Board Support and Outlet Drill
Puck Support
Legend
- player
- defender
- coach / parent
- movement path
How it works
Develop the habit of skating to a board-side support position to give the puck carrier an outlet pass in the defensive zone.
What you need
- hockey stick
- puck
- ice
Your focus
Board support is the most common and valuable off-puck support skill in the defensive zone , a winger who sprints to the boards gives the defenseman a reliable outlet and prevents icing or a turnover. Players who reflexively find board support positions after every zone entry contribute to team possession even when they never touch the puck. Reliable board support reduces defensive zone turnovers dramatically.
Coach fires a puck into the defensive zone corner.
Defenseman retrieves the puck; both wingers must sprint to the near and far boards to create outlet options.
Defenseman chooses the open winger and passes.
Receiving winger must exit the zone cleanly; rotate all positions every 3 reps.
Goal
You're there when you beat the forecheck to the board support position before the puck carrier looks up, always ahead of the play.
Helpful cues
- Be at the boards BEFORE the defenseman looks up
- Stay wide, crowding the corner blocks the pass lane
- Your job is the outlet; your defenseplayer's job is to find you
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Walk through positions at slow speed before adding the sprint to board position.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Add an active forechecker who pressures the puck-retrieving defenseman, support players must arrive even faster.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.