Wednesday Skills

Click on the image above to link to DeBrincat Hockey and schedule private sessions!

GRAHA is excited to announce a new skills program running on Wednesdays throughout the season with Coach Andrew DeBrincat and DeBrincat Hockey.

Sessions will run for 4 weeks with the exception of Session 4 which is 3 weeks due to the holiday. You can sign up for individual sessions but we recommend all 4 if you can as each session will build off the previous session.

Passing (pass and catch) — In motion, out of protection, pass types (hook, slip, off-heels). Encourage players to make plays, and attack the middle of the ice by identifying three families of passes and exploring the relationship between passer, pressure and reciever

• 10/30/24 @ 5:30pm
• 11/06/24 @ 5:30pm
• 11/13/24 @ 5:30pm
• 11/20/24 @ 5:30pm

What are we focused on:

• Hook pass, Slip pass, Off-heels pass

Why we focus on it:

• Making plays out of protection is a great way to generate offense. It can trap a defender in poor position and open holes for support players to exploit. 
• Encourage players to think about generating and taking advantage of 2 on 1 situations inside of a larger scenario

When do we use these skills

• Dzone retrieval and exit (beating forecheck)
• D to O transition off takeaways
• Rush entry 
• Ozone retrieval and quick attack

Wall-play creation — Wall pick-ups/retrievals, Preserving ice, Playing fast and slippery. Build confidence playing fast from the wall. Working on preserving ice if possible, and protection and escape tactics if they find themselves along the wall

• 12/04/24 @ 5:30pm
• 12/11/24 @ 5:30pm
• 12/18/24 @ 5:30pm

What are we focused on:

• Ice preservation, off-wall pickup, pinned pickups

Why we focus on it:

• Ice preservation — if we can initiate contact with pressure to earn body position early, and away from the wall, that ice becomes a trap door for the player to use as an exit.
• Off-wall pickups — By preserving ice, a player can pick pucks up off the wall INSIDE of skating, allowing players to play fast. 
• Pinned pickups — hockey isn’t perfect, we can’t always preserve ice. Having tools to solve those problems can help players make plays under duress.

When do we use these skills

• Any time the puck is rimmed or on along the boards
• Below goal line (back wall) offensive generation
• Below goal line (back wall) dzone retrieve and exit
• Dman/Center/Winger breakout skill, ozone offensive generation skill
• Dman blue line skill, dzone retrieve and exit skill, offensive generation skill