Anaheim Ducks Head Coach Greg Cronin takes immense pride in his responsibilities, primary among which was his dedication to the penalty kill in his four years as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders and five seasons as head coach with the Colorado Eagles. As a specific special teams’ coach, there aren’t many better feelings than a successful PK or a power play goal. Watching the opponent’s frustration because they can’t set up on the power play usually means you had a clear plan for your killers, and they followed through with their skill and execution. But it’s not easy to play down a player. It takes practice.
“The fundamental importance of repping things out is a critical part of your penalty kill’s success. Never underestimate the importance of running routes and getting in shot lanes.”
For Cronin, communication and reading teammates is crucial to every successful penalty kill. No two power plays are made equal. The other team is trying to score – your structure is trying to stop their creativity.
“Practice your push-down routes, and put partners together who compliment each other.”
SEE ALSO:
- Ryan Huska – Penalty Killing Philosophy and Fundamentals
- Identifying the Traits of a Successful Penalty Kill (VIDEO)
- Enio Sacilotto: Individual Penalty Killing Drills
Greg Cronin
Greg Cronin has over 36 years of coaching and player development experience, including 12 years as an NHL assistant coach, and roles in the American Hockey League (AHL), NCAA and at USA Hockey. He joined the Anaheim Ducks after spending five seasons as the head coach of the Colorado Eagles, the Colorado Avalanche's primary development affiliate in the AHL. He led the Eagles to a 164-104-30 record and also guided the club to Calder Cup Playoff appearances in four of his five seasons, going 12-10 in the postseason.
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