Hockey Practice Plan: Beginner to Advanced Teams

Hockey practice plans can sometimes feel repetitive, leaving players disengaged and coaches frustrated. By incorporating structured drills and targeting skill development, these plans ensure your team stays motivated and improves continuously.

Here, we’ll break down several comprehensive practice plans that can be customized to fit your team’s needs.

Hockey Practice Plan Option 1

Hockey Player Warm-Up

1. Forward Skating—Warm Up

Start with a dynamic warm-up focusing on forward skating to get the blood pumping and muscles ready.

2. Puck Control—Warm Up

Engage players with puck control drills around dots, enhancing their ability to maneuver and control the puck under pressure.

3. Hockey Station Skills

• Skating – Transition Races: Improve transition speed and agility.
• Puck Control – 4 Pylon Agility: Develop quick changes in direction with puck control.
• Scoring – Corner Puck Protect: Practice protecting the puck in corners while preparing for a shot.

4. Hockey Station Skills (Part 2)

• Scoring – Corner Puck Protect: Reinforce puck protection and scoring from the corners.
• Skating – Agility – 5 Puck Agility: Focus on quick, agile movements with pucks.
• Shooting – Quick Release – Shoot on Front Foot: Enhance shooting accuracy and speed.

Hockey Practice Plan Option 2

1. Skating Backwards—Warm Up

Kick off with backward skating drills to build balance and coordination.

2. Puck Control—Warm Up

Introduce basic puck control to get players comfortable with the puck.

3. Hockey Station Skills

• Skating – Transition Footwork: Enhance footwork during transitions.
• Puck Control – 3 Puck Stickhandle: Improve stick-handling skills with multiple pucks.
• Scoring – Crosby Delay: Master delayed shooting techniques inspired by Crosby.

4. Hockey Station Skills (Part 2)

• Scoring – Circle Shooting: Practice shooting from various angles within a circle.
• Puck Control – Corner Obstacle Agility: Navigate obstacles with agility while controlling the puck.
• Shooting – Quick Release – Shoot on Front Foot: Focus on rapid shooting accuracy.

Hockey Practice Plan Option 3

1. Skating Forwards—Warm Up

Begin with a forward skating warm-up to prepare for intensive drills.

2. Puck Control—Warm Up

Incorporate random obstacles to challenge players’ puck control in unpredictable scenarios.

3. Hockey Station Skills

• Scoring – End Wall Retrieval – Attack Net: Drill scoring from end-wall puck retrievals.
• Passing – 1 Touch Pass and Move: Enhance passing skills with one-touch passes and movement.
• Scoring – Side Wall Retrieval – Attack Net: Focus on scoring after side-wall puck retrievals.

4. Station Skills (Part 2)

• Skating – Transition Footwork Races: Compete in footwork races to improve transitions.
• Skating – Agility – 5 Puck Agility: Increase agility with multiple pucks.
• Scoring – Quick Feet – Pass off Wall – Random: Develop quick feet and scoring from random wall passes.

Hockey Practice Plan Option 4

1. Skating Forwards—Warm Up

Warm up with forward skating to energize the team.

2. Puck Control—Warm Up

Focus on puck control around dots for precision handling.

3. Hockey Station Skills

• Skating – Skating Circles: Improve circular skating techniques.
• Puck Control – 4 Pylon Agility: Enhance agility with pylon drills.
• Scoring – Side Wall Retrieval – Attack Net: Practice attacking the net from side-wall retrievals.

4. Hockey Station Skills (Part 2)

• Scoring – Corner Puck Protect: Reinforce puck protection and scoring from corners.
• Skating – Agility Nets: Navigate agility nets to improve skating skills.
• Scoring – Eberle Move: Master scoring with the Eberle move.

Hockey Practice Plan Option 5

1. Skating Forwards—Warm Up

Start with forward skating to get the team moving.

2. Puck Control—Warm Up

Challenge players with random obstacles for improved puck control.

3. Hockey Station Skills

• Skating – Transition Skating: Focus on smooth transitions between skating styles.
• Puck Control – Agility Nets: Enhance agility with net obstacles.
• Puck Control – Corner Obstacle Agility: Work on agility around corner obstacles.

4. Hockey Station Skills (Part 2)

• Scoring – Crosby Behind the Net: Perfect behind-the-net scoring inspired by Crosby.
• Passing – 1 Touch Pass and Move: Sharpen passing skills with one-touch passes.
• Scoring – Outside / Inside: Practice scoring from both outside and inside positions.

Looking For an Easier Way to Evaluate Hockey Players?

Using SkillShark, you can easily score hockey players on your smartphone or tablet. Once your evaluation is complete, instantly gain access to player reports. Review player data and draft teams on the same day!