Off Ice Stickhandling Tags

USA Hockey strongly discourages checking from behind but if it should happen while you′re facing the boards get your stick and gloves up to spread out the area of impact. Use your arms as shock absorbers.

It′s important to keep your head up when passing the puck. Most bad passes are caused by not looking up to spot your intended target. You should also be aware of where you are on the ice. Blind cross-ice passes are the leading cause of grey hairs among hockey coaches....

One of the reasons the backhand shot is not used as much anymore is because of the invention of the curved stick. So many players today have such a big hook in their blade that it′s really tough to take an effective and accurate backhand shot....

WORK ETHIC AND FITNESS You need to be the hardest worker and most fit player on your team. New York Rangers goalie Mike Richter won the fitness award every year. Hall of Famer Ed Belfour used to run triathlons. St. Louis′ Brian Elliott is the hardest-working goalie I′ve ever coached....

Chest Protector. The size of a goaltender's chest protector should be determined by the goaltender's height. After gathering a goaltender's height the next step is to match the height with the selected company's size chart to determine the appropriate size....

Few topics polarize hockey's pundit populus and fan base like supplemental discipline and for good reason. Plays that spark calls for suspension are dangerous and often result in major injuries. We should talk about them....

SKATING SKILLS The foundation of goaltending is based on balance and edges. The better skater you are the better goaltender you will be. Before every practice and every game your warmup should consist of simple skating drills: T-pushes shuffles and slides. You use a T-push for long crease movements. Push...

This is the time of year when the days get shorter and the temperatures drop. The hockey season is in full swing and it sometimes feels like there's no end in sight. It can be hard to keep the energy levels up and the enthusiasm high among players parents and...