This drill is a bit more on the complicated side but apart from that it allows for many different styles of retrievals in the corner, along the wall, and in the high slot.
SETUP:
- To start there should be a pile of pucks just off the top of one circle. There should be one player on each hashmark acting as if it were a breakout situation although they stay stationary.
- There should be three coaches/players. One ready to dump and rim pucks, one ready to pressure the player that is doing the drill, and one ready at the blue line to receive a pass.
- There should be a goalie in the net at its respective position
HOW THE DRILL WORKS:
- This drill has four different parts.
- #1: The coach will dump a puck, and the player will go to retrieve it, the coach will be applying pressure net side so the player will escape and pass it to the stationary player on the hashmark close to the wall. They will continue skating up and transition backwards to perform the next part.
- #2: The coach will dump another puck, and the other coach will still apply pressure net side just a little delayed. The player will retrieve the puck and initially open up net side then quickly turn their torso and pass the puck up to the same player on the hashmarks. They will then continue skating and turn backwards again for the next progression.
- #3: The coach will dump another puck but this time the other coach will apply pressure wall side; the player will pick up the puck and skate overspeed behind the net with their eyes up and they will pass to the coach/player waiting on the blue line for a pass. They will get the pass back and will shoot it as quickly as possible.
- #4: The coach will rim a puck around to the side the player is on, after the player took their last shot, they will time it and meet the puck along the wall where they will escape as quickly as possible and shoot right away.
COACHING POINTS:
- In this drill it is critical that before every retrieval, players are checking their shoulders before they even touch the puck. They should also be aware of the deception they are using with their toes and if it isn't much, make that a key focus point for them.
