Drill library
Ice hockey drills
44 free Ice hockey drills, each with the setup, how it runs, what to coach, and how to make it harder or easier. Pick a skill or filter by age, level and squad size.
44 drills
TransitionDecision-making2-on-1 rush: attack and defendTwo forwards attack one defender from the neutral zone. The attackers learn to read the defender and finish; the defender learns to take away the pass and leave the shooter to the goaltender.15 min · 4–18 players · U12+
TransitionShooting3-on-2 rush with a trailerThree forwards attack two defenders in three lanes while a defender joins late as the trailer, so the rush finishes with a drop pass and a shot from the high slot.18 min · 7–20 players · U13+
Team systemsDefendingAggressive forecheck: 2-1-2Two forwards attack the puck deep, the third reads from the high slot and the defenders hold or pinch at the blue line: one common way to win the puck back high up the ice.25 min · 10–20 players · U16+
DefendingBody contact & checkingAngling and gap controlA defender skates backwards to hold a tight gap on a puck carrier, then angles them to the boards from the inside and wins the puck with stick and body position, without checking.15 min · 4–16 players · U11+
SkatingDefendingBackward skating and pivotsSkaters go up the ice in two lanes, switching between backward C-cuts and forward strides with open pivots at each line, the footwork a defender needs to face the play and turn with it.12 min · 4–20 players · U10+
Body contact & checkingBody checking technique progressionA staged progression from stance and angling to controlled partner contact, so players learn to give and take a legal shoulder-to-chest check safely.30 min · 4–20 players · U16+
Team systemsPassingBreakout: up the boardsA unit of five retrieves a dump-in, moves the puck up the strong-side wall and leaves the defensive zone together, with the centre swinging low for the bump pass.15 min · 6–20 players · U12+
GameDecision-makingControlled scrimmage with conditionsA full-ice game with one coaching condition at a time, such as three passes before a shot, so players practise the week's theme under real game pressure with offside and icing called.25 min · 10–24 players · U12+
Cool-downCool-down and reviewEasy laps and glides bring the heart rate down, then gentle stretches at the centre circle and a short review of what went well and what to work on.10 min · 2–25 players · U10+
GameDecision-makingCross-ice 3v3 small-area gameThree against three across one third of the ice with small nets and short shifts: lots of puck touches, quick decisions and every skater involved.20 min · 6–12 players · U6+
SkatingPuck handlingCross-ice sharks and minnowsMinnows carry pucks across a cross-ice station while a shark tries to poke them away with the stick; anyone who loses a puck becomes a shark.10 min · 6–14 players · U5+
SkatingCrossovers around the faceoff circlesSkaters lap the end-zone faceoff circles with forward crossovers, turning left on one circle and right on the other so both directions get equal work.12 min · 4–16 players · U7+
Team systemsPuck handlingCycling the puck lowForwards keep the puck in the offensive zone by working it down the wall, leaving it for a teammate behind them and curling back high, until a lane opens to the slot.15 min · 6–18 players · U13+
DefendingTeam systemsDefensive zone coverage basicsFive defenders learn one common zone structure in their own end: pressure the puck, protect the net front and the slot, and slide together as the puck moves from corner to wall to point.20 min · 10–22 players · U13+
Warm-upSkatingDynamic warm-up on and off the iceFive minutes of dynamic movement off the ice, then waves of skaters working lengths of the rink with a new skating skill each trip, building from easy strides to short bursts.15 min · 8–24 players · U10+
SkatingEdge work and tight turnsSkaters carve tight turns round the end-zone dots, switching from one edge to the other in a figure of eight, to build the balance and edge control behind quick changes of direction.12 min · 6–20 players · U10+
FaceoffsFaceoff technique and stancesCentres take live draws against each other at an end-zone dot, working on a legal stance, reading the drop and winning the puck back to a defender, with a coach dropping every puck.12 min · 4–12 players · U11+
ShootingFirst wrist shots on small netsYoung players learn the wrist shot by carrying in two strides and shooting into small empty nets, then fetching their puck and passing it to the next shooter.15 min · 4–12 players · U6+
Team systemsDefendingForecheck: 1-2-2 basicsOne forward angles the puck carrier to the boards, two forwards seal the walls and two defenders hold the blue line, so the opponents' breakout is squeezed along the wall.20 min · 10–22 players · U13+
PassingForehand and backhand sweep passesPartners pass across a short gap on the forehand and the backhand, learning to sweep the puck flat along the ice and cushion it on arrival, then pass to a moving partner.15 min · 4–16 players · U6+
GoaltendingGoaltender butterfly and rebound controlThe goaltender drops into a sealed butterfly on low shots, steers rebounds into the corners, then recovers to the feet and sets for the next shot.20 min · 2–6 players · U15+
GoaltendingGoaltender stance, shuffle and T-pushA goaltender moves between three shooters on the coach's call, shuffling for short moves and T-pushing for long ones, and sets square in a balanced stance before each low shot.15 min · 2–8 players · U10+
GameDecision-makingLate-game situationsThe coach sets the score and the clock, and the team practises closing out a lead and chasing a goal: getting the puck out, getting it deep and managing changes.30 min · 12–24 players · U16+
SkatingLearn to skate: falling and getting upBrand-new skaters practise falling safely and getting back up on their own, then march and glide across a cross-ice station.15 min · 4–12 players · U5+