This week I want to talk about working a progression on teaching angles to defensemen and the importance of getting D to believe in angles.

Angles make the life of a defensemen so much easier, it cuts down on the amount of energy they have to expand as well, a good defensemen who knows his angles very rarely gets beat to the net. I always spend time with my D going through angles; yes I have an angle chart I show them, who doesn’t?

This week I have also put up the first angle drill I do with the D at camps or in practice for you to use, I will put up the progressions in days to come so check back for the updated drills on the Drill of the week page.

Drill 1

Angles to the net.

This is a very simple drill that has our D finding the post. We start the drill at the corner of the net and place pylons out in the D-Zone and move them as the drill goes on. Have the D skate hard out to a pylon ad pivot around the pylon ad skate backwards to the near side post finding the way back while looking up ice. Ice awareness is very important and all D need to get familiar with it and it has to become an instinct.  Go outside in as well inside out, rep each pattern 4-5 times and shorten or lengthen the pylons, as you feel needed.

Drill 2

Quick take offs in NZ

This is the second drill I add into the angle mix. I have my D start in the NZ at the far NZ face off dot. On the coach’s start, they pivot towards the middle of the ice (very important, why? By pivoting to the middle they force the forward towards the boards. Protect the middle) doing only one cross over to power out of a stand still follow the dot line through the NZ and angle back to the net. You should also have them not only work them angling back to the net but work open pivots toward the outside boards as well. You may ask why I have them done cross over? By doing one cross over and right into c-cuts, gets the D to be square as soon as possible by being square, forces the forwards to make decisions on where they want to go versus taking what he D has left open.

Drill 3

Short Net drive/Stick on Puck

Line the D up at the Blue line on the dot line facing up ice. Put Forwards on the boards facing the net with pucks, back off D by 2-3 steps. On the whistle have the forward drive with the puck down the boards towards the net. D take one cross and square up, as the play develops, have the D either angle back to the post if the forward has speed or open pivot and put stick on puck. (Remember when teaching open pivots, D should always lead with the stick on the puck vs. bringing the stick from behind) Play out like a 1vs.1 or you can use as a drill at moderate speed to teach technique.

Drill 4

Full Ice Quick feet

The final progression would be a full ice 1vs 1 drill. I like the quick feet drill that has our D line up on the inside hash and forwards with a puck on the goal line. On the whistle the D takes of backwards and finds his angle and position while the forward goes hard down the boards driving to the net only after he enters the OZ. D does not pivot until after DZ blue if they need to. Work both sides.

There you have it a four drill progression I use to teach angles, I hope you enjoy, if you have any questions feel free to contact me and we can discuss in more detail.

Thanks again,

Redgoat