Advice on deflections

[biff44 0]

My kid, a big strong Dman, has been recently asked to help out on the power plays as a forward by going to the crease and screening the goalie. He has the screening part down pretty good, and can take the heat, but has some trouble getting his stick on the ice for deflections or rebounds. Also a lot of the shots from the point are getting hung up in the skates. Any good advice for playing down low??

[MDE3 0]

Try NOT to use your head... :D ..basically it's one of those "practice practice practice" scenario's....I have watched John Leclair dedicate 30 minutes of his practice time just to tip drills when everyone else left the ice, but one guy to act as the shooter.

Same thing for positioning...if your son's team is going to use this strategy in a game, they need to give the kids who play in front of the net, practice time for learning how to fight for position and still watch the play...again it's not something that is a specific technique so much as strength, quickness..and coordination practice. Balance drills, quick feet drills, actual tip drills, as well as the puck bouncing drills to help with over all hand eye coordination and feel.

[seanmccann 3]

what level is he playing?

[biff44 0]

Junior B hockey.

[Jbone 0]

Practise knocking the puck down.

[Chadd 916]

One of the best bits of advice I've heard on this came from an NHL coach. He wants his players at the top of the crease in front of the goalie. Then as the shot is being taken, move a couple of feet out from the crease and spin as the puck goes by. This will buy you some distance from the defense and goalie and give you an angle for a tip or room to put in the rebound.

[Jackal3688 0]

Practise knocking the puck down.

You dont necessarily have knock the puck down. I never try and swing at the puck or move my stick, I just keep it stationary parallel to the ground, adjusting to the shot accordingly. This way you can deflect the puck up or down, instead of just trying to knock the puck down.

[Chadd 916]

Practise knocking the puck down.

You dont necessarily have knock the puck down. I never try and swing at the puck or move my stick, I just keep it stationary parallel to the ground, adjusting to the shot accordingly. This way you can deflect the puck up or down, instead of just trying to knock the puck down.

Get some tennis balls and a whiffle ball bat and work on bunting, that will help with midair deflections. work on directing it up and down as well as knocking the puck/ball down hard. If the puck is on the ice, you just have to use some leverage to keep your stick on the ice.

[cupcrazy16 0]

If he has a lacrosse stick, just passing around with a friend or against a wall does wonders for your hand eye coordination.

[all-star 0]

learn to juggle. good way of working on hand - eye.

[rjdlucky 0]

I know you said he was a D-man and that he is probably not worried about getting in front of shots but it is definitely a different feeling being in front of the net as a forward. Have him work on tip drills with a friend/teammate that has "control" over his shot. This way he can get comfortable tipping shots in certain areas instead of one being ice level and the next banging off the glass. His job now is not to stay in front of the shot and block it, now he has to avoid blocking it and try to redirect it towards the net. Two totally different mind sets.

[mack 44]

I remember starting out to put my blade against a skate and using that to help re-direct them. That and always keep a solid grip on the stick.

[chippa13 1844]

practice, practice, practice........