New Jersey Devils Executing Quick Ups & Attacking Middle Seam

Devils execute quick up. A quick up is you move the puck right away up the ice.

 Devils players control skates to boards, acceleration through middle seam.

The middle seam is the space between the two defenders

Tactics:

• Quick Up
• Attacking the middle seam

Teaching Points:

• Control Skate
• Timing
• Communication
• Acceleration

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

New York Rangers Quick Transition On Defensive Zone Face Off

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Four Reasons New York Ranger …

Power Thoughts:

“The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability. You’ve got to be accountable for who you are. It’s too easy to blame things on someone else.”
                                                                                                                 -Lenny Wilkins 

                                                                                              Source: Getty Images

 “The only discipline that lasts is self-discipline.”
-Bum Philip

New York Ranger Michael Del Zotto Defends Perfect 2 v 1

2 v 1 Defensive Read the Rush:

• Good body & stick positioning 
• Quick sticks & anticipation 
• Stick well out in front of you, ready to deflect pass 
• The  ‘D’  must stay up & in the middle of the ice between the forwards 
• The ‘D’ should keep the puck wide 
• If a pass be made back to the slot, the ‘D’ must pressure and attack the slot 
• The ‘D’ should keep a tight gap 
• Goalie should call I have the shooter

Do Not:

• Do not give up huge gap through center ice
• Do not back up into goalie
• Do not commit to one forward

Teaching Notes:

• At higher levels you can not allow the players to shoot from slot
• Defenders must develop fakes stick checks & checks

Related Videos:

Team USA Gives Up Ice and Makes Bad Line Change

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: USA – Canada IIHF 2012 Overload …

Power Thoughts:

Coach George Halas: Brian Piccolo died of cancer at the age of 26. He left a wife and three daughters. He also left a great many loving friends who miss and think of him often. But when they think of him, it’s not how he died that they remember – but how he lived. How he did live!

“I don’t care to be remembered as the man who scored six touchdowns in a game. I want to be remembered as a winner in life.” -Gale Sayers

Brian’s Song. Great Movie

Ernest Hemingway once said “Every true story ends in death.” Well, this is a true story.

Sports Psychology Tips:

Three Things To Do Now, To Improve Your Performance:

 If you want to practice as good of Olympic Gold Medalist; You need to match his\her attitude, emotionally energy and enthusiasm. You have 100% control over your attitude, emotional energy, and enthusiasm. Great athletes focus on things they can control. You can improve your game now, by focusing on improving your:

1. Attitude
2. Emotional Energy 
3. Enthusiasm

Team USA Failed to Capitalize on Good Forechecking vs. Finland

Principles:

• Force the opposition to make 2 or more passes to breakout.
• Force the opposition to turn back, lets you control the tempo of the game

Rules:

• Always forecheck with your stick on the ice
• First man body, second man picks up puck

Teaching Keys:

• Pressure hard after loose pucks
• Use your Stick to direct the man where you want him to go 
• Take a good angle or circular approach when forechecking
• Stick in passing lanes
• Finish your check

Terms:

Active Smart Stick:  
A smart stick placement forces the puck carrier to pass the puck where you want.

Body, Stick, Puck:
Play the body first, stick second and pick up puck third.

Related Videos:

USA Makes Bad Reads On Forechecking & Defensive Rush

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: John Trvares Forechecking Goal …

Power Thoughts:

“Don’t let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.”
-Les Brown

“Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals and charge after them in an unstoppable manner.”
-Les Brown

Sports Psychology Tips:

FLY LIKE A BUMBLEBEE 

• Do not let people or events in your life stop you!
• Do not let your little voice stop you from flying!

According to the laws

of aerodynamics,

the bumblebee is

unable to fly.

This is because

the size, weight, and

shape of its body

in relation to the

total wing-span

makes flying impossible.

The bumblebee,

being ignorant of

these laws,

goes ahead  and flies anyway!   

            -author unknown

USA Makes Bad Reads On Forechecking & Defensive Rush

Terms:

• Read, Communicate, Pressure Up & Contain
• Head on a swivel

Rules:

• When the first forcecheckers beat, turn and backcheck
• Pressure the puck carrier to the red line
• Man to man coverage after red line

Reads:

• The first forechecker is beat and Finland has control of puck

• The puck crossed the red line, find a man

Keys:

• See the players away from the puck

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Senators Execute Offensive Rush …
Turkey – PR Korea Defensive Read the Rush – Keith McAdams …

Sweden Executes Double Reverse IIHF 2012 WC

System: Breakout-Reverse

Tactic:  Reverse to Wing & Center

Keys:

• The checkers skates must be pointing in same direction as puck carrier
• Stick of forechecker middle ice

Turkey Fails To Read Stick Is In Passing Lane On Reverse:

Five Power Thoughts on Fear:

“Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.”
-Jim Morrison

“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.”
–Bill Cosby

“The greatest mistake a person can make is to be afraid of making one.”

Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915)

“Don’t permit fear of failure to prevent effort”

-John Wooden

Sports Psychology Tips:

Pay Attention To Your Self Negative Talk:

If you want to improve your game; Start paying attention to your negative self talk.

1. What you say to yourself at practice means everything.
2. What you say to yourself, can interfere with your performance.
3. What you say in between practice drills and between shifts, determines your focus.

Action Steps to Take:

1. Start a log and record your self talk.
2. Recognize negative self talk and replace with positive.
3. Use cue words to direct your focus and performance.

Norway Control Breakout & Rush

Slides/Drawing

Control Breakout:  

• Follow a set pattern

Keys:

• Stop behind net
• Control skate
• Timing
• Filling three lanes
• Width & depth in the attack

Terms:

• Control Breakout, Sure Entry, Possession, Set up

Rules:

• Move the puck to the fastest skater
• Form Offensive Triangle

Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Japan Breakout and 3 v 2 Tactics, World University Games 2011

DPR Korea Weak Side Breakout Pass & Offensive Control

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Norway Control Breakout & Rush

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips

Power Thoughts:

“Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next.”

-George Steinbrenner

“One way to break up any kind of tension is good deep breathing.”
-Byron Nelson

Sports Psychology Tips:

Centering:  

1. The concentration of attention and energy on your game.
2. One deep, slow breath
3. Your breath must be slow, but game functional. 
4. You need to teach yourself to breathe deeply throughout the game.
5. Practice breathing deeply during your practice.

One Deep Breath Will Mean a Lot to Your Game: 

• On bench – Sit tall and breathe deeply
• On face off –  Be in good hockey position and breathe deeply.
• During the game – Pick your spot and have one good deep breath.

USA Creating Problems for Finland on Defensive Zone Face Offs

Moving Behind Center for Shot

 Moving Puck Back to Point & Across

Wing @ Hash Mark Moves Puck Back to Wing @ Top of Circle for Shot

Team USA Scores Goal on 4 v 4 Offensive Zone Face Off

RELATED VIDEOS & TEACHING POINTS:

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Teaching Highlights IIHF World …

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Teaching Highlights IIHF World …

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Teaching Highlights IIHF World …

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Teaching Highlights IIHF World …

Power Thoughts:

“Goals determine what you’re going to be.”
-Julius Erving

“If you’re bored with life — you don’t get up every morning with a burning desire to do things — you don’t have enough goals.”
-Lou Holtz

“My philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that goal, we never lose – somehow we win out.”
-Ronald Reagan

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.”
-Earl Nightingale

Sports Psychology Tips:

Outcome Goal: 

Is a goal that you do not have 100% control of.  For example, I will win a gold medal.

Performance Goal: 

Is a goal you have 100% control over. For example, I will get up each day at 6:00 am every morning and run. 

Action Step for Today: 

1. Write down the  five most important outcome goals, you want to achieve in the next twelve months. You must make a commitment to achieving them – no matter what it takes.
2. Write down the performance goals you will need to  achieve in each of the above goals. 
3. Performance goals are key to creating positive momentum to achieve your outcome goals.

Team USA Penalty Killing vs. Team Canada 2012 IIHF

Systems:

• Diamond Up High
• Box Down Low

Tactics:

• Active Smart Sticks (ASS)
• Body in Shooting Lane, Stick in Passing Lane 

Reads:

• Shot wide press

Keys:

• All four players need to work together
• Weak side wing must slide down to protect goal

Take Away:

• Strong side Boards
• Pass Behind Net

                                             

Related Videos:

World University Games 5 v 4 Penalty Killing – Keith McAdams …

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Turkey’s #11 HAMARAT Galip & #10 …

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Teaching Highlights IIHF World …

Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Teaching Highlights IIHF World …

Ankara Turkey Practice #1 Beginners/House League Half Ice Practices

Hello Everyone,


Thanks for your feedback. 


I received many requests from coaches to provide small ice practice plans for beginners & house league teams.  I will organize these practice plan in four day hockey school format. This guarantees we will cover all the basic skills.


The format of these practice are as followed: 

1. Multiple circuits
2. Limited space on ice
3. High repetitions & touches of puck
4. Keep the players moving 
5. Finish with a shot and rebound when possible
6. Finish each practice with a small game

Tip: 

Do not wait for the player to finish the drill, before starting the next player.

I will have a beginners group here in Erzurum starting in the next few weeks. I will video tape the practices and provide the footage to supplement the practice outlines.

Please feel free to contact me for any requests. I can be reached @

Keith.f.mcadams@gmail.com.

Best Regards,

Keith

Ankara Turkey Practice #1 Beginners/House League Half  Ice Practices

We divided all the practices into three groups to meet the needs of Ankara Turkey Clubs. You can adjust the number of circuits and players in each group.

Warm Up & Stretching Off Ice 

• Spend 15 minutes doing dynamic stretch and warm up before taking to ice

Drill #1:  Striding,  Hockey Position & Balance 

1. Hockey Position -Stationary
2. Striding -Control Stick
3. Pushing One Skate – Left & Right
4. Touch 1 knee to ice
5. Lift one knee up

Teaching Points:

• Eyes Up, Stay Up
• Good Hockey Position
• Knee Bend- Knees out over your skates
• Shoulders out over skates
• Stick in front of you

Drill #2: Stick Handling -Move the Puck Side to Side  (Right)

• The puck must break the imaginary line between the cones

Drill #3:  Stick Handling -Move the Puck Side to Side  ( Left)

• The puck must break the imaginary line between the cones

Teaching Points:

• Teach the Correct Grip of Stick
• Make sure the elbows are away from the body
• Cup the puck

Stick Handling Progressions:

• Narrow to wide movements
• Slow to fast

Drill 4:  Stick Handling

1. Top Position – Carry puck in middle of blade (no stick handling)
2. Side to Side – short/narrow movements
3. Stick handle & move puck to skates

Drill 5:  Crossovers Right Over Left with Shot

• Crossover through the entire drill
• Shoot on goal & drive to net for rebound

Progressions:

• No pucks  (pick up puck & shoot)
• Pucks

Drill 6:  Crossovers Left Over Right with Shot 

• Crossover through the entire drill
• Shoot on goal & drive to net for rebound

Progressions:

• No pucks (pick up puck & shoot)
• Pucks

Drill 7:   Small Game 1 v 1

• 2 or 3 groups of red and blue play 1 on 1 at same time

Spend 10-15 minutes doing cool down, off ice after each practice.

Power Thoughts: I think the most important thing of all for any team is a winning attitude. The coaches must have it. The players must have it. The student body must have it. If you have dedicated players who believe in themselves, you don’t need a lot of talent." -Coach Bear Bryant

“It’s not the will to win that matters – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.”

-Coach Bear Bryant

My approach to the game has been the same at all the places I’ve been. The sure way. That means, first of all, to win physically. If you got eleven on a field, and they beat the other eleven physically, they’ll win. They will start forcing mistakes. They’ll win in the fourth quarter.”


-Coach Bear Bryant