Bench management

Good Hockey Habits by Guy Gadowsky
December 22, 2005 -- Good habits make good hockey players. University of Alaska Fairbanks head hockey coach Guy Gadowsky says that the following are hockey habits he emphasizes at the Division I college level. Most of these habits apply to all the levels. The sooner a player develops these habits the deeper they will root and the more consistent they will be. When college and pro scouts and coaches evaluate players they evaluate the consistency of many of these habits.

General Habits

Defensive Habits Playing the Puck Carrier

Defensive Habits Away from the Puck Carrier

Offensive Habits with the Puck

Offensive Habits Playing without the Puck

Defensemen Retrieving Dump-ins

Bench Management

These hockey habits apply on the bench:

1) Encourage your teammates. Give positive support and cheer.

2) Listen to your coach. The bench is the best classroom. Watch what is going on the ice and listen to your coach so you can learn.

3) Sit With Linemates. Sit with your linemates so that you can talk together and go back out together, so that the coaches can better track the lines.

4) Ask Who Is Up. If you are uncertain who is up next, ask.

5) Always know who you are replacing. Call out on the bench who you have. That way, if that player starts to come to the bench for a change, everyone knows who is going out.

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