Ice hockey drills
Ice hockey skating drills
10 free Ice hockey drills for skating, each with the setup, how it runs, what to coach, and how to make it harder or easier.
10 drills
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+
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+
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+
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+
PassingSkatingReceiving passes in strideSkaters curl through the neutral zone at speed and take a pass from a stationary passer without breaking stride, then carry into the zone and become the next passer.15 min · 4–16 players · U10+
Fitness & agilitySkatingShift-length conditioningGroups of three skate a hockey-specific pattern for about 35 seconds, the length of a hard shift, then recover fully before going again.20 min · 3–24 players · U15+
SkatingSkating stride basics: push and glideSkaters learn the forward stride across the ice: push out to the side, bring the foot back under the body and glide, with cones marking push and glide zones.15 min · 3–15 players · U5+
SkatingStopping: snowplough to hockey stopA stopping progression across the ice: two-foot snowplough, one-foot snowplough, then the two-foot hockey stop, turning both ways.15 min · 3–15 players · U6+