Developing Defensemen

1. Developing Defensemen CEP Level 3 Brian Johnson

2. Developing Defensemen • Skating • Puck Handling • Partner Support • 1 on 1 • Offensive Shooting

3. Skating Skills

4. Backwards Skating • Proper knee bend • Back straight up (80-90 degrees) • Extension out and recover in under body • Stick in front of body, one hand • Don’t crossover when defending

5. Mobility • Pivoting right and left • Transition forward – backwards • Stops; one foot, two foot, two foot uneven • Power turns

6. Drills To Use (Quick Feet) • Wishbone • Russian Cross • Star • 3 Phase Transition • Figure 8 Quick Pass • Partner Pivot Pass • Up and Back • Russian React

7. Wishbone • Start at top of circle • Skate bkwd to the dot • Pivot fwd and skate to circle • Stop and bkwd to dot • Fwd to circle • Repeat in 12-4-8 pattern

8. Russian Cross • Fwd to middle • Chop to one side and back to the middle • Fwd to the top and bkwd to the dot • Chop to opposite side and bkwd to finish

9. Star • Start at dot • Fwd to circle, bkwd to dot • Fwd to circle at hash, bkwd to dot • Fwd to circle, bkwd to dot • Fwd to hash, bkwd to dot

10. 3 Phase Transition • Start at net • Fwd to far hash • Bkwd to net • Fwd to goal line @ boards • Bkwd to net • Fwd to end boards • Bkwd to net

11. Figure 8 Quick Pass • Player skates figure 8 transition from backwards to forwards while receiving passes and giving back

12. Partner Pivot • Player skates the circle, pivoting at four points from back to front while receiving and giving passes. • Go 2 times, switch directions, go 2 times then switch partners.

13. Up & Back • Player performs front to back transitions between blue and red line while passing with a partner or coach.

14. Russian React • Player performs a series of moves. • Russian chop out & in • Skate to boards & do a figure 8 • Skate to corner • Retrieve puck and do an Orr, escape, reverse move.

15. Puck Handling

16. Game Time Situation Drills • Retrieve, scan and up • Retrieve and Escape • Retrieve with Double Escape • Retrieve, stop and quick up • Retrieve and Orr

17. Scan and Up

18. Retrieve & Escape

19. Retrieve with Double Escape

20. Stop & Quick Up

21. Retrieve & Orr

22. Skating & Puck Handling • Figure 8 Handle • 360 Transition Handle • Y Passing

23. Figure 8 Handle • Player alternates forward to backwards in a figure 8 motion while handling puck. • 30 second intervals.

24. 360 Transition Handle • Player does same figure 8 motion but does a 360 transition instead.

25. Y Passing • Player executes control with give and go passing in 3 directions. • Player can execute 2 revolutions.

26. Partner Support

27. Defensive Zone • D to D • D Reverse • D bump (counter) • Reverse ring or stop and back

28. D to D • Player opens to the puck as partner heads to post and then behind goal line for a pass.

29. D Reverse • Defenseman must sell going behind the net before making reverse. • Always turn towards the boards.

30. D Bump • The carrying D must make the bump pass behind the net and sell the fake carry. • Player out front must call the play and make move after the bump.

31. Retrieve & Ring • Players on off hand can ring puck back around boards to the wing. • Players on forehand will have to stop and quick-up to wing.

32. Neutral Zone • D to D • D to D to D • Drop • Up

33. D to D • Make sure partner stays below puck. • Always turn towards the boards.

34. D to D to D • Each time the player goes below the puck. • Always turn towards the boards.

35. Drop • D must retrieve the puck, force play to follow him to the middle of the ice. • He/She must then drop to partner to change flow for a quick-up.

36. Up • Good way to beat a trap forecheck. • Have D follow play up ice instead of hanging below the puck. • This forces the middle of the ice to open up.

37. 1-1 & 2-1 Skills

38. 1 on 1 • Keep outside shoulder with opponent’s inside shoulder. • Stick in front of body with one hand. • Keep the gap tight to deny space and time. • Eyes on chest (logo) of opponent. • Pivot to attack, don’t cross-under.

39. 2 on 1 • Keep the gap tight to keep the passes at a minimum. • Position between attackers initially, keep eye on player without the puck, stick in front of body. • If play gets below circles, keep stick toward the puck carrier which will close the space between stick and skates and limit a pass out front. • D must start to drift to player out front after forcing puck carrier to a bad angle. • If play gets below dots, use two hands to intercept a pass.

40. Drills • Grind 1-1 • Workhorse 1-1 • Survivor 1-1 • Star 2-1 Gap Control • 2-1 Breakout/Regroup • 2 spot or 4 spot 1-1 • Block Out • 1-2-3 Partner

41. The Grind • D starts at dot, F in corner. • On whistle, D skates to boards, touches and hips out and then grinds bkwds across ice to meet fwd who is heading up ice. • Both ends, opposite corners.

42. Workhorse • D starts with puck • On whistle they pass to the F below the goal line and then head around circle to meet oncoming F.

43. Survivor • D starts on inside hash marks, F on goal line. • From a dead stand still, on the whistle the players begin up ice. • Fwds trying to beat the D down the boards while the D try to gain gap control and angling. • Both ends.

44. Star 2-1 Gap Control • D skates behind net and passes to forward on boards. • F on far side comes across middle of zone and gives pass option to partner. • Those players then skate down 2-1 on waiting D. Both Ends

45. Breakout/Regroup • D breaks out 2 forwards who regroup with D at neutral ice. • F turns up and heads down 2-1 with D that broke them out. • D that did the regroup then chases puck in and starts same thing out of opposite end.

46. 2 Spot 4 Spot 1-1 • D plays 1 F out of the corner, then one from out high. • Each one goes on the coach’s whistle. • You can do it with 2 or 4 forwards. • Give D a chance to get up on corner forwards who must start with backs toward middle ice.

47. Block Out • Protecting the middle of the ice. • Driving forwards outside. • End vs. Neutral

48. 1-2-3 Partner • 1-1, 2-2, 3-2, 3-3 • 1st start 1-1, then blow whistle and new puck is alive and play 2-2. • Then on next whistle, a new puck is alive and third person joins and you do either 3-2 or 3-3.

49. Shooting

50. Shooting Skills • Control the puck • Quick release • Low and on net • Move to a good angle to get goalie moving • Keep head up