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player tips

31

January

Goal Scorers & Prolific Passers

Posted by Greg Carter
Greg Carter

Most teams have a goal scorer that can be counted on to find the back of the net on a regular basis. And as every good hockey coach will attest to, wherever you find a goal scorer, there is usually a great playmaker nearby. While everyone wants to score goals, having the talent to read a play and put the puck on the tape is an equally impressive skill.

Are you a good passer? Making a good pass can be the difference between winning and losing a game. In practice it can be the difference between a great start to a drill, or it ending before it ever begins as the puck slides down the entire length of the ice.

Practicing passing, and the proper fundamentals, should be a regular part of your skill training. Becoming a better passer is a simple way for players to make huge contributions to their team, and it all starts with a good hockey personality. A good personality you might ask? Absolutely, because in order to be a good passer you can’t be a puck hog! Great passers have a high ‘hockey IQ’ and try to making the right hockey play, not just trying to light the lamp themselves. And best of all? Great playmakers know that when they make a great pass, they oftentimes can expect a great pass back!

Tips and tricks to passing with precision:

Vision. Making a good pass starts with keeping your head up and being aware of the play. The skill of passing involves reading and anticipating the play, and not just making a pass, but making the right pass.

Accuracy = Tape-to-tape. Players hear this all of the time from coaches, and in order to make an accurate pass you need to look at your target and make a good, crisp pass with a proper follow through. Taking the extra split second to find your target and see how fast he is moving is something that will come naturally with practice. A pass into the skates of your linemate is a surefire way to quickly end a breakout or breakaway. Practice makes perfect, so hit the tape every time in practice and you stand a good chance of doing the same in the game!

Mechanics. The mechanics of passing have changed over the years as sticks have evolved. Gone are the days of needing to over emphasize receiving the puck, especially as players get older and stronger and the stick flexes when receiving passes. Some fundamentals do remain constant, such as not slapping at the puck. This is a common mistake players make at younger ages. Instead of slapping at the puck, players should concentrate on the puck rolling off the blade from the heel toward the toe in a sweeping motion. Weight transfer is also important, so move from your back to front skate as you begin your follow through.

Once players master the basic fundamentals of passing, they can start to practice more advanced passes such as a saucer pass, which is one of our absolute favorites! Take the time to work on your skills so that when the game is on the line, you make the perfect tape-to-tape pass!

Need more help with your passing and skill development? Join us at one of our 2018 Summer Hockey Camps in ten states this summer!

17

October

Shoot To Thrill

Posted by Greg Carter

When it comes to scoring goals, it all starts with a great shot.

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An old coach of mine used to tell our team that you can never shoot enough pucks, and that the all of the great goal scorers could pick a spot, and hit it 9 out of 10 times. He would then tell us to go home and shoot pucks in the driveway, basement or back yard, and once you hit your target 9 out of 10 times, pick up the pucks and do it all over again.

Of all the great players that I’ve skated with, I always remember the guys who could shoot the puck. Some had a really heavy shot, but not great accuracy. Others could snipe a spot no larger than a mouse hole every time, but weren’t strong enough to beat the better goalies. The really great shooters had a combination of both power and accuracy.

With today’s stick technology, finding the right stick is a very important factor in shooting. The science in sticks today has been a game changer because of the flex and whipping motion that with the right technique, allows players to shoot harder than ever. Make sure to pay attention to the the pattern and flex which will play a role, especially as players get older, in developing a good shot.

So how can you increase the accuracy and power behind your shot? At our hockey camps we stress the importance of the fundamentals in shooting technique. This varies a bit from player to player and also by the age of the player. Older, stronger players have the strength to lean on a stick, creating the torque necessary to best leverage the technology in sticks. Younger players meanwhile, may not have the strength, and need to really rely on accuracy, while developing the strength and technique needed to score on goalies as they get older, and as the goaltenders get better.

Another key to a great shot is keeping your head up and your feet moving. We see a lot of players who have a good shot, but cant snipe the spot because their head is down and they don’t ever see that wide open top corner! Also, as soon as you stop moving your feet, it’s a big clue to the goaltender that you may be going for a deke versus a shot.

If you are spending your time away from the rink shooting pucks , you are already on your way to scoring more goals this season. Remember to practice all shots including the wrist shot, snap shot and slap shot. Each require a unique discipline that with the right stick, will allow you to shoot to thrill!

02

May

Finding Your Next Level

Posted by Greg Carter

Watching the NHL Playoffs, it becomes obvious very quickly that the players are competing at an entirely different level out there compared to the regular season. The speed and quickness of the game is greater. The intensity is higher. It makes you wonder, how do these players take an already accelerated game to a whole new level?

There is a quote about leadership and coaching that says if you can raise the level of effort and performance in those around you, you are officially a leader. When it comes to coaching hockey players, especially elite hockey players such as those playing in the NHL, finding a way to connect with each player and understanding how to get the most out of them is a key ingredient in the recipe for success.

But when it comes to finding that next level it begins and ends with the individual player. The great Vince Lombardi once said that if you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives. When you watch playoff hockey, these players are not settling for anything less than their best. They lay it on the line for every race to the puck. Every shot on goal and every pass is a laser. The battles in front of the net and in the corners are their own individual cage matches.

When you break down the game and analyze how amazing the individual talent and skill sets are out there, it can be compared to an engine in a machine. If the engine is built properly – in the case of hockey players, developed and trained properly – and also cared for properly, there will be a time when you can run that engine at the highest RPM’s and push it to maximum performance.

Youth hockey players who spend the time training and working on skills are doing just that, they are preparing themselves – their engine – for the periods of time (the playoffs) when they are going to need to rely on optimizing their performance at the highest level.

As the run for the Stanley Cup continues, it should serve as inspiration to take your own game to the next level, to shift your engine into the next gear. There is another great quote about commitment that says you’re either IN or you’re OUT. There is no such thing as life in-between.

We invite you to join us at one of our hockey schools this summer and with our training, find your very own next level!

 

 

 

 

 

Hockey SchoolGet ready to start your journey! With the hockey season behind us and summer training and development on the minds of hockey players everywhere, we invite – and challenge – you to become a better hockey player this summer.

Mapping out your summer hockey training is an exciting process, and our staff at Greg Carter’s Hockey School welcomes you to join us at one of our camps located in 10 states this summer. As we have discussed this season in our many player development articles, we have 23 years in the hockey school business and have enjoyed training thousands of hockey players who come to us sharing the same goal as you; to become a better hockey player!

We take development seriously. Our pro staff challenges skaters to reach their full potential by teaching the fundamentals of skating, stick handling and shooting. We pride ourselves in teaching in a way that builds confidence and leads to continuous improvement. Simply put, at our hockey camps and hockey clinics we offer you the most on-ice instruction with the best results.

A few of the highlights of training with the CARTER METHOD include Control, Agility, Reflex, Technique, Edge and Retention. Our website is loaded with player tips and testimonials about our successful teaching methods. If you are a serious hockey player looking for an elite training program this summer, give us a call or click here to register for one of our programs!

We look forward to a great summer and to having the opportunity to help you achieve your goals!

When Auston Matthews scored a hat trick in his first NHL game, he became only the fifth player in NHL history to net 3 goals in a career debut. He also became the first Maple Leaf to accomplish this, which is pretty incredible for a team with the history of this original six team. Later in the game when Matthews proceeded to find the back of the net for the fourth time, you knew this would be a night that would have the hockey world talking.

It was little secret that Matthews would be chosen first in the 2016 NHL Draft, but as obvious as the choice seemed to be, the Matthews hype has been taken to an entirely new level after his opening night performance. Suddenly, everyone wants to know everything about this silky smooth forward from Arizona.

So what can youth hockey players learn from Matthews’ map to the NHL?

Skill Development. From an early age, Matthews focused on developing skills versus playing a bunch of games with all of the top teams in the area. He spent tons of hours playing small area games. He worked tirelessly on powerskating. He had the puck on his stick all the time learning to ‘stickhandle in a phone booth’. He focused on skill development and mastering the fundamental skills that would allow him to reach his full potential.

Work Ethic. Any coach will tell you that when you can combine exceptional skill with focus and drive, you have the recipe for a great hockey player. When Matthews learned a new skill he didn’t quit until he mastered it. Matthews’ work ethic is a shining example of what can happen when you have a mentality of not just learning a skill, but mastering a skill through repetition, commitment and hard work.

Shoot Pucks. At our hockey school we love to tell players that they can never shoot enough pucks. Matthews uses the skills he learned playing small area games to create time and space, which ultimately affords him the opportunities to get a lot of shots on goal. And not only is he getting shots on goal, but because he has a deadly shot, he has scored a lot of goals.

And in his first NHL game, he got 4.

 

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