Training & Drills

A setter doesn’t have to see the blockers move during the play, but can take note immediately after a play and remember what the blockers did in that rotation or against that set. The setter is referred to as the quarterback on the court, the playmaker, or point guard of the team. A setter’s responsibility […]

Remind your D to not stand still while making passes in open ice; keep moving. Purpose: Create a hectic, fast-paced environment so your defensemen learn to transition the puck in the neutral zone with crisp, accurate passes while keeping their heads up and eyes on the play. Also, this drill encourages proper puck support and creativity […]

If you have not already done so, now is the time to prepare to be succesful this club volleyball recruiting season. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  – Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote can be applied to the start of club volleyball recruiting season that kicks off this weekend. If you […]

While skills like making hard passes, or having stick on puck may seem elementary, they play an increasingly important role as players progress to higher levels of hockey. Can you imagine what school would be like if they tried to teach sentence structure before spelling? Or if math teachers went straight to multiplication and long […]

Since hockey is a game is built on speed, it’s essential to keep it in all facets of the game, whether a player is on the attack or getting back to protect the net. As we ring in the New Year, hockey players who want to continue to progress in their development should resolve to […]

There is a lot of pressure on parents these days. We want the best for our children and we don’t think twice about taking action when we see we’re able to fill a need. But are we doing enough? “When did parenting get to be so stressful?” began a recent post on the Changing the Game […]

The Fair Play program was originally implemented during the 2004-05 season, as a component of Minnesota Hockey’s Hockey Education Program (HEP), with the goal of promoting safety and good sportsmanship. Since then, Fair Play has been lauded as one of the top behavior influencing programs in youth hockey. Fair Play is based on the premise […]

Many parents of goalies struggle with what to say when goaltending is sometimes viewed as an individual sport within a team game. Q: My son is a goalie on a 12U team and he has a goalie partner who is really good, at least one step ahead of my son. The coaches are great, and play […]

Detroit Red Wings goaltending coach and goalie parent Jeff Salajko spoke with USA Hockey about all things goalies and goaltender development. Jeff Salajko coaches goalies with drastically different skill levels – Pee Wees and the pros. But oddly enough – just like with offensive and defensive skill work – he does a lot of the […]

Along with skating, puckhandling is another skill that is often overlooked for goaltenders, but shouldn’t be ignored. At the highest level, goaltender is often considered the most important position. A netminder is relied upon to make – and hopefully not break – a team’s season. However, at the youth level, goaltenders are often the forgotten […]