NHL Stickhandling Drills

If you look how people process information, they typically will use one or a combination of the 5 senses, Sight (vision), hearing (audition), taste (gustation), smell (olfaction), and touch (somatosensation). As a long-time hockey coach, one of the first things an instructor learns is that players learn in many different ways.

Some need to hear how a drill has to be done while others need to see it. In most cases it’s a combination, hearing, seeing and then doing. Visual learning can be instrumental in skill acquisition if it’s followed up with practice repetitions, replicating what was demonstrated.

Some of the best teachers are NHL players. If you want to stickhandle like the pros, why not watch them and see what they’re doing for hockey stickhandling training? They have to be doing something to have the hands they have, so watch and learn.

The next time you go to an NHL game, hone in on one of the team’s skill guys and watch them in warm-ups. Each player has their way to prepare their hands and mind for the game in addition to the teams' drills. If you want to find some creative hockey stickhandling drills and tricks, watch the masters as they prepare for competition.

Here’s a clip with Austin Mathews from the Toronto Maple Leafs

https://www.onlinehockeytraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Auston-Matthews-Stickhandling.mp4

Here’s a clip with Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

https://www.onlinehockeytraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Sidney-Crosby-Warms-Up-at-the-Consol-Energy-Center.mp4

If you were able to watch one player during warm-ups for ten straight games, you’d quickly see that they are almost the same. From where their place in line is when entering the ice, going right or left on their first lap or shooting right post or left post for the first shot. Players prepare their brain and body to be ready to compete at a very high level.

Start taking parts of highly successful hockey players warm-up routine and add it to your own. Keep tinkering until you find the right combination that makes you feel like you’re going to dominate once the game starts.

Best of Luck and Remember to Work Hard and Dream Bigger than Everyone Else!!