Dallas Ice Jets

December 20, 2010

Why sharing the puck makes you a better player

One of the most important skills in being an effective hockey player is the art of passing. This blog won’t cover the mechanics of passing, although those are very important, but instead it is to highlight the theory of passing as it pertains to team play.
 
In a team sport such as hockey, players depend on each other to make good passes, to keep possession of the puck, and give their team opportunities to create offense. Most of all goals are the result of good passing plays by the attackers that led to a scoring chance. Strong passing gives a team the ability to speed up the game since the puck always moves faster than a player is able to skate. One of the most important aspects about passing the puck is learning when to pass and not to pass the puck.

Experience is very important in learning when to pass the puck, but there is one simple rule that young players can follow. The most important single thing for you to remember in learning when and when not to pass the puck is - Take a look! Do not pass without looking. When passing in your own end - Take a look! Be certain you have an open teammate and avoid making “hope” passes (passes you hope will be made).
 
Learning to “headman” the puck is an important principle in passing. This means that if you see an open, onside teammate ahead of you then pass him the puck. Again, the puck can move faster than you can and if you don't 'headman' the puck, your teammates are liable to skate off-side (by crossing your opponent’s blueline ahead of the puck) and ruin a dangerous rush.  Players should attempt to make passes short and crisp. Too often players try to make a pass too long and there is more opportunity for an opponent to intercept or deflect a long pass. Make passes sharp, quick, and tape-to-tape.
 
Passing is a skill that must be executed well in all three zones. Poor passing results in a team turning the puck over too often during the course of a game and will have them spending too much time playing defense. Since hockey games are often won and lost in your defensive zone, you must be smart when making passes in your own end. Avoid passing the puck in front of your own net or through the middle of the ice unless you’re absolutely sure it is free of attackers. If direct passes are not available use the boards to your advantage - because even if the pass along the boards is a poor one that is intercepted, the opposition is in a difficult position for an immediate shot on goal. Take a long look and make sure all passes are in your own end of the rink.
 
In the neutral zone (between the bluelines) try to headman the puck to a teammate who is skating up ice with speed. This type of passing gives speed to the attack and is intimidating to the opponent since it can give the appearance that a team is faster than they truly are. If no teammate is open, carry the puck into the opponents end before passing, or shoot it in and chase after it. If you don't have the puck it is important you find open ice and not tempt your puck carrying teammate to pass to you while being covered by an opponent. Don't yell for a pass when you’re covered: This bad habit produces poor habits as the pass often goes astray.
 
When you have the puck in the opponent’s end, don't rush passes or force passes unnecessarily. Players often make the mistake of just blindly throwing it in front of the net when they have better options available. Shooting the puck on net is a good play but carelessly passing to the net when there is no support usually leads to the opponents regaining the puck and transitioning toward your goal. So instead of passing'blind like this, look into the slot area for open teammates or a teammate coming in late on the play. Forwards should not be afraid to use your defenseman when passing in the opponents end and vice versa. Passing high to low and low to high often creates seams and openings in the offensive zone for a good scoring attempt.
 
Remember, the more accurately and intelligently a team passes the puck the more successful they will be during a game. Possession of the puck is the key ingredient to creating offense in hockey and you can't be in possession much if your team has weak passing skills. Passing is an individual skill and a team skill. It is the responsibility of each player on the team to work on becoming the best passers they can which in turn will make the group more skilled as a whole. Work on forehand passes, backhand passes, saucer passes, drop passes and receiving passes on your stick and around your body. Take your game and your team’s game to the next level by becoming great passers!