Dman to hit them with a pass.
One other note/variation. To get your goalie involved, have him stand in the crease and start the drill with a hard pass out to the side (never to the middle). This will help them to learn to move the puck out to the man breaking out.
love the idea of getting the goalie involved!