Coaching forwards by Doug Jarvis
Where should I be on the breakout?
Proper breakout position for the wingers is to be set up on the hash marks along the boards facing towards the ice with your stick on the ice to give the passer a target. The center should be in a low position in the defensive zone curling towards the player with the puck also having his stick on the ice ready for a pass.
What do I do if the puck is in the defensive zone?
If your team does not have control of the puck, all players should be in a strong defensive position. The puck-side winger should have point coverage. The center should be working with his defenseman low in the zone, keeping himself between the puck and the net. The weak-side winger should have coverage in the high slot area, favoring the middle of the ice. Once your team gains puck possession, players should break to offensive breakout positioning.
How can I win face-offs?
The player taking the face-off should: 1) know where he wants to draw the face-off; 2) Get set up with your stick on the ice and your body in a lower stance to have better balance. The bottom hand on the stick should be in a lower position on the shaft of the stick; 3) Concentrate on the puck as it drops from the referee's hand to the ice; 4) Draw your stick quickly through the face-off circle pulling or pushing the puck depending on where you want it to go.
What drills should I do to be a better stickhandler?As much as you can in practice, have the puck on your stick and control it. You can set up cones in a line and practice stickhandling through them. Practice moving the puck from side to side on your stick, always keeping your head up whether you are standing still or moving ahead.
What drills can I do to be a better skater?
There are lots of different skating drills. You should do drills that emphasize: 1) Straight-ahead skating which involves proper stride and body posture; 2) Speed on the turns that involve crossover skating; 3) Agility-skating, which involves quick turns from forward to backward skating, and stopping and starting; 4) Work on backward skating.
What should I do when I don't have the puck?
You should be in good position to get it back. This requires skating at the proper angle towards the player with the puck, directing that player to go where you want that player to go so that if the player runs out of room and options, then you're able to take the puck from that player.
Doug Jarvis was born on March 24, l955, in Brantford, Ontario. He played in the NHL from 1975-1987 with the Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals, and Hartford Whalers. Jarvis was an assistant coach in the NHL for 14 years with the Minnesota North Stars and the Dallas Stars. He was a member of five Stanley Cup championship teams, four as a player and one as an assistant coach with Dallas in 1999.
