Combination drills usually include offensive and defensive skills or combine both the offensive or defensive aspects of the game. Many are team-oriented drills such as those involving breakouts with forechecking and backchecking. Others are continuous drills that move, for example, from a one-on-one to a two-on-one or a two-on-one with a backchecker.
Combination drills are often used with older or more advanced players to combine individual or team skills. The drills in this chapter simulate game situations and should be executed with high intensity to further simulate game situations. Unlike the drills in other chapters, these drills don’t fit into just one category. They are, however, some of the best drills used by experienced coaches. Because they combine so many skills, sometimes they take more time than simpler drills. It’s worth taking the extra time to run these drills, and coaches should try to work them into practice to get players used to game speed and intensity. They also help players work on executing many skills at once.
Defenseman 1 skates toward the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
Forward 1 goes 1v1 against defenseman 1 (see figure 1).
When the play is finished, forward 1 skates outside the blue line again.
Forward 2 comes off the boards at the blue line and takes a pass from the coach.
Defenseman 1 skates to the blue line again, pivots, and skates backward.
Forwards 1 and 2 go 2v1 against defenseman 1 (see figure 2).
The coach passes the puck to forward 1 or forward 2. Forwards 1 and 2 then go 2v1 against defenseman 1 from the corner (see figure 1).
After the play is finished, the coach blows the whistle, and forwards 1 and 2 come outside the blue line and take another pass from the coach.
Defenseman 1 comes to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
Forwards 1 and 2 go 2v1 against defenseman 1 from outside the blue line (see figure 2).
Forwards 1, 2, and 3 break out with offensive defensemen 1 and 2; then forwards 1, 2, and 3 go 3v1 against defenseman 1 (see ÿ gure 1).
Forwards 1, 2, and 3 and offensive defensemen 1 and 2 come outside the offensive blue line into the neutral zone.
The coach passes a puck to the far blue line (see ÿ gure 2).
Offensive defensemen 1 and 2 go back and get the puck and pass to forward 1, 2, or 3.
Defensive defenseman 1 skates to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
Defensive defenseman 2 comes off the side boards, pivots, and skates backward, joining with defenseman 1 to defend against forwards 1, 2, and 3 in a 3v2.
Offensive forwards 1, 2, and 3 break out with offensive defensemen 1 and 2 to go 5v3 against defensive defensemen 1 and 2 and defensive forward 1 (see figure 1).
After the 5v3, the coach blows the whistle. Offensive defensemen 1 and 2 and offensive forwards 1, 2, and 3 go back to the far blue line and take a pass from the coach (see figure 2).
Defensive defensemen 1 and 2 and defensive forward 1 come out to the center line, and defensive forward 2 joins the play as a backchecker.
Offensive forwards 1, 2, and 3 and offensive defensemen 1 and 2 then go 5v4 against the defensive team.
The coach shoots a puck into the corner. Forward 1 goes to the corner and gets the puck (see figure 1).
Forward 1 comes out of the corner and goes 1v1 against defenseman 1.
On the whistle, forward 1 comes outside the blue line (see figure 2).
Defenseman 1 skates to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
Forward 2 comes off the side boards and takes a pass from the coach.
The drill is the same except that a second defenseman is added. After the 1v1, defenseman 2 comes off the boards, and forwards 1 and 2 take a pass from the coach and go 2v2 against defensemen 1 and 2 (see figure 3).
Forward 1 skates around the face-off circle and shoots; then one-touch passes with forward 2 in the corner, who has a puck.
Defenseman 1 skates to the middle of the blue line, shoots, pivots, and skates backward.
Forward 1 skates outside the blue line, loops back, and goes 1v1 against defenseman 1.
This drill can be done at both ends of the rink at the same time.
Defenseman 1 passes to forward 1 (see figure 1).
Defenseman 1 skates to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
When the 1v1 is completed, the coach blows the whistle, and defenseman 2 and forward 2 repeat the same sequence at the opposite end of the rink.
Forward 2 and defenseman 1 go 2v1 against defenseman 2, who skates to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward. Forward 1 goes on defense and skates to the other end as a backchecker (see figure 2).
The drill is continuous with the next 1v1 starting at the end where the 2v1 with the backchecker ended.
Defenseman 1 skates to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
Forwards 1 and 2 go 2v1 against defenseman 1 (see figure 1).
Defenseman 1 skates to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
Defenseman 2 joins defenseman 1 at the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
Forward 3 comes off the boards at the center line and takes a pass from the coach.
Forwards 1, 2, and 3 go 3v2 against defensemen 1 and 2 (see figure 2).
Offensive forwards 1, 2, and 3 and offensive defensemen 1 and 2 break out and go 5v2 against defensemen 1 and 2 (see figure 1).
Forwards 1, 2, and 3 skate back to the center line, and the coach passes to one of them (see figure 2). (The coach passes to a different forward each time.)
The player who receives the puck shoots it into the corner where the breakout started.
Offensive defensemen 3 and 4 and forwards 4, 5, and 6 are at the blue line, and they break out while the player who shot the puck in forechecks.
The other two offensive forwards who did not receive the puck for the shooting go to the side boards.
Defensive defensemen 3 and 4 take the 5v2 with offensive forwards 4, 5, and 6 and offensive defensemen 3 and 4, going toward the same end.
The breakouts are from the same end each time, so the goalies should be alternated halfway through the drill.
Forwards 1 and 2 come off the side boards to start the drill. One of them takes a pass from defenseman 1 in the corner (see figure 1).
After the 2v1 is completed, defenseman 2 goes to the corner and gets a puck.
Defenseman 2 starts the next 2v1 with a pass to forwards 3 and 4, who have come off the side boards.
Defenseman 3 follows the play to the far blue line and takes the next 2v1.
The drill is the same except that an additional offensive forward comes off the boards to start each sequence, making the play 3v1 (see figure 2).
Play is the same as in the previous variation except that two offensive defensemen are used to make it 3v2.
Forwards 1 and 2 come off the opposite side boards and go 2v1 against defenseman 1 (see figure 1).
When the play is completed, the coach blows the whistle, and forwards 1 and 2 take a pass from the coach.
Forwards 1 and 2 then go 2v2 in the opposite direction against defensemen 2 and 3, who come off the opposite side boards (see figure 2).
Forwards 1 and 2 skate to the far blue line, loop and cross, take a pass from the coach, go 2v0 back to the other end, and shoot (see figure 1).
After shooting, forwards 1 and 2 skate again to the far blue line, get a pass from the coach, and come back 2v1 against defenseman 1, who comes off the side boards, pivots, and skates backward (see figure 2).
The drill is the same except that a second defenseman is added. After the 2v0, defenseman 2 joins defenseman 1 by skating in from the opposite side boards, pivoting, and skating backward—making the play 2v2 (see figure 3).
Defenseman 1 skates forward to the center line, stops, and receives a pass from forward 1 (see figure 1).
Defenseman 1 skates backward with the puck and passes to forward 1 or forward 2.
Defenseman 2, forward 3, and forward 4 perform the same pattern simultaneously from the other side of the rink.
After going 2v0 and shooting, forward 1 and forward 2 circle back and take a long pass from defenseman 1. Defenseman 2 also makes a long pass to forwards 3 and 4 (see figure 2).
After making the long pass, defenseman 2 skates forward to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward. Defenseman 1 skates the same pattern on the other end of the rink.
Forward 3 and forward 4 go 2v1 against defenseman 1 on the other end.
Forward 1 and forward 2 cross at the blue line and go 2v1 against defenseman 1.
Forward 3 skates around the face-off circle and shoots; then skates to the neutral zone.
After the 2v1 is completed, the coach passes to forward 1 or forward 2.
Defenseman 2 and defenseman 3 come off the boards, pivot, and skate backward.
Forwards 1, 2, and 3 go 3v2 toward the other end against defensemen 2 and 3.
Players can perform the following sequences for either a 2v0 or 2v1.
Forward 1 and forward 2 skate backward from the side boards, pivot, and skate forward.
Forward 1 one-touch passes with forward 3, and forward 3 then passes to forward 2.
Forward 1 and forward 2 go 2v0 over the far blue line and shoot.
Simultaneously, forward 4 and forward 5 perform the same drill, exchanging passes with forward 6 and then going 2v0 in the opposite direction.
The drill is continuous with the diagonally opposite groups going next.
The drill is similar to the 2v0 version except that three players come off the boards, with forward 1 taking an exchange pass with forward 4, then pivoting, skating backward, and being the defenseman on the 2v1.
Forward 4 then exchanges passes with either forward 2 or forward 3.
Forward 2 and forward 3 go 2v1 against forward 1, who is acting as a defenseman.
The drill alternates sides, with forwards 5, 6, and 7 going next and exchanging passes with forward 8.
Player 1 passes to player 2 to start the play (see figure 1).
Player 1 skates to the center line, pivots, and skates backward.
As soon as players 1 and 2 go past the blue line, player 3 passes to player 4.
Player 3 skates to the center line, pivots, and skates backward.
Player 1 then goes on offense with player 4, and they go 2v1 against player 3 playing defense, with player 2 backchecking.
After the 2v1 with a backchecker passes the blue line, player 5 passes to player 6 (see figure 2).
Players 6, 3, and 1 then go 3v3 against players 5, 2, and 4, who play defense.
Players alternate the following sequences on different ends of the ice, or perform them simultaneously to use the entire rink at once.
Defenseman 2 passes to forward 3, who has looped across inside the blue line.
Forward 2 skates across the center line and takes a pass from forward 3.
Defenseman 2 and defenseman 3 skate to the blue line, pivot, and skate backward.
Forward 2 and forward 3 then go 2v2 against defenseman 2 and defenseman 3.
Defenseman 1 skates across the blue line, shoots, skates to the center line, pivots, and skates backward.
At the same time, forwards 2 and 3 cross with a puck and go 2v0 at the opposite end of the rink.
After shooting, forwards 2 and 3 receive a pass from the coach in the corner and go 2v1 against defenseman 1.
Defenseman 1 skates to the blue line, pivots, and skates backward.
As soon as the 2v1 is completed, forward 3 skates to the hash marks at the boards and receives a pass from defenseman 2, who has skated behind the net with a puck.
Forwards 1, 2, and 3 break out, regroup with defensemen 3 and 4, and come back 3v2 against defensemen 1 and 2.
