Louis St. Laurent BARONS
HOCKEY ACADEMY
MONTHLY THEMES / FOCUS
COACHES MESSAGE
I would like to take the opportunity to welcome every student athlete to another exciting year
with the Louis St. Laurent Hockey BARONS Academy. This year’s ice sessions will focus on
technical skill development along with tangible “next level habits” and details (hockey sense,
situational awareness, puck pursuit skills, what the player does without the puck, support with
and away from the puck, pressure with and without the puck, puck protection,
time/space/positioning, gap control, reading pressure, offensive and defensive structure,
transition, undetermined possession, read and respond awareness to situations with and
without the puck as well as positional awareness in those situations) to compliment your
current individual skill set. Along with Above the Crease Goaltending the ice sessions will
include technical and tactical elements relating to goaltending, skating, puckhandling,
shooting, checking, passing, angling, stick emphasis and positioning.
The ice sessions will involve the concepts of 'pressure with the puck' as well as 'pressure
without the puck' both offensively and defensively and will include the concept of structure
relating to position specific emphasis reinforcing the Defensemen, Forward and Goaltending“
habits required for the next level“ whatever that may be for all of our student athletes.
At the end of every session we will run confined area situations to promote ‘decisions with and
without the puck,’ ‘the concept of time and space,’ ‘intellectual and physical skills,’ and
‘essential hockey skills where the game becomes the teacher.’ Anatoli Tarasov, the famous
Russian Coach said that “the greatest gift you can give to your players is to teach them to
coach themselves so that they can act independently of you, the coach.”
We require an “open mind” from everyone of you to be receptive towards improving yourself
as a player.
Coach Dan, Coach Jamie, Coach Jaret and I owe it to every student athlete to be “insistent”
on proper habits while at the same time task each of you with having an exceptional work
ethic. Our coaches will be extremely prepared and our challenge to you is to approach each
session with the mindset of “doing everything better than you have ever done it before” …
every drill … every repetition … every save … that is how you “Win Forever” and that is how
you can make the Louis St. Laurent BARONS Hockey Academy an unbelieveable opportunity
for you towards preparing and achieving your goals in hockey and in life.
Coach Blair, Coach Dan, Coach Jaret, Coach Jamie
INDIVIDUAL REQUIRED HABITS FOR FORWARDS
EMPHASIZED
1. After shooting always follow your shot to the net to look for the rebound.
2. Stop at the net always and stay above the crease - your stick on the ice
always looking for a second opportunity.
3. When checking always keep your stick on ice to influence the puck carrier
and take away passing lanes. As you approach your check, keep your stick on
the puck with “eyes up” and “play through the man.”
4. After all checks, work hard to come off on the defensive side of the man.
5. When tracking back through the middle, skate to the defensive side of the
man (“ass on gloves” principle). Never reach or hook or focus solely on the
puck.
6. Offensively when breaking out or when on the transition - run ‘deep routes’ to
gain time and space away from pressure (come back ‘low and controlled’).
7. Check your shoulder on all breakouts and transitions before receiving a pass
as well as in the offensive zone in order to read pressure:
Breakouts: Know where the forechecking pressure is coming from and
how much time you have. Know your breakout and transition options. If the puck
is outside the ‘dots’ in the defensive zone, the options are ‘D to D’ / ‘Over Pass’
and if it is inside the ‘dots’ the options are ‘Turn up / Wheel / Reverse Pass.’
INDIVIDUAL REQUIRED HABITS FOR FORWARDS
EMPHASIZED CONTINUED
Offensive Zone: See where your teammates are early so you know
where your potential passing options are in the offensive zone.
A. Offensive Support: Make yourself available ‘over and over’ again for
the puck. Create ‘2-on-1’s’ by moving to support the puck carrier (‘2 around
the puck always’).
B. Attack the offensive blueline with outside speed by moving your legs
through the Neutral Zone - ‘if your legs are not moving through the neutral
zone you are ineffective.’
C. Offensively, the second man must ‘drive hard’ to the net to provide
‘pressure without the puck.’ The second man is looking to create ‘net front
pressure/presence.’
D. The second man in the offensive zone provides ‘pressure without the
puck to the net.’
E. Move the puck often (Remember Alexei TARASOFF's Active Puck
Concept).
F. Pass the puck hard and get used to taking hard passes on both your
forehand and backhand.
G. Talk on both offence and defence. Players who talk on the ice
generally have a better understanding of the game: eg. “chip, deep, middle,
time, pressure”…
H. Make offensive blueline decisions early: ‘pass it, carry it in or cross
dump it in, chip … - use redline as an early guide.’
INDIVIDUAL REQUIRED HABITS FOR DEFENSEMEN
EMPHASIZED
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Get back hard for all pucks - never, ever ‘coast’ back.
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Always check your shoulder behind you when going back to retrieve pucks
(‘inside - outside’ if possible) so you can read the forechecking pressure and to
determine your breakout options.
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Make the simple play always as it is most often the best play.
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When playing the puck carrier defensively ‘keep your feet under you’ along
with your “Eyes Up” and “Stick on Puck” and “Play Through the Man” versus
‘reaching.’
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After a breakout pass to your partner in your own zone (“Over” / “Reverse”)
always return to the net front.
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Try and keep your ‘skates up ice’ as much as possible to read pressure
and to know where your options are when you get the puck (‘think one play a
head’).
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When Pinching “always check your inside shoulder for support” before
leaving the blueline. Remember to keep your “Eyes Up” / “Stick on Puck and
beat your man out of the zone on the defensive side. Close off the boards if
possible.
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On breakouts follow the play up aggressively to be part of the play and to
have your gap tight if there is transition back towards your own end.
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On point shots in the defensive zone, look to get early position at the net
and ‘box out’ the opposition from getting to the net front.
INDIVIDUAL REQUIRED HABITS FOR DEFENSEMEN
EMPHASIZED CONTINUED
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On point shots in the defensive zone, look to get early position at the
net and ‘box out’ the opposition from getting to the net front.
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In the Defensive Zone “deflect the play to the outside. Protect the good
ice (middle) by using the dots as a guideline.
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Pass the puck hard always.
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Talk! Help your partner by being an “out.” Let your partner know what
options are available … “time, over, reverse, rim, move it, etc.”
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Never carry the puck to your partner or your pass option - “move it
early.”
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Talk on both offense and on defence. Players who talk on the ice
generally have a better understanding of the game: eg. “chip, time, middle,
pressure, man on,”…
ON-ICE SESSION FORMAT
0745 to 0800 hours
Individual Skills
0800 to 0830 hours
Technical Skill Development
0830 to 0900 hours
Habits and Tactical Skills
0900 to 0930 hours
Small Area Competition
0930 to 1000 hours
Flood/Life Stories
TECHNICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT (Stations)
30 minutes
THEME TACTICS AND HABITS
30 minutes
SMALL AREA GAMES COMPETITION / FUN
30 minutes
TACTICAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS:
 Offensive Tactics
 Puck Protection
 “1 on 1”
 “2 on 1”
 “2 on 2”
 “3 on 2”
 Point Shooting (‘Sprinting’) Single Drive
 “Jumps / Bumps” - D Support
 Single Delays
 “Push Puck Protection”
 Reading the Offense
 Reading the Defense
 One Timers / Fake Shot / Pass
 “Give / Gets”
 Puck Protect (Tripod / Small Area / Boards)
 “Push Puck Protection”
TACTICAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS CONTINUED:
 “5 Star Hunt Positioning”
 Golden Bear Drive Sequence
 Power Play Options (High and Low Individual Tactics)
 Defenseman Agility
 Transition Routes
 Support With and Without the Puck
 Attacking the zone with outside speed - Middle Drive / Attack
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Triangle / Triple Drive
‘Sprinting’
Net Drive (‘Hip Pocket Principle’)
Delay (High an Low)
Push (High and Low)
Push (High and Low)
‘Jump and Bump’
Escapes
“Inside/out and Outside/in” entries
“Activating”
TACTICAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS CONTINUED:
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‘2 on 1 - low pad rebound’
“Joining the Rush”
Transition ‘D to D and Up’
Transition with ‘Jump and Bump’
Agility with ‘Jump and Bump’ Option
Transition with “Chip”
Breakout Transition
Tracking Transition
2 on 1 Tracking
4 Blue Transition
3 on 3 Neutral Zone Transition
Low and Controlled Support off the Transition
‘Look Offs’
Support / Supporting with Deep routes
‘Quick Ups’
Lane Responsibilities
Tracking Responsibilities
Re-groups / Countering
TACTICAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS CONTINUED:
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‘Coming back to the puck’
‘Jackhammer Support’
‘Saving Ice’
‘Joining versus Leading’
‘Taking Ice’
‘Finding Ice’
“Tracking” Responsibilities
“Backside Pressure”
“Activating into the rush”
“Chipping Pucks”
“Defending the 2 on 1”
Drive with Support
Delay with Support
“Jackhammer” Support
“Soft Dumps” / ‘Rims’
“Joining versus Leading” the Rush
“Changing the Point of Attack”
TACTICAL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS CONTINUED:
 “Long
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Cycle”
“Net Cycle”
“High Cycle”
“Chasing the Tail versus Cutting off the Head”
3 on 2 - ‘middle drive importance’
“Chipping pucks / area passing”
Delay review
Pressure driving the net with and without the puck
Re-directs / Deflections
“Soft Slot” awareness
Confined area support
Chip Retrievals
Net Front options offensively and defensively
Reading and Responding
Confined Area Puck Protection
SKILL DEVELOPMENT THEMES - FEBRUARY
TECHNICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS:
Day 1
Individual Player Skills Testing
Day 2
Individual Player Skills Testing
Day 3
Stick Handling/angling- boards
Day 4
Quantum Speed/Skating
Day 5
Stick Handling/angling- boards
Day 6
Stick Handling/angling - boards - open ice
Day 7
Quantum Speed/Skating
Day 8
Passing/angling - open ice
Day 9
Passing/angling – D-zone
Day 10
Quantum Speed/Skating
SKILL DEVELOPMENT THEMES - MARCH
TECHNICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS:
Day 1
Shooting - puck protection - 1 on 1
Day 2
Quantum Speed/Skating
Day 3
Shooting - puck protection - 1 on 1
Day 4
Puck handling - 2 on 1
Day 5
Quantum Speed/Skating
Day 6
Puck handling - 2 on 1
Day 7
Passing - fwd and Dmen split
Day 8
Passing - fwd and Dmen split
Day 9
Passing/Puck Protection
Day 10
Shooting /Puck Protection
Day 11
Shooting/Puck Protection
SKILL DEVELOPMENT THEMES - APRIL
TECHNICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS:
Day 1
Shooting/ Net Drives - delays
Day 2
Puck handling/Net Drives - delays
Day 3
Puck handling - 2 on 2
Day 4
Puck handling- 3-0 triangle
Day 5
Passing - 3-0 triangle
Day 6
Passing - 3-0 mid drive
Day 7
Passing - 3-0 mid drive
Day 8
Shooting - 3 on 2
Day 9
Shooting - 3 on 2
Day 10
Shooting - 3 on 2
SKILL DEVELOPMENT THEMES - MAY
TECHNICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOCUS:
Day 1
Puck Handling - Angling
Day 2
Puck Handling - Puck Protection
Day 3
Puck Handling - Cycling
Day 4
Passing - Cycling
Day 5
Passing - Transition
Day 6
Passing - Transition
Day 7
Shooting - Transition
Day 8
Shooting - Defending 1 on 1 small area
Day 9
Shooting - Defending 2 on 1 small area
Day 10
Puck handling - Defending 2 on 2 small area
Day 11
Puck handling - Defending 3 on 3 small area
DEVELOPMENT THEMES - JUNE
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Getting ready for Spring Hockey Camps
Getting ready for the summer / next season focus
Individual Player Testing
DEVELOPMENT FOCUS:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
PEEL CUP
PEEL CUP
PEEL CUP/Individual Skill Testing
PEEL CUP/Individual Skill Testing
Teacher vs Hockey Academy Game