12-Minute Stickhandling Regimen

Basics

• Puck control is primarily driven by a strong top hand and wrist.
• The bottom hand adds power and speed. Keep it loose so it can move easily — try holding a toilet paper roll in your bottom hand.
• Soft hands — roll your wrist to guide the blade, rather than chopping the puck side to side.
• Challenge: SCAN your environment while stickhandling.
• Underhandle — control the puck/ball with the fewest number of touches. Avoid over-handling. "Butter the toast."
• When practicing at home, start slow. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
• Focus on quality reps. Practice with intention.
• Stay in hockey ready position so it translates to the ice.
• Pro tip: Stickhandle in front of a mirror. Eyes up. Check your ready position.
• Try taking steps forward and back.

The Regimen — 12 Patterns

Set up: 2 pucks about 4 feet apart in front of you. Hold each pattern for 1 minute.

1. Wide, clockwise around both pucks — top hand only
2. Wide, counterclockwise around both pucks — top hand only
3. Wide, clockwise — both hands (focus on control, then add speed and scan the environment)
4. Wide, counterclockwise — both hands
5. Figure 8 — top hand only
6. Figure 8 — both hands
7. Figure 8, forehand only — both hands
8. Narrow — between the pucks, eyes up, fast. Heavy focus on moving the puck with the top hand, rolling the wrist
9. Wide–narrow–wide — outside the pucks, between the pucks, outside the pucks
10. L-shape — wide, bring the ball to forehand shooting position, move up, then back to start
11. L-shape with a fake shot
12. Between the legs