Location: Half Ice
Setup: Line up players along goal line with a puck. Make sure they are spaced out from their teammates.

Description: This drill introduces them to the basics of stick handling. Start with them in their hockey stance.
Progression #1: with the puck in front of them they make small stick handling movements the width of their skates
Progression #2: Same as progression #1 but they make wide movements going as far left to right as they can
Progression #3: Stick handle on the left side of their bodies (could be backhand or forehand)
Progression #4: Stick handle on the right side of their bodies
Progression #5: Coach calls out "Little", "Big", "Left" or "Right" and players have to switch between the 4 previous progressions.
Key teaching points: Stick handle from the hockey stance position. Head is up when we are stick handling. Keep puck in center of stick blade
Progression #6: Skate with the puck while handling the puck. This is not a race, the goal is to control the puck without losing it.

Tags: Stick handle from the hockey stance position. Head is up when we are stick handling. Keep puck in center of stick blade