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When a player is preparing to shoot, changing the angle of attack is crucial. It could easily be the difference between a puck being blocked by a defender or stopped by a goaltender, and a goal. Even the slightest of angle changes can throw off a goaltender’s ability to track the puck effectively and improve a player’s chances of finding the back of the net.
Deception, drag, or body position manipulation are effective means of changing the attack angle, but pulling or pushing the puck into a quick release shooting position is your best bet for making this tactic work for you.
This technique is used by many of the NHL’s top youngsters, and their ability to perform it effectively makes them elite shooters. But, mastering a skill of this nature takes time and repetition, and it certainly isn’t as easy as Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews makes it seem.
When teaching this technique to your players, it’s important to break down the precise elements that go into changing the shot angle and use a progressive system to work on each step.
5 key points for changing the shooting angle are:
While some of the goals in the video clips may look rather simple, they practice the 5 techniques to perfection. These players are constantly honing their shooting ability and strive to improve that all-important aspect of their game.
Below, I’ve outlined a 5 drill progression that you can use to help your players change their shot angle while keeping opposing defenders on their toes at all times. All drills can be found in the CoachThem Marketplace so you can easily add them to your personal playbook!
Players at each net with a cone, sticks or anything to allowed players to change the angle and a pile of pucks.
Blog by CoachThem Contributor, Mitch Giguere
Mitch Giguere, ChPC, an assistant coach with the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL, affiliated with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Mitch has his High Performance 2 from Hockey Canada, Advanced Coaching Diploma from the Canadian Sport Institute and is finishing his Learning Accelerator at the Canadian Sport Institute. You can follow his popular video breakdown on Social Media for more excellent hockey content.
Written by the CoachThem Team
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