Stickhandling to much?

[troybruins89 0]

Last night at practice we were doing a drill where a player had to figure 8 with a puck around 2 cones (completely skating around the cones) while always facing towards the boards. I was doing this drill and moving the puck pretty good keeping my hands moving the whole time and still out skating a good portion of the team that was just dragging the puck along. Well my assitant coach comes up and tells me im stickhandling to much and to just pull the puck along because "You'll lose the puck doing it like that"....Is he right? Im questioning his hockey knowledge already and I was planning on talking to my head coach after practice about it but he was busy...so I'm here.....

[Chadd 916]

If you're constantly going from forehand to backhand with the puck it can be a detriment. I see guys who can't make a quick play because their stick isn't in the right position to make the play and the extra time it takes often results in turnovers. Plus, if a puck is on your stick and you hit a bad spot or snow pile you can keep posession. Hitting the same obstacle while doing the forehand backhand thing usually results in a loss of puck posession.

[jjtt99 0]

Stickhandling too much can slow you down.

[troybruins89 0]

Yea but in a tight situation like that wouldnt it help to work the puck backward rather than drag it? Because then you have to go to you forehand to get the pass off. Im not disagreeing with what you both have to say im just asking...

[Chadd 916]

Yea but in a tight situation like that wouldnt it help to work the puck backward rather than drag it? Because then you have to go to you forehand to get the pass off. Im not disagreeing with what you both have to say im just asking...

Only if you happen to have the blade right behind the puck at the instant you make the read. Otherwise, the risks far outweigh the benefits.

[2-Keys 1]

stickhandling too much can slow you down a bit. also your in control more when your not constanly stickhandling.

[pantherfan 0]

Its good to be able to stick handle fast so in certain times it comes in handy but not always

maybe it was not a stickhandling exercise but a pivoting one???

[Hockeyman9621 0]

I was always taught: Never stick handle unless you have to.

[#1STUD 0]

I would say he was wrong. It was a drill and it sounds to me like you were doing the drill right. Who is he to tell you how to carry the puck. Hes not the one out there playing. You should do what your comfortable with. And if thats stickhandling I would say stickhandle. Though i am not telling you to go out there and try to stickhandle around the whole other team. There is a time to pass and a time to carry and you should know the difference between the two.

[Chadd 916]

I would say he was wrong. It was a drill and it sounds to me like you were doing the drill right. Who is he to tell you how to carry the puck. Hes not the one out there playing. You should do what your comfortable with. And if thats stickhandling I would say stickhandle. Though i am not telling you to go out there and try to stickhandle around the whole other team. There is a time to pass and a time to carry and you should know the difference between the two.

I'm sure your coach loves you.

[#1STUD 0]

I would say he was wrong. It was a drill and it sounds to me like you were doing the drill right. Who is he to tell you how to carry the puck. Hes not the one out there playing. You should do what your comfortable with. And if thats stickhandling I would say stickhandle. Though i am not telling you to go out there and try to stickhandle around the whole other team. There is a time to pass and a time to carry and you should know the difference between the two.

I'm sure your coach loves you.

Your right he does. :) In fact i have been asked to play on teams because of my passing ability. My coach even yells at me sometimes because i pass when i should shoot. I guess i just always trying to make the perfect play. There is defiently a fine balance.

[KnightII 0]

I've been taught to stickhandle only for setting up moves or for the times you're in traffic, otherwise, keep the puck in "pass-ready" position. When you have the time and space, no need to dribble around. Too much can be detrimental as stated by others previously.

[MNdgame 0]

I would say he was wrong. It was a drill and it sounds to me like you were doing the drill right. Who is he to tell you how to carry the puck. Hes not the one out there playing. You should do what your comfortable with. And if thats stickhandling I would say stickhandle. Though i am not telling you to go out there and try to stickhandle around the whole other team. There is a time to pass and a time to carry and you should know the difference between the two.

I'm sure your coach loves you.

Your right he does. :) In fact i have been asked to play on teams because of my passing ability. My coach even yells at me sometimes because i pass when i should shoot. I guess i just always trying to make the perfect play. There is defiently a fine balance.

The point wasnt that you are or arent a good passer...

[Cavs019 710]

Theres a big difference between carrying and stickhandling... Only time ill ever stickhandle is when im in tight in the corners (out of a phonebooth forsberg style) If you watch any legitimate NHL player sans kovalev, its maybe one fake inside or outside followed by speed and body positioning. Once you actually play legitimate level hockey you'll realize this concept VERY QUICKLY. You cannot make 800 handles when you have less than a second to get the puck off your stick in traffic. Might work in a little Bantam A league, but not here.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

I'd just say that, if you can stickhandle, than stickhandle, if you can skate, skate if you can shoot, shoot...just use what you are good at.

[Cavs019 710]

Obviously, but just because you can shoot, doesn't mean you take a snap shot from the blueline when your on a 3 on 1. Get my drift?

[Crazy Otto 0]

Stick handling is a great skill to have, and I wish I had more of it, but you often see guys stick handling the puck for no apparent reason going down the ice with no one pressuring them.

[hockechamp14 0]

Your coach was right. If you're pivoting and turning you should only be pushing and pulling. There's nothing to be stickhandling for. It's like if you're on a breakaway from the center line in. There's no reason to be handling the puck much of anything until you hit the high slot.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Obviously, but just because you can shoot, doesn't mean you take a snap shot from the blueline when your on a 3 on 1. Get my drift?

lol, that reminds couple guys I played with.

[gopens67 0]

you should only stickhandle when you have to, you skate the fastest bobby orr style, one hand on the stick pushing the puck.

[hockechamp14 0]

Obviously, but just because you can shoot, doesn't mean you take a snap shot from the blueline when your on a 3 on 1. Get my drift?

lol, that reminds couple guys I played with.

I love guys like that... it lets me go to the net to get the rebound... as soon as he hits the blue, you should have taken off anyways. :)

[LkptTiger 1]

...Do the drill the way your coach wants it done. It's that simple.

In a game situation, you're probably going to want to push the puck a little more when you find yourself in open ice. Stickhandling/keeping the puck close can slow you down alot, which means you'll get caught from behind rather quickly. If you have ice, take advantage of it and get moving; you can worry about stickhandling once it's time to make a move...