Basic Tips To Help Players of All Ages Improve Hockey IQ / Smarts On The Ice

• Make sure your skates fit properly - usually 1:5 size smaller than your shoe size.
• Be aware of your weight on your skates – it should be on the middle of your blades.
• Maintain a deep knee bend when you are skating – the Sidney Crosby hockey stance is ideal.
• Proper stick length – below the chin when the tip of the stick is on the ice.
• Keep your stick on or very near to the ice.
• Keep 2 hands on the stick especially when handling the puck in traffic.
• When handling the puck, keep your shoulders and arms loose, and arms away from your body for improved puck handling skills.
• There are 3 ways to start up in hockey i.e. t – start, v- start and crossover start. The most effective and most popular is the v – start.
• Always face the play / puck, try to avoid turning your back to the puck.
• Keep your head on a swivel – be alert on the ice.
• Head up at all times - beware of the danger zone – 3 to 4 feet off the boards. Avoid getting hit from behind – Safety first!
• Communicate with your teammates – make eye contact and talk on the ice.
• Know when to stride (keep your feet moving) and know when to glide (save ice) and read / anticipate the play.
• Know the short game (stops and starts) vs. the long game (crossover / glide turns) to maximize flow on the ice.
• Want the puck – track the puck’s movement on the ice with relentless effort and speed. Be an active participant (around the puck) and not a spectator (watching and wondering what just happened!).
• When receiving the puck accelerate with speed.
• Drive over the blue line with speed – go hard to the net.
• Take more shots on net – Gretzky said “You will always miss with the shots you don’t take”.
• Don’t go behind the net after a shot on net - always stop in front of the net and look for the rebound or a loose puck.
• Play a 200 foot game – skate hard and smart in all 3 zones.

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