Left or Right Handed Stick?

The top hand on a hockey stick provides all of the control and touch, so it should be your dominant hand.

• If you hold the hockey stick with your right hand on top of the stick and your left hand down the stick, you are a left-handed shooter.
• If you hold your hockey stick with your left hand on top of the stick and the right hand down the stick, you are a right-handed shooter.

If a skater is right handed, he would play with a left-handed stick and the same applies for a left handed player (he/she would be use a right handed stick).  The hand at the top of the stick controls all stick handling movements and it is the hand that never leaves the stick.

What Size Knob on the Stick?

Years ago, when hockey gloves were stiff and harder to open and close, the knob at the end of the stick was much larger.  When a player dropped a stick on the ice, the larger knob raised the stick off the ice enough that a player could still be able to pick it up easily and efficiently.

Gloves today are much different, and the large knob is no longer necessary.  In fact, a knob that is too big actually can create bad habits that can be difficult to break, such as rolling the stick into the palm of the hand, as opposed to holding it with your fingers.

Length of the Stick

The length of the stick has gone through several changes.  Years ago, sticks were cut off anywhere from the bottom of the chin to the nose (with skates on).  In the early eighties, there were a wave of players and experts that believed the shorter the stick, the better for handling the puck because you could keep the puck tighter to your body.  Many players were using sticks cut off at the middle of their chest (with skates on).

With stick technology constantly improving, many shooting experts are encouraging players to use sticks slightly longer (to the bottom of the nose with skates on).  There are advantages to longer sticks when it comes to shooting and shorter sticks when it applies to stick handling.

I believe young skaters should compromise and get used to a stick that comes to the bottom of the chin (with skates on).  A stick too short can cause skating problems (bent too far over at the waist) and a stick that is too long, causes stick handling issues with the puck too far in front of the skater.

Should Small Youth Hockey Associations Not Have “A” Teams?

I do not believe it is fair to ask the better players in a program to play “down” just to win games.  Every kid wants to compete at the highest level possible.  When you force the issue by dropping your “A” program so you can be more competitive, you compound your problems.  The true “A” player will likely look to play somewhere else in order to compete at his or her level of play.  In addition, how are players ever going to compete at a high school level when they compete against JV players all the way through youth hockey?  There are better solutions.   Small numbers can bring about added attention and time spent in developing the entire program.  Some associations may lack depth, but have the opportunity to increase it it with more ice time and skill development than some of the larger programs are able to offer.

I have seen more players quit hockey over a lack of true competition than those that quit because they did not have a winning record.  Athletes love competition and there is no better feeling than giving it everything you have.  We send the wrong message to kids when we try to manufacture winning experiences.  Positive experiences and success come from learning to be the best an athlete can be.  As parents and coaches, we should teach young players that that success is found in the journey to give it your all, not necessarily the numbers on a scoreboard.

Systems vs. Skills?

I have been coaching for over 25 years and in some respects the game has changed a lot and in other respects it is still the same great game.  The bottom line is that the team with the most skill is going to win the majority of the games. That was the case 50 years ago and that is the case today.  Systems don’t beat skill, hot goalies do.

Youth coaches really waste a lot of practice time if it is spent teaching forechecking, breakouts or the power play.  The system will only function as well as the skill level of the players executing it.  In other words, knowing the fundamentals of angling, riding a player off the puck properly and body positioning are absolutely critical skills to have mastered before any kind of forecheck can be successful. 

As for breakouts, players must be able to pass, receive and understand how to position their body and feet to pick up pucks rung around the boards.  Defensemen must master picking up pucks against the boards so they can make immediate passes.  This involves getting in the habit of looking over their shoulder (to find the opposition and teammates) before they get to the puck.  They also need to understand which angle to pick the puck up in order to make immediate passes.

The power play cannot be executed until players have a clear understanding of how to isolate an opponent and then beat that player on a 2 on 1 (two offensive players beating the one defensive player).  Hockey is a game of two-on-ones and players need knowledge of where the puck should be carried in different situations.   How do you attack the defender?  Where does the teammate go in order to offer support?  How will players execute “cut” (saucer) passes?