Wednesday Skills

Click on the image above to link to DeBrincat Hockey and schedule private sessions!

GRAHA is excited to announce a new skills program running on Wednesdays throughout the season with Coach Andrew DeBrincat and DeBrincat Hockey.

Sessions will run for 4 weeks with the exception of Session 4 which is 3 weeks due to the holiday. You can sign up for individual sessions but we recommend all 4 if you can as each session will build off the previous session.

Limited to 24 Skaters/session. GRAHA Players Only

Skating with emphasis on agility skating and Puck handling. Controlling a puck, inside various directional changes, while taking in and processing environmental information.

• 9/04/24 @ 5:30pm
• 9/11/24 @ 5:30pm
• 9/18/24 @ 5:30pm
• 9/25/24 @ 5:30pm

What are we focused on:

• Crossover, linear crossover, pivots, outside push, tight turn, spacing, timing

Why we focus on it:

• Most of the game is played in tight spaces, players get to full speed very infrequently. Changing speeds is one of the most valuable skills players can have to create time and space during gameplay
• Forwards and Defense both need to move in odd ways, very rarely are the routes straight line. Players need to be able to control and decelerate to time opportunities. As well as explode out of spaces

When do we use these skills?

• Offensive zone — finding soft areas
• Defensive zone — timing support and exit

Puck Protection, Cut-Offs, Body Positioning. Build confidence to win loose puck race, then protect the puck on the side of the body to maximize vision. Finally, understanding position relative to immediate pressure to make a read.

• 10/02/24 @ 5:30pm
• 10/09/24 @ 5:30pm
• 10/16/24 @ 5:30pm
• 10/23/24 @ 5:30pm

What are we focused on:

• Perpendicular puck protection (protecting puck on side of our body), using hips and shoulder to initiate/receive opposition contact. Allows players to maintain field of vision to middle of the ice. 
• Cut off through hands to win body position and encourage playing in middle ice. Also, recognizing attack situations by understanding when players have a step and can eliminate a defender.

Why we focus on it:

• Seldom do we encounter situations where there is no pressure on the puck. Gaining confidence inside of that pressure is key to making consistent positive plays. 
• Most of possessions start from loose puck races, earning body position and protecting the puck is the goal

When do we use these skills

• Loose puck retrievals
• Defensive Zone to exit
• Ozone to attack/possess
• Neutral Zone to attack/possess

Passing (pass and catch) — In motion, out of protection, pass types (hook, slip, off-heels). Encourage players to make plays, and attack the middle of the ice by identifying three families of passes and exploring the relationship between passer, pressure and reciever

• 10/30/24 @ 5:30pm
• 11/06/24 @ 5:30pm
• 11/13/24 @ 5:30pm
• 11/20/24 @ 5:30pm

What are we focused on:

• Hook pass, Slip pass, Off-heels pass

Why we focus on it:

• Making plays out of protection is a great way to generate offense. It can trap a defender in poor position and open holes for support players to exploit. 
• Encourage players to think about generating and taking advantage of 2 on 1 situations inside of a larger scenario

When do we use these skills

• Dzone retrieval and exit (beating forecheck)
• D to O transition off takeaways
• Rush entry 
• Ozone retrieval and quick attack

Wall-play creation — Wall pick-ups/retrievals, Preserving ice, Playing fast and slippery. Build confidence playing fast from the wall. Working on preserving ice if possible, and protection and escape tactics if they find themselves along the wall

• 12/04/24 @ 5:30pm
• 12/11/24 @ 5:30pm
• 12/18/24 @ 5:30pm

What are we focused on:

• Ice preservation, off-wall pickup, pinned pickups

Why we focus on it:

• Ice preservation — if we can initiate contact with pressure to earn body position early, and away from the wall, that ice becomes a trap door for the player to use as an exit.
• Off-wall pickups — By preserving ice, a player can pick pucks up off the wall INSIDE of skating, allowing players to play fast. 
• Pinned pickups — hockey isn’t perfect, we can’t always preserve ice. Having tools to solve those problems can help players make plays under duress.

When do we use these skills

• Any time the puck is rimmed or on along the boards
• Below goal line (back wall) offensive generation
• Below goal line (back wall) dzone retrieve and exit
• Dman/Center/Winger breakout skill, ozone offensive generation skill
• Dman blue line skill, dzone retrieve and exit skill, offensive generation skill