The modern game requires defencemen have quick feet.
Nothing drives the compete level up in your practice more than a good ol’ fashioned 1-on-1 drill. There’s nowhere to hide, and for Colorado Avalanche assistant coach Nolan Pratt, when it comes to the defence, that’s a good thing.
See also:
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- Rikard Grönborg on how Sweden develops world-class defencemen (VIDEO)
- Using data to define good gap control for defencemen
- How Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour connects with today’s player (PODCAST)
The modern defenceman is tasked with jumping up into the rush on the offensive side of the puck more than ever before. That’s a good thing too, as long as they remember that priority number one is stopping the other team from scoring.
Having quick feet can help a team offensively, but it’s a trait that’s beneficial to the defensive side of the puck as well. For defencemen, it’s important to get up in the play and establish a good gap.
These three drills from Pratt will get your defencemen feeling more confident with their feet. Watch the full premium video with a membership to The Coaches Site.
NHLCA
The NHL Coaches’ Association is a professional organization that provides support and assistance to the head, associate, assistant, goalie and video coaches of the 32 teams in the National Hockey League.
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