SIHF Report – Entraîneur L
Block Shots – 18-23.08.2014
Doug Boulanger – Novices Elites Coach
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Table of Contents
Observation Report
P. 3-4
Research Introduction
P. 5
Progress in Technology
P. 5-6
Making the Right Decision
P. 6
How to Block a Shot (3 ways)
P. 6-9
Coaches Perspectives
P. 9-10
Reflecting on my Own Approach
P.10
Conclusion
P.10
Block Shot Video
P.11
References
P.12
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Observation Report
My observations from the week of August 18th – 23rd, 2014 at the Lausanne Hockey Club
in National League A was on the skills development of players blocking shots and
building practices around this as the main point of focus. During my intensive week of
observation, I attended five practices, five off-ice sessions, two games, and four coaches
meetings. I also privately worked with players on blocking shots and video taped the
practices to refer to during this essay. The underlying focus of this report is on the
training sessions given by Coach Heinz Ehlers, who concentrated on a tactic focus of
play as the main element of his practices. Via his theories and my observations of the
practices and game preparation, I set out to progress the types of drills and training
regimes used to block shots.
Blocking Shots
Using the Novices Elites team in Lausanne as my experimental group, I not only
implemented new ways for players to practice blocking shots, but also the way coach’s
approached the skill. Today, blocking shots is becoming a very important part of the
game and is an essential part of any players’ development. Most teams focus on their
results and do not take enough time to work individually with their players on blocking
shots. Most often neglecting to teach the players the safest and most effective ways of
putting themselves in front of a puck and eventually stopping it. Therefore, I spent time
after the practices with Coach Heinz discussing new ways of working on this skill of
blocking shots and how I could get my teams to understand the importance of being
efficient at it. This eventually led me to the realization that I needed to simplify the skill
for my Novice Elite squad, and with the help of Coach Yves Sarrault, former NHL
player, I was able to find drills that helped me break down the process for my team.
Meetings & Sharings
Also joined to my work you will find the planning of my week with specific key elements
that were used to create this report and several examples of practices/videos given by the
Head Coach Heinz Ehlers. What surprised me the most about my week with the first team
was the atmosphere off and on the ice between the players and the staff. Everyone was so
energetic and happy to be there. Most of the players talked a lot and shared several ideas
and opinions during practice. I had the chance to film some guys and work with them
after every practice, which was awesome. It gave me the opportunity to exchange on their
schedule, routine, personal life and even personal objectives for the upcoming
championship. On Thursday August 21st, 2014, we had a staff meeting on tactics
changes, which mainly focused on the hybrid icing and new league rules for the
upcoming season. At the end of this meeting, Heinz gave me an opportunity to take his
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play book and let me make photocopies, so I could have ideas on what the guidelines
could be for my Novices Elites squad. He also showed me a couple of video clips of new
faceoff’s tendencies, which my team could use to adapt to the hybrid icing. The
organization is all about having his coaches following a system that we can adapt and
twitch for our own team. It is good to know that we are all on the same page and that we
have freedom to adapt the system to the age group and focus on the essential, which is
players development skills.
Locker Room Experience
It was a great feeling to arrive in the morning, grab a coffee, and just watch how the
players would prepare for practice. I also enjoyed being in the dressing room and hear
Heinz give the pre-skate speeches or pre-game directives. His approach to the players
was very interesting because he is very calm and clear in his directives. It was also
interesting to see the interaction of the assistant-coaches with the players because it was
way cozier than with Heinz. I was also very grateful to be able to share lunch with the
staff and being involved in different discussion, while being able to receive advices that I
will for sure use in the near future. It was also a great experience to be around the team to
watch some pre-season’s game. I had the chance to watch a game against Torpedo
Novgorod, which plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. I was able to see what the
coaches were looking for in the game, while also being able to see how they would adapt
their tactics against a Russian team that played a totally different style of hockey. The
game was very physical and it was interesting to see how much quicker the game was
played with the new rules. During the game, several shots were blocked, but in the most
dangerous ways. I’ve seen players from both teams do the split, palms opened, head first
to block the shots, which was very courageous, but not safe at all. This is why the basics
have to be applied now with our younger players and even use the video to teach them
how protect themselves, while maybe avoiding an eventual injury. Therefore, Lausanne
won the game 3-2 in overtime and it finished well my formation weeks with them.
Open Door Conclusion
In the end, I found that my week with the coaching staff was not only beneficial to my
players, but also critical in my personal coaching development. It gave me the
opportunity to look at the defensive aspect of the game and compare it to my previous
point of view, which was usually very offensively focused during my last season. Now, I
know that I can always go see them for advice and that I can come back anytime. These
two weeks of work gave me a chance to be hungry and want to learn more. This
experience also gave me several ideas and new approaches of the game that I will be able
to adapt to my coaching style, which is usually the “Blue Cap Style”. Now, I would like
to take some times to thank the organization for this great opportunity of formation,
because I am now pumped to start the season with my Novices Elites team.
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Shot Blocking Research
Introduction
I strongly believe that blocked shots and hits are a very misleading factor and not a
positive statistic to compile throughout a hockey game. For example, while it may appear
your team played well since they blocked several shots that game, it could also be
interpreted that your team did not have the puck often and are getting outplayed. On the
other hand, your team can't have the puck the entire time, so when you don't, a blocked
shot or a hit is advantageous. Thus leading me to ask, how many blocked shots actually
result from poor play as opposed to "just playing defense"? One thing is certain, which is
that your team can't expect to drive the play and possess the puck for 60 minutes
(McSorley, 2009). Therefore, a coach has to anticipate that the other team is going to
have the puck for some period of time as well. And when they do, you are going to want
your team to be able to do what they can to get the puck back. During my involvement
with the first team, I had the chance to see both the positive and negative sides of
blocking shots and also see different areas of the game that were impacted with this
behavior (Saarinen, 2007). For example, while teaching players the right position to
block a shot, I also worked with other players at getting the shot through, and giving them
tips on what the goalie sees on his side and what can be seen from the shooters position.
Progress in technology
As technology for ice hockey equipment has progressed, shot blocking has become an
increasingly important skill for all forwards and defensemen to learn. It is not a simple
skill to develop due largely in part to players not wanting to hurt themselves during
practice. Along with the risk of injury, players are often also dismissive of practicing shot
blocking during practice since they want to be more active in the drills, and many of the
current exercises are slow paced. This made finding not only a productive way of
teaching shot blocking, but also a way players would enjoy in a practice extremely
challenging. In the past, shot blocking was considered dangerous or an act of desperation,
however current coaching strategies have made it clear this is no longer the case. Coaches
now expect players to learn blocking shots at a young age and to be ready to do it when
the time calls. However, just because modern protective equipment has improved, it
doesn’t mean shot blocking is completely safe. It’s still dangerous. This is why I spent a
majority of my time focusing on teaching my players how to block a shot the safest way.
As we discussed with Coach Heinz Ehlers, now, clubs have to start investing in
protecting gear, so players can practice safely the different techniques and avoid any kind
of subconscious fears. With foot injuries among hockey players becoming an increasing
trend, companies have started to develop lightweight equipment with ultra shock resistant
foot/ankle guard that can be fitted to any skate while not affecting the player’s game.
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More information can be found on this new company’s website: www.shotblockers.com
Figure 1
Making the right decision
The first thing that should come to a players mind when facing an opponent with the puck
is the decision of whether or not to block the shot (Gladwell, 2008). This decision of
blocking the shot or not blocking the shot is incredibly important because the player must
fully commit to the action if he does not want to; inadvertently screen his goalie, cause a
troublesome deflection, or be out of position for the ensuing play. To help advert this,
companies have recently began manufacturing foam filled pucks. These not only allow
players to practice the physical technique of shot blocking, it also helps replicate the
decisive mindset they must be in. These pucks behave very much like regulation pucks,
but are much lighter and softer. They allow players to work on their form while blocking
live shots, but without having to worry about injury. Many teams have adopted the use of
tennis ball instead, however after testing the theory myself, I found that these foam pucks
are a superior substitution. In Lausanne, we are working with these pucks at the junior
level and the improvement has been noticeable in the game. Aside from practicing,
starting this season I will also suggest to all my players to wear skate protectors to avoid
any injuries from blocking a shot with their skates. I observed that many players who
have already started to practice with skate protection feeling both more comfortable and
taking more pride in blocking shots in a regular practice.
How to block a shot
When teaching your players, the first thing a coach should focus on is once the decision
of blocking the shot has been made, the player has to close the gap between the opponent
and the puck (if there’s time). The shorter the distance between the shot blocker and the
puck, the greater likelihood the shot will actually be blocked. Coaches often compare this
to the way goalies must come out of their net and close a gap between them and the
shooter to increase the possibility of them making the save. At this point, your player
needs to decide how he wants to position his body to block the shot. There are three main
options, each with pros and cons:
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Standing
The first way of blocking a shot is standing still. Out of all the options, blocking a shot
standing up has the minimal chance of injury. Further, if the defender has closed enough
of the gap and is positioned perfectly between the puck and the net, a standing block will
increase the chance to stop the shot, regardless of how high the shot is. The drawback to
this method is that if the defender fails to block the shot, he will likely screen his
goaltender. While practicing this method, player must first concentrate on filling the
shooting lane, then making him or herself big in front of the puck. However, coaches can
also teach shooters to get the puck to the goalmouth by emphasizing the different
perspectives the shooter can exploit by changing their position. Though I will touch on
this subject more later in the essay.
Figure 2
Sliding
The second method used in shot blocking is lying down, or sliding, and while it is the
most dangerous method, it has two major benefits. Firstly, the player will not screen the
goalie at all. Secondly, if the defender isn’t directly in front of the shooter, sliding allows
him to cover the distance and get in blocking position simultaneously. However, the
drawback of this method is that if timed poorly, the defender will be out of position and
the shooter will have a clear and uncontested shot at the net. Once you go down, your
player should be aiming his slide (legs at the opponent’s stick blade), and keeping their
head safely pointed toward the boards to prevent head or neck injury. By sliding at the
opponent’s stick, they are also taking away the option to pass or drag the puck around
them. This is a way to force the opponent to shoot or simply dump the puck into the
corner. The main objective or teaching point is to constantly force the opponent toward
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the boards because this will give the defensive player a better chance to block the shot
and decrease the scoring percentage of the opposing team. Once your player understands
the importance of forcing the opponent wide, the second objective is to time the slide
effectively and properly. To ensure this, your player has to slide where the opponent is
heading, not where they are. It means that they will have to drop their outside leg, the one
furthest from your opponent, to the ice first allowing the other leg to stack on top of it.
The direction of their slide should be at a backward angle toward your opponent’s stick
blade, so they can cut off any chance of a change of direction or pass. It should be
performed as close to the shooter as possible because the players will be absorbing the
puck force and reducing the distance will eliminate the chance of the puck gaining
significant velocity and power (Ackland, 2009).
Figure 3
Kneeling
The third way of blocking a shot is kneeling, on one or two knees, which combines some
of the benefits of standing and sliding blocks. Kneeling is generally not as dangerous as
sliding. Kneeling blocks can be done in motion (like sliding ones), or even while standing
still and simply lowers the body to the ice. Further, while kneeling to block a shot, a
defending player can place the shaft of his stick flat on the ice to take away low shots or
even passes. When teaching this technique, your player should have one hand on the stick
for sweep checks, to take away passing lanes, or to block low shots. The other hand
should be free with the palm facing his body. Players who don’t use full cages could also
use this hand to cover their face at the moment of the shot. The proper way to cover the
face is to place the palm over the face, which leaves the face and hand as safe as possible.
Players should never block a shot with their open palm, as this is one of the least
protected areas of the body.
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Figure 4
Coaches Perspective – Key is Practice
All forwards and defensemen should know the basics of shot blocking, regardless of how
often they actually attempt to block a shot. Big games can be decided by a single goal,
shot, or play. Because of this, everyone on the ice should know how to safely block a shot
and be ready to put their bodies on the line when their team needs them. As with any
other hockey skill, blocking takes practice and a certain level of confidence to perform
correctly. Once a player has the knowledge that he can properly block a shot, much of the
fear of injury from a flying puck is eliminated. Only then will a coach be fully doing their
job because it means that the players are fully committed to the team. The underlying
objective is to not allow the puck to get past them. The player must act quickly, but not
commit too early because this will allow the opponent time and space to rethink their
decision. Finally, coaches often practice the skill of shot blocking, but don’t always focus
on the puck recovery afterwards, which is in essence the main goal. A key to shot
blocking is recovery time because the faster your player regains control of their body the
faster they will rejoin the play. A way to improve the recovery time is to get your players
to focus on getting up and down as quickly as possible while sliding or kneeling.
Moreover, a player has to stay focused on their ice positioning as well as the pucks
location (McSorley, 2009). These two aspects are the most important parts regarding shot
blocking to gain the result of the puck deflecting away from your net or from your
defensive zone. One of the key points in becoming confident with blocking shots is to
work in a progression. Coaches should start by teaching their players the proper form and
techniques without even facing shots. When the players understand the concept, they
should move on by trying with a foam puck or street hockey puck until they feel they
have the imbedded the right technique both physically as well as mentally. Only then
should coach’s progress their teachings into using real hockey pucks and facing real
shots. Finally, once getting in the shooting lane and blocking a shot is acquired, coaches
should work on the player’s anticipation to follow the puck and finishing the play by a
check or chipping the puck out for example.
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Reflecting on my own approach of blocking shots…
While having the chance to work and watch the first team practice in Lausanne, I saw
that not only as a coach I should not only practice blocking shots as a defensive tactic, but
also work with point man to avoid getting their shots blocked. This would not only teach
my defensemen to hit the net, but help them practice getting their shot through to find
another player for a tip or, pass. In working with the first team, I learned that the actually
shot velocity is not as important as if the puck gets to the net. There is nothing more
frustrating for a coach than having two forwards open in front of the net and the
defenseman having their shot blocked due to trying to shoot harder rather than quicker.
One of the key elements is not how hard the shot is, but simply how quickly it gets to the
goalmouth area (Krzywicki, 2011). Therefore, it is very important for a coach to work
with their players on getting the puck past the shot blocker. The most important thing
while working with the shooter is that they have to get the puck through and the best way
to do that is to use a quick release before a shot blocker can get in the way of it. This will
likely mean changing their shot selection and using a wrist shot or a snap shot instead of
a slap shot. Moreover, coaches should show the differences between the eye perspective
and the ice perspective:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6d-OTS2ERA
Conclusion
My objective as a coach is to create a more comprehensive teaching philosophy based on
scoring, not hitting the net. Getting the players to understand the reason they are taking a
shot, so they can shoot with a purpose. The must important thing to figuring out how
goals will be scored; is where on the ice they are shot from, and where on the net they go
in. That divides the ice into two areas, areas where you are likely to score, and areas
where you are unlikely to score. Every shot a player takes, they should know if they are
in an area where they can score from, or if they are in an area where they should be trying
to create a chance for a teammate (Saarinen, 2007). Therefore, the time spent with the
first team helped me study different ways of teaching blocking shots, but also how to
work on getting puck to the mouth area of the net. This is perhaps the most important
principle, because hockey is still all about puck possession and scoring more goals then
your opponent in the final (Babcock, 2005). Following is a great video of a players’
commitment to shot blocking:
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Figure 5
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References
Ackland, T., Bloomfield, J., Elliot, B., 2009, Applied Anatomy and Biomechanics in
Sport, Blackwell Scientific Publications LTD. Oxford
Babcock, M., 2005, How To Be Succesful In Offensive Situations, International Ice
Hockey Federation Coaching Symposium, Vienna.
Gladwell, M., 2008, Outliers: The Story of Success, Little Brown and Company, New
York NY.
Krzywicki, K., 2011, NHL Shot Quality 2009-10: A Look at Shot Angles and
Rebounds. URL: http://hockeyanalytics.com/Research_files/SQ-RS0910Krzywicki.pdf
McSorley, C., 2009, Tactical Application in Today’s Game, International Ice Hockey
Federation Coaching Symposium Zurich.
Saarinen, M., 2007, Goal Scoring Study, International Ice Hockey Centre Of
Excellence, Vierumaki.
Photograph Credits
Figure 1, Shotblockers.com, 2014
Figure 2, Saarinen M. 2007
Figure 3,4, nhl.com, 2009
Video Credits
Figure 5, chl.com, 2014
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