Defense Zone 5-Card Drill:
This drill is great for improving upon the skating patterns in the defensive zone for better coverage. The diagram for this is given below:
This drill begins with the players starting off in a 5-card position. When the whistle is sounded, each player speeds off to his appointed area of attack, swivels and then skates in a backward manner and settles into a 5-card position. When the first one return, the one next in line speeds out and repeats the same exercise. The center protects the corner points until they return and take back the seam (the areas of attack are 5 & 2). Four laps of this are supposed to be done and then this 5-man team is replaced with a new one.
The On-going Backchecking Drill:
This is a great drill to entice competition and to provide encouragement to the players. The diagram for this is given below:
This drill starts out with the first player from each line going out towards the coach to get a pass from him. Each players then speeds down the ice to make a shot. He then peels off to backcheck the player next in line who wasn’t allowed leave his position in the line till the shot was made by the player before him. This drill goes on continuously.
The Half-Ice Conditioning Drill:
This drill has four alternatives as below:
Alternative 1: the players skate as per the pattern shown in the diagram, in a forward manner.
Alternative 2: the players skate as per the pattern shown in the diagram, in a pivot- backward-manner.
Alternative 3: the players skate as per the pattern shown in the diagram, in a forward manner. They carry a puck and make a shot at the finish point.
Alternative 4: the players skate as per the pattern shown in the diagram, in a pivot- backward-manner. They carry a puck and make a shot at the finish point.