I'm teaching them skills and techniques appropriate to their age level, which is what Hockey Canada wants us coaches to do.
- Atomic Wedgie

This reminds of playing floor hockey when I was in my 20s. I was the goalie, but we used those plastic sticks that had too much whip. As the goalie, all you had to do was rush the shooter - because they couldn't get off a quick accurate shot. As the goalie facing those sticks, making the first move was appropriate because it forced the shooter to do something with the ball that they couldn't manage quickly and in-tight.

I was generally considered one of the better goalies, but my fundamentals were mediocre at best. My recognition of the game situations and limitations were great!

I took this same principle and executed it the first time I played net in ice hockey. The shooter is coming in, I make a move, sliding out on my knees and he just looks at me like I'm slow, and he slowly, and very deliberately (in my opinion), skated around me, and put the puck in the empty net.

That's a tough one when teaching six year olds.

Every kid wants to be able to crosscheck, but you have to explain to them that only the better players get to do it without going to the penalty box.

Little Johnny or Suzy is going to start bawling when you explain to them that if they really want to be able to crosscheck other kids, they need to work on their skating and grow six inches.
- Atomic Wedgie

At six you're pretty much teaching them what left wing means and how to skate backwards. Little early for decision making.

NJ would as well. They have traded with each other in the past for the Johnsson trade. Miles Wood or Palmieri
- Archaic

Wasn't he traded to Boston or something like that.
Also, ALL Canadian team are on his no trade to teams apparently.

Wood would be interesting and who would he bump off the current line up?

This reminds of playing floor hockey when I was in my 20s. I was the goalie, but we used those plastic sticks that had too much whip. As the goalie, all you had to do was rush the shooter - because they couldn't get off a quick accurate shot. As the goalie facing those sticks, making the first move was appropriate because it forced the shooter to do something with the ball that they couldn't manage quickly and in-tight.

I was generally considered one of the better goalies, but my fundamentals were mediocre at best. My recognition of the game situations and limitations were great!

I took this same principle and executed it the first time I played net in ice hockey. The shooter is coming in, I make a move, sliding out on my knees and he just looks at me like I'm slow, and he slowly, and very deliberately (in my opinion), skated around me, and put the puck in the empty net.
- Monkeypunk

Those sticks....

I went from using real hockey sticks in Montreal to joining a league that uses gym sticks here in Toronto.

I tell ya... it took about 2 months before I could get a shot off without having it go 45 degrees off the blade because I leaned and flexed it too much

I don't care if the shooter is Jesus himself, a goaltender is always going to have better odds of stopping a shot when he is set and able to focus on the shooter than having to make a save in transition. 10 times out of 10.

It is the defensemans job to always take the pass away, every single time. Because as soon as the goalie has to face a one timer while in movement his day just got a lot harder.
- joel878

It was Mcjesus
So even better

At six you're pretty much teaching them what left wing means and how to skate backwards. Little early for decision making.
- joel878

I loved teaching the beginners. So much fun.

I had a couple of kids who I had to put white tape on the cuffs of their gloves, and then draw arrows pointing to which boards I wanted them to be closer to when skating forwards.

My other brilliant innovation was using stuffed animals instead of cones for practices. I swear to goodness, they are way better than cones - they sit on the ice better.

I'd run a drill where I put a two lines of stuffies on the ice in a zig-zag. Then I'd tell the kids the stuffies were really hot, so we needed to cool them down by spraying them with ice.

Best stop-and-start drill in the history of hockey. The kids franking loved it.

new blog everyone

I argued this point last year.....
Very true
All of the buzzards assured me I was wrong
- mr.sir

I would assume this is because the "Take away the pass on a 2 on 1" is what the majority of players have been taught in the past and I would guess most coaches are still teaching?

It's fine to teach something different if your teaching your whole team (especially your goalies) that is what your team is going to do on 2 on 1's. Now if that's not what they will be expected to do if/when they get to higher levels of hockey your doing them a disservice by teaching it to them now.

I'd be interested to hear what coaches in higher levels of hockey are telling players to do on a 2 on 1 including NHL players. Maybe at the NHL level coaches tell the players "your a pro, make a decision based on all the info you have in front of you including who the puck carrier and pass option players are"?

As a goalie I want it to be as simple as it can be, every time regardless of who has the puck on their stick and who the pass option is - I want to focus on the shooter and assume my D man will prevent the pass.

If they get the pass through - desperation time and likely a goal but they beat the D man with likely a very nice/perfect pass and it's a "good goal" and i can live with that.

Leaving the goalie thinking he can't cheat but maybe has to cheat because he isn't sure if his D man is going to force the shot or take away the pass is a recipe for disaster almost every time in my view.

Those sticks....

I went from using real hockey sticks in Montreal to joining a league that uses gym sticks here in Toronto.

I tell ya... it took about 2 months before I could get a shot off without having it go 45 degrees off the blade because I leaned and flexed it too much
- TheMussel

Exactly. I played in the TSSC for a few years in the later 90s and early 2000s.

You'd see these shooters who you knew - you could clearly tell - were excellent hockey players, but they just couldn't get those sticks to work for them. The frustration was palpable.

This reminds of playing floor hockey when I was in my 20s. I was the goalie, but we used those plastic sticks that had too much whip. As the goalie, all you had to do was rush the shooter - because they couldn't get off a quick accurate shot. As the goalie facing those sticks, making the first move was appropriate because it forced the shooter to do something with the ball that they couldn't manage quickly and in-tight.

I was generally considered one of the better goalies, but my fundamentals were mediocre at best. My recognition of the game situations and limitations were great!

I took this same principle and executed it the first time I played net in ice hockey. The shooter is coming in, I make a move, sliding out on my knees and he just looks at me like I'm slow, and he slowly, and very deliberately (in my opinion), skated around me, and put the puck in the empty net.
- Monkeypunk

In my early thirties, I rented the local public school gym on a weeknight. Me and my buddies would play on Tuesday nights, and then go out for beers afterwards.

I booked it for the next year, but the numbers dwindled a little. My wife was pregnant, and a guy moved away and a couple of his friends (I didn't really know them) opted not to sign up.

So one night, a couple of kids who were playing teen pickup basketball the hour before us asked if they could play. Hell yes!

It was old guys vs. teenagers, and it was the best hour of cardio in my entire life.

Old guys weren't about to lose to teenagers, and teenagers weren't about to lose to old guys.

Oh damn, it was fun.

I'll actually disagree on both counts here.

Are you teaching 6 year olds fundamental hockey skills or are you teaching them to win the game based on the skill levels of six year olds? Fundamental hockey tells you to take away the pass. Teaching kids the wrong skills at 6 probably leads them to play 2 on 1s the way Rielly did last night. Thanks, Coach Wedgie.

I don't care if it's Hutch or a bouncy rubber goalie from Canadian Tire in net, the odds of stopping the short angle shot on McDavid are significantly higher than the odds of NHL level players failing to complete a one-timer from an elite passer and gifted shooter.

That's a play that Nurse makes more than 90% of the time if you don't take away the pass. that's a short-side shot that McDavid will score 40% of the time in the top shelf if you're down too early.
- Monkeypunk

At 6 years old, it's mostly about how to skate / how to handle the puck.

Taking away the pass in a 2 on 1, how the centre should help the defense and how you should immediately start a fight after a big hit comes a little later.

I'll actually disagree on both counts here.

Are you teaching 6 year olds fundamental hockey skills or are you teaching them to win the game based on the skill levels of six year olds? Fundamental hockey tells you to take away the pass. Teaching kids the wrong skills at 6 probably leads them to play 2 on 1s the way Rielly did last night. Thanks, Coach Wedgie.

I don't care if it's Hutch or a bouncy rubber goalie from Canadian Tire in net, the odds of stopping the short angle shot on McDavid are significantly higher than the odds of NHL level players failing to complete a one-timer from an elite passer and gifted shooter.

That's a play that Nurse makes more than 90% of the time if you don't take away the pass. that's a short-side shot that McDavid will score 40% of the time in the top shelf if you're down too early.
- Monkeypunk

I've been saying this about 2 on 1s for weeks since Andersen was playing. Goalies job is to take the shooter and let the d-man take the pass.