(Transcribed from How to Play Hockey: Our Minor Hockey Coaching Course.)
The biggest constant in this great game we all love is that the puck changes possession 1000 times a game. The ability to switch, as a team, from offense to defense, or defense to offense, could well be the difference between winning and losing for your team.
Purpose of Video:
The word transition means change, from either defense to offense, or from offense to defense. The quicker you can do either, the better off your team will be.
[maxbutton id=”2″ ]
What people don’t often realize is that transition is constantly happening. The moment you lose the puck in the shift, you’re transitioning from offense to defense. As soon as you regain the puck, now you are transitioning from defense to offense. This happens thousands of times in the game. Too often players on the attack lose possession and they don’t transition, either mentally or physically to defense. In other words, they leave their teammates hanging. (“breakaways”, “two on ones”, “three on ones”)
In general, the transition from offense, to losing the puck, and now playing defense requires back checking through the middle of the ice, turning and facing up-ice, so the attack is coming at you, and forcing the play from the inside to the outside, angling and applying pressure. The longer it takes you to transition from defense to offense, the more time you give the other team to set up on defense. A team that transitions quickly when they pass the puck from D to D, and up to the winger with speed on the attack is going to create more ‘odd man rushes’ for themselves.
Transitions are the key to hockey, offensively and defensively.
Looking to download half ice hockey practice plans, goalie drills for teams (not a goalie coach?!) or small area games drills? We’ve got you covered too. Click here. Perfect for recreational level coaches.
