Hockey Skills you've always wanted to improve on...

[conroy22]

For one of my physical activity classes this semester, I decided I was going to try my luck at taking hockey (...yeah...kinesiology majors are the best!). Only thing is, for the past 16 years of my life I have figure skated. I had never worn hockey skates until just over a month ago, and am still getting used to the fact I don't have toepicks!

For one of my assignments, I have to run a practice. Being a figure skating coach as well, I am interested in working on basic skating skills such as forwards/backwards crossovers, inside outside edges, etc... A lot of the players in my class have played in the WHL, AJHL, and other CIS hockey teams, so they are already pretty decent skaters. However, being a skating coach, when I watch their basic skating skills I get a little pick about things I know I could help them improve on to make their overall skating better.

You don't have to provide me with any drills, but what I am interested to know is what are some skating skills that you have always wanted to improve on to help better your game? Not only your game, but when you watch hockey on tv or in person and you see a player doing something that looks like they could use some help on?

Thanks!

[J epworth]

A skill all players always need to improve on is their first 3 steps. Since hockey is such a quick back and forth game, it's improving the power and speed you can generate from those first 3 steps that makes the difference from a strong skater and an elite skater.

[Flashpoint]

Pretty much all of them?



Backwards lateral mobility. My backwards crossovers suck particularly badly.

[Huntingwhale]

Fighting
Diving
Whining

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Fighting
Diving
Whining

[troutman]

Going into the dirty areas.

Pulling the goalie.

Rimming it off the glass.

Seriously, I would like to know how to stop.

[Travis Munroe]

The triple deke was something I always struggled with. Just couldnt perfect it quite like Charlie.

Seriously though, skating on shoot outs or breakaways, I tend to go so slow thinking I have all day but realize after not scoring that I just made it easy on the goalie.

[saskflames69]

I need to work on my body checks. I'm 6'0" and I should be wrecking other guys out there but I'm just too soft of a guy to do that. My coaches get pissed at me when I come off the ice without decking somebody.

[Yanda]

Slapshot Accuracy

[Knut]

Better Linemates.

[TorqueDog]

Power skating and skating skills as they apply to transitions in play.

Example, you're skating full tilt towards the attack zone, your winger has the puck. Unfortunately, that winger is Phil Kessel and he turns the puck over. You now have to change direction as quickly as possible to get into a good defensive position.

The ability to change direction as quickly as possible and still have the same explosiveness in your stride is huge.

[Mass_nerder]

vision when I've got the puck...
I don't look at the puck when I'm skating with it, but when I'm going with any speed, it's like I have blinders on until I slow down.

[puckluck]

One timers and slap shots.

[STeeLy]

Learn to actually play hockey.

[Northendzone]

being able to hang onto the soap in the shower - i always get a case of the dropsies.....

my team mates also complain i need to make better passes - i tell them they can't be more than 8 feet away from me and expect to get a pass on the tape......

i would love to be quicker nad skate more efficiently, however at my advanced age, it is unlikely that i'll improve much......although i do have the worst habit of being a one-legged skater (i'll push harder with the right leg than the left)

[Sainters7]

As a goalie, to get a better shot. It's such a muffin.

[bossy22]

Skating and stick handling. I could shoot. I always won the accuracy contests. Slap shot, wrist shot, snap shot were pretty good. If I happened to get the puck in the slot, it'd be a goal. The problem was my ability to read the play also sucked. I needed to be 6'2" and 210lbs so I could just sit in the slot like Tim Kerr.

[Weaseltease]

I found the forward & backward crossovers to be incredibly valuable to work on. As a defense, I'm always trying to improve my front-to-back transition (like when you skate circles always facing the scoreboard).

I also agree with J epworth that the first 3 steps/crossover power start is super important.

[Buff]

Turning around (going from skating forward to skating backwards). I can turn counter clockwise. Last summer I thought I'd try to force myself to turn clockwise. I bruised my tailbone twice and my hip three times. Never got the hang of it.

Stopping both ways. I can stop alright when I pivot on my left foot (I'm moving counter clockwise), but I can't stop when I pivot on my right foot. At all.

First three strides, like epworth said. Once I get going I can skate as fast as most of the guys I play with, but the first three strides dictate that I'll always be a step behind.

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Plyometrics for that quick first step.



For me, my shot lags behind my skating. The guys I play with range from junior players to former pros (not NHL). That really brings up your skating but you don`t get to touch the puck for too long at a stretch.