Coaches Tips
Tip # 1
Bench Management: If you start the game with your team in the right side bench, the attacking zone will be on the left. Place your forwards in the bench on the left hand side. This will give them a quick start to the attacking zone. Have an assistant coach or team official work that door. Have the defenseman exit into the defensive zone and have the extra goalie or assistant coach work that door as well. Have both lines enter the bench over the boards. This will help keep the team from taxiing for position. Remember, maximum of three team officials shall be permitted on the bench.
In the second period, you will find yourself with the attacking zone close to your bench. (like the one to the left) In this case, you want your defenseman as close to the defensive zone as possible. Have them enter over the boards and exit to the defensive zone. Because your forwards are positioned on the bench deep in the attacking zone, have then exit over the boards closer to the blue so they can quickly get on side.
Taxiing is a coach's worst nightmare! Why, you ask? Because, if you have a player on the court, waiting next to the open door while someone is coming out. A player on the other team can put you into a short handed situation by passing the puck to the player that is waiting. (taxiing for position) This will cause a "too many men on the court" situation and you will play short handed for the next two minutes. However, if the "too many men on the court," occurs with less then two minutes left to play, the other team will and can be awarded a penalty shot on your team. See "Official Rules of Ice Hockey: Rule 205 Changing of Players.
Teach your players to watch the player they need to change with and NOT always the puck. During a substitution the goalie, has a leeway within five feet of the bench. The "Official Rule" for players changing on the bench goes like this:
Let peer pressure work for you! When I first started coaching I had all the players stand in a circle. Big mistake! A player that was behind me was mocking me and doing a little dance. You should have seen the expression on the faces of the kids in front. However, I could see past the kids in front and see the guy behind dancing in the reflection on the glass. The only problem was...the kid that was dancing, was the captain of the team. I pointed over my shoulder while looking ahead and told him that I had eyes in the back of my head. So, I had all the player get down and give me 50 push up's except for the captain. The captain stood up and kept cadence by counting off. When we were done, they all hit the dressing room. I never had a problem with them again.
I learned to place the players on the goal line and have them count 1,2,3 from left to right...right down the line. When running your drills, have the one's go first, then the two's and the three's go last with the goalies.
Tip # 3
Playing position in the defenesive zones! As a first year coach or even if you have been coaching for years. Teach your players how to play there position in the three major zones.
First zones is your defensive zone, see Tactical Drill # 2 this drill is used to help the defenseman understand their responsibility in the defensive zone. Then use Tactical Drill # 3, this is used for your forward players and their responsibility in the defensive zone. Use the bell curve chart on that drill to explain the time it takes to get the puck out of the defensive zone.
Teach your forwards not to go to deep into the corners in the defensive zone, let the defense do that! The forwards need to cover the points. However, if the puck is deep in the defensive zone, have the forwards move down into position at the hash marks on the face off circle right next to the boards.
This is known as the "Breakout Position." Once they are there and the puck starts comes up the board out of the corner, have the forward #4 start to exit the zone. This exiting move will force the defenseman on the other team to move off the blue line. If the defenseman hold there position, they run the risk of having the forward leaving with the puck on a break-a-way. Use Tactical Drill # 5 & Tactical Drill # 7 to teach breakouts.
Once the break-a-way has started, teach your players to start a weave into the neutral zone. See tip # 5
Tactical Drill # 2
Defensive Zone Coverage Map: This starts a small series of coverage maps that will help you and your players understand their responsibility to the team and what area they need to stay in. I recommend that you make several copies and hand them out to each player. All players should know the coverage responsibility of the other players on his or her team. See Basic Drill # 25 for goalies.
Each defensive zone covers from the corner to the far post. This will help eliminate the confusion. Plus, it will keep all the players going to one side.
Tactical Drill # 3
Defensive Zone Coverage Map 2: This is the zone responsibility of your forwards. In reality, when the other team has the puck, there are 4 defensemen on the ice. Every player must make it his or her responsibility to control their zone and regain possession of the puck. Please look at graph below!
At point :
A.) Puck is dumped into the zone
B.) Player turns towards corner
C.) Player gets puck in the corner
D.) Player leaves corner for the weak side behind the net
E.) Player makes transition pass to winger
Point E is where teams make the big mistake causing the puck to remain in the defensive zone.
Tactical Drill # 5a
Tactical Drill # 5b