Practice Like A Pro 7.0

Nothing beats coming back from the Christmas break and getting your players back in shape without wasting an entire practice on bag skating.

The next five drills are high pace, competitive, and execution focused, with plenty of puck touches to help your team shake off the cookies, cake, and late nights from the holidays.

 

 

Each drill below has a video attached - click on the drill graphic to see the video! 

 

Practice Like A Pro 7.0 – 1v1, 2v1, 2v2 Transition

 

One mistake I see often with this drill is starting the defenceman too close to the net. That makes boxing out extremely difficult. Start the D closer to the forward so they can work properly on body position and net front details.

From there, the drill progresses quickly into a 2v1 out of the corner. The defenceman has to process fast and decide what to take away. After the play, everyone tags up in the neutral zone for a long transition into a line rush. This drill forces competition, net drives, and puck touches in multiple situations, all in one rep.

 

Practice Like A Pro 7.0 – 1v1, 3v2, 3v2 Transition

 

 

This is a natural progression from the previous drill. With the same start, we now move into a 3v2. Less time, tighter space, and even more fun. Players are forced to make quick decisions on both sides of the puck because nobody has enough time or space to overthink.

The transition works well with three players tracking back, and you can emphasize whatever detail you want heading into your next game. In one continuous rep, you’re working three different aspects of the game, which is perfect preparation for the upcoming weekend.

 

Practice Like A Pro 7.0 – Passing Activation

 

 

A simple but effective drill with a lot of movement from both forwards and defencemen. Nothing fancy here, just constant motion and a ton of puck touches.

We often overlook small transition details like quick ups and supporting routes. This drill forces the D to move the puck quickly while the forwards sprint out of the zone to present as options. Everyone is skating in different patterns, which makes it a great post-holiday drill to get legs and timing back.

 

Practice Like A Pro 7.0 – Activation Breakout

 

 

Working on breakouts is one thing. Doing it with more than six players involved at the same time and multiple pucks makes it even better. This drill creates constant activation from both forwards and defencemen.

Players are skating up and down the ice, working with and without the puck, and learning to support and follow the play. Right from the start, you force your D to read the retrieval, pivot properly, and make decisions before moving the puck. This is especially valuable for the first few weekends back after the break.

 

Practice Like A Pro 7.0 – Nashville 8 Shot

 

 

There are plenty of variations of this drill. Most teams run the six-shot version (first part of the video), but we built our own eight shot version in Wheeling with Derek Army to add more pace and detail (second part of the video).

The final sequence can always be adjusted, but for us the emphasis was on D activation. The last puck involves a climb and slide with the defenceman getting down the wall. Over the last two seasons, we’ve consistently emphasized D activation in the offensive zone, and many of our highlight goals came from defencemen jumping into the play.

This drill is simple, flows well, and works great as a practice opener or right after your first passing activation.
 

About Mitch Giguere

Mitch Giguere is a professional hockey coach and lifelong student of the game. He is currently an assistant coach with the Wheeling Nailers, an ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). A former KHL coach, Mitch holds both his High Performance 2 certification from Hockey Canada and an Advanced Coaching Diploma (NCCP4) through the Canadian Sport Institute.

As a CoachThem Teammate, Mitch contributes monthly blogs focused on skill-specific drills, practice efficiency, and modern coaching habits. His goal is simple: help coaches design smarter practices, stay organized throughout the season, and create environments where players can develop with intention.

 

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Written by the CoachThem Team, January 27 2026