Hockey drill

Defenseman – Skating and Pivots

A skating circuit for defensemen: backward skating, front-to-back pivots and full stops around cones. For U11/U12, U13, U15 and U17+ players.

Category: Defense drills
Levels: U11/U12 · U13 · U15 · U17+

Hockey drill diagram: Defenseman – Skating and Pivots

defense
skating

How it runs

This is what your players need to understand before the puck moves.

All defensemen start on the blue line.

Skate backwards to the cone in the far zone. Pivot from backwards to forwards, then from forwards to backwards around the cone.

Skate backwards to the cone in the neutral zone. Repeat the pivots at this cone. Continue this same pattern until the third cone.

After the third cone, skate to the boards. Pivot and transition to backwards. Skate backwards to the faceoff dot. Complete stop.

Quick start to the center ice faceoff dot. Pivot and transition to backwards. Skate backwards to the boards. Complete stop.

Quick start to the red line. Pivot and transition to backwards. Skate backwards to the faceoff dot. Complete stop. Quick start to the next dot. Pivot and transition to backwards. Skate backwards to the red line. Complete stop.

Quick start to the corner.

Coach Steve's take

A good defenseman is a good skater first. A defender who pivots poorly loses his gap. This circuit is long and demanding, so explain it well before you start and demonstrate it at least once. Ask for full stops, not half stops. Focus on smooth pivots, not speed. Players who work on this without a puck feel freer when you give them one.