Here is a breakout Drill I came up with that really does a good job of teaching the wingers to pick the puck up off the boards, then getting it by the pinching defenceman.
Wingers line up along back board. Centers line up in the slot facing opposite net. A D-man at the two point man positions.
First winger skates along the boards to the hash marks. Second winger rings the puck along the boards to meet the first winger at the hash marks.
One center and a winger are then breaking out. The defenceman on that side pinches to make the breakout difficult. The other defenceman backs up in case of a successful breakout. With a successful breakout the winger and center have a 2 on 1.
The next winger then goes and gets a pass from the following winger.
Emphasize the number of choices the breaking out winger has.
1. beat the defenceman
2. pass it to the centerman
3. chip it off the boards and out having the center charge onto the
puck
etc.
Emphasize with the centerman, not to ignore his/her defensive role, what if the pinching defenceman is successful, is the opposing center open? (alteration to the drill is to include an offensive center for the pinching defenceman to make a play to, or to make the breakout more difficult, and to work on covering for the pinching defenceman.). Bantam Coach: Chris Aconley (caconley@seaspan.com) North Vancouver, BC
Thanks to Bantam Coach: Chris Aconley
for his weekly drill submissions.