Buffalo Sabres NHL Defense Drill

This drill focuses on defenssive zone coverage and backchecking. The drill starts with a 1 on 1 battle in front of the net ( F1 vs. D1).  F1 is looking for a pass from D2 who has a puck behind the net.  D2 makes as many passes as possible to F1 before the whistle blows.  On the whistle, D2 caries a puck around the net and makes a breakout pass to F2.  F2 and D1 then attack D3.  F1 backchecks making it a 2 on 2 situation.  Once the play is made, D3 becomes the player behind the net making passes to F2 in front of the net until the whistle blows.  F2 then becomes the backchecking forward as D3 passes to F3.  F3 and D3 then attack the other direction.  The sequence continues back and forth.

Hockey Breakout Drill

Standard Hockey Breakout

There are tons of different breakout patterns and systems your team can use to quickly and safely move the puck out of your own end. Unfortunately our team doesn't practice, so we tend to keep things pretty simple on the ice. Typically we just use the standard breakout.

Every player should be aware of the standard breakout regardless of the position you play. Defense, Centre and Wing all play a role.

Here is How the Standard Breakout Works:

• The defenseman has the puck behind his own net, and sees a winger open along the boards.
  
  
• He passes the puck to the winger or rings it around the boards.
  
  
• Meanwhile the Centre comes back into his own end from the blueline, turns, and curls up ice making himself available for a pass from the winger.
  
  
• The winger can then either pass is to the centre, or chip it up the boards and out of the zone.

The Centre

The key to this play is timing. The centre should be passing by the winger as the winger receives the puck. The winger can then make a short, quick pass to the centre, who now has some speed, and is able to take the puck out of your own end.

The Winger

The winger must be ready for any type of pass from the defenceman. It's rarely going to be right on your stick. If the puck has been flung along the boards into the corner, it can be tricky.

The best way to control this type of pass is to line up facing the high slot with your butt against the boards, stick on the ice, and the heel of your front foot (the foot closest to the blueline) right against the boards. If you tilt your front foot outwards at an angle, and keep your stick in front of you, the puck should bounce off your skate blade towards your stick as it comes in behind your trailing leg.

The puck can take a weird bounce at any time, so this method doesn't always work perfectly. Even if the puck gets caught up between your skates, you still have a good chance of getting it under control.



The worst way to receive this type of pass is to face the boards and try to use only your stick to stop the puck. If the puck is coming fast and hops over your stick, it will go right to the opposing defenceman. A deadly giveaway.

Here's a variation where Chicago's Left D-Man (Keith #2) passes the puck behind the goal line to the Right D (Seabrook #7), who then quickly moves the puck up to the winger (Havlat #24), who then passes it to the centre (Toews #19.) Toews has just completed his U-turn from deep in his own end.



This is a great play as it gives the centre two chances to receive a breakout pass. First from the Defenceman, then a second opportunity from the winger. It also leads to a goal!