Game Plan

Offensive and Defensive strategies are unique to each coach's style and their team's abilities. Develop your strategies based upon your style of coaching (offensive vs. defensive or high vs. low risk), the skill level of the team, and style/skill of your competition. Utilizing your strategies to compete against opponents commensurate with your team's skill level should result in an expected game score, whether you win or lose. If you are a high risk play coach that stresses offensive play then you should be happy if your team is scoring a lot of goals, with a realization that you may still get outscored. If you are a low risk coach that stresses defensive play then you should be happy with low scoring games, again understanding that you may not win the game.

Always be a student of the game. There is never just one right strategy to use. Every strategy has it's benefits and disadvantages. Make sure you and your players understand your strategy.

This Game Plan maps out what strategies and skills sets can be learned over a period of time. Recreational is 10 - 15 hrs, Club or Travel B is 15 - 25 hrs, Travel A is 25+ hours, and Travel AA/AAA is 75+ hours of on and off rink training.

Hours 1 - 2

Primary focus is on evaluating individual skills without a puck
(skating, agility, balance, positioning of body parts and stick)

Primary focus is on identifying skilled/experienced through developing/inexperienced
(breaking down skillsets into their most basic functionality)

Primary focus is individual skill sets and their proper execution

Secondary focus is on speed and endurance
(begin engraining performing skills correctly not just quickly)

Establish the language that will be used to describe the rink, skillsets, strategies, and positions so coaches and players know where to be directed and what is expected

Establish open communication in the locker room so players are not afraid to speak in front of their peers and therefore will speak more freely on the rink

Introduce Basic Rink Description

Introduce skating and passing as the primary skills of the game
(the ability to move the puck is the key to the game)

Introduce the 3 Rules of Hockey

Drills are mostly stations to keep players moving and getting the repetitions they need to enhance foundation skills (loading up a tool belt of skills)

Encourage over-passing and communication during game and practice play

Hours 3 - 5

Primary focus is developing individual skills for both Developing and Intermediate players(skating/agility/control, puck handling, passing/shooting - need to have something for everyone)

Primary focus is on identifying potential offensive, defensive, and special teams players
(who is a natural and who can be developed)

Primary focus is 1 on 1 offensive/defensive challenges

Secondary focus is on basic 20, and 21 attack/defend skills
(begin engraining sweep passing and receiving skills)

Use the language that will be used to describe the rink, strategies, and positions so coaches and players know where to be directed and what is expected

Use open communication in the locker room and on the rink so players are not afraid to speak in front of their peers and therefore will speak easier on the rink

Establish that hockey is a thinking game that requires brain as well as brawn

Establish basic Offense/Defense strategies, position responsibilities, and 5 face-off strategies

Establish basic strategies for "special teams" for Pulled Goalie, Penalty Kill, and Power Play

Establish pre-game warm-up drills for players and goalies
(I get 3 drills completed in 3 minutes)

Use Basic Rink Description

Introduce D2D and Weak side support (puck support is the key to the game)

Repeat and Quiz the 3 Rules of Hockey

Introduce the 3 Rules of Defense (Defense first - wins championships)

Introduce the concept of man on man vs. zone defense (gap and lane control)

Drills are mostly stations to keep players moving and getting the repetitions they need to enhance foundation skills (loading up a tool belt of skills)

Expectations for over-passing and communication during game play and drills
(focus on strength and accuracy of the pass and the position and ability to receive)

Hours 5 - 10

Primary focus is developing individual skills for both Developing and Intermediate

Primary focus is basic team "game flow" through all 3 zones (attacks, regroups)

Primary focus is developing positional responsibilities
(all players have offensive and defensive responsibilities)

Primary focus is on creating quality 20, 30, 21, and 31 offensive zone attacks on goal
(developing puck movement and support)

Primary focus is to establish trust that the puck handler will pass and the receiver will be ready

Primary focus is on puck possession and odd man rushes through each zone
don't just charge forward - create support for the puck (Never fight a fair fight)

Secondary focus is creating 2 on 1 situations in the defensive zone
(working under the goal line and keeping controlled possession)

Secondary focus on Individual Skill should be built into all drills
(pass/receive as much as possible, skating/agility/control, and puck handling)

Establish 3 rules of Defense

Establish basic strategies for attacking in the middle and/or from the side with support
(triangle offense - read and react to your opponents defensive strategies)

Establish basic 1 on 1 defensive strategies and for 2 defensive handling 1 attacker

Introduce the concept of passive vs. aggressive fore-checking

Introduce Basic Penalty Kill defensive and offensive strategies

Introduce Power Play offensive strategy (focus on possession)

Introduce 3 Rules of Offense

Introduce the concepts of Time and Space Management

Introduce the concept of 4 Corners (spreading the rink)

Introduce basic puck support and regrouping strategies

Introduce cycling, reversing, cutting, and crossing techniques and strategies (2 on 1)

Encourage over-passing and creativity during game play (Do the right thing with the puck)

Hours 8 - 15

Primary focus is on team "game flow" and increasing Time Of Possession (TOP)

Primary focus is on developing "game flow" that naturally creates multiple options for attacks and regroups, and utilizing the whole rink (keep adding options for the tool belt)

Primary focus is creating offense in the defensive zone - Breakouts and Regroups
(utilizing D2D, cycling, reversing, give n go, supporting, and cutting)

Primary focus is on creating quality 20, 30, 21, 31, and 32 offensive zone attacks on goal
(advanced strategies for puck movement and support)

Secondary focus is toward "read and react" offensive and defensive
(start providing situations where there are options that the skaters choose but no physical defense to stop their attack but guides to the correct decision)

Implement and Use 3 Rules of Hockey/Defense/Offense in drills

Implement cycling, reversing, cutting, and crossing techniques and strategies

Establish intermediate individual skills
(saucer fore/back hand pass/shot, deking, pivoting, wingspan, transitioning w/ puck)

Establish the concepts of Time and Space Management as the relate to TOP

Establish intermediate strategies for attacking in the middle or from the side with support without hesitation (triangle or box offense)

Establish intermediate strategies for fore-checking and defense (passive vs. aggressive)

Establish intermediate "special teams" strategies for Pulled Goalie, Penalty Kill, and Power Play

Establish basic strategies for playing with a Pulled Goalie

Introduce various offensive and defensive face-off strategies

Hours 13 - 20
1. Primary focus is geared to developing and utilizing Intermediate Individual Skills
2. Primary focus is toward intermediate "read and react" offensive and defensive scenarios
  (using the tools they've learned)
3. Primary focus is on team "game flow" and increasing Time Of Possession (TOP)
4. Primary focus is on creating multiple threats and multiple supports offensively
  (Creating Windows of Opportunity)
5. Secondary focus is on reading the opponents offense, defense, and special teams and defining weaknesses and strengths
6. Secondary focus is on Individual Skill - IS should be built into all drills
7. Establish various offensive and defensive face-off strategies
8. Establish strategies for man on man vs. zone defense (gap and lane control)
9. Introduce the concepts of timing an attack for a redirect or one-timer
10. Introduce advanced "read and react" strategies for offense and defense
11. Introduce "salesman" concepts (showing this action but doing that)
Hours 15 - 25
1. Primary focus is geared to developing and utilizing Intermediate Individual Skills
2. Primary focus is toward intermediate "read and react" offensive and defensive scenarios
  (using the tools they've learned - recognize and react to Windows of Opportunity)
3. Primary focus is on team "game flow" and increasing Time Of Possession (TOP)
4. Primary focus is on intermediate regroups to form quick attack options
5. Secondary focus on individual skill should be built into all drills
6. Establish advanced "read and react" strategies for offense and defense
7. Establish various strategies to time an attack for a redirect or one-timer
8. Establish "salesman" strategies and the art of Deception
9. Introduce concepts for isolating a single defenseman in a 2 on 2 attack creating an odd man rush
Hours 25 - 35
1. Primary focus is toward advanced "read and react" offensive and defensive scenarios
  (using the tools they've learned - recognize and react to Windows of Opportunity)
2. Primary focus is toward developing "set plays" for handling specific game scenarios
3. Secondary focus is on individual skill - IS should be built into all drills
Hours 35 - 50
1. Primary focus is toward advanced "read and react" offensive and defensive scenarios
  (using the tools they've learned - recognize and react to Windows of Opportunity)
2. Primary focus is toward developing "set plays" for handling specific game scenarios
3. Secondary focus is on individual skill - IS should be built into all drills