Here is a hockey drill that gives defensemen a chance to work on receiving a passin transition and gaining the middle of the ice by moving their feet. It also gives the forwards a chance to work on their neutral zone timing so they are in good position when the defense is ready to make a pass. There are several variations to this hockey drill that will be posted in the coming weeks.
To set up, place two lines of forwards along the boards at one blue line with pucks. The defense line up in the corners down low without pucks. Place two cones in the high slot inline with the inside hash marks of each circle.
On the whistle, D1 skates out past the blue line and transitions backwards to receive a pass from F1. Once they receive the pass they gain the middle of the ice. They should work on facing up ice the entire time. Once they get between the cones they make a pass to F2. F2 has to time their break so they are available at center ice (as shown). F1, after making the initial pass, fills the area vacated by D1 and provides a flat outlet for D1. D1 should make a pass to F2 and F2 carries the puck into the zone wide and on their inside edges waiting for F1 to skate into the high slot. After D1 makes the pass they should follow the play up to about the red line and then transition backwards as though there was a turnover. Near the blue line they pivot and skate hard to the near post, then get back in line.
