I am reposting this because it is a good example of how to practice big moves in large groups and one puck each.
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A200 – Skating and Puck Handling – Yashin and Finnish HS
1. A200 formation and Yashin leads the big moves warm demonstrating the skill and the kid's follow.
2. A2 skating drills for balance and edge control.
3. A200 Russian Big Moves exercises. Pro player demonstrate the big moves and the players follow.
This practice was done at Juhani's hockey school in Mikkeli, Finland. It is beautiful lake country where he has his summer place. The focus is on Big Moves with Good Hard Fakes when puck handling. Many pro's including Yashin helped with his camps. Juhani is in the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame and is a legend in Finland.
Another IIHF hall of famer Vladimir Yursinov is the one who developed this big moves warm up. He is a Russian hockey legend as a player and coach. Between them they have developed about 70 NHL players.
In my coaching experience these puck handling exercises are the most effective way for players to develop good hands. They can be done off ice as well. Big moves and handling the puck all around the body with big fakes and protecting the puck with the body are the essentials to being a good offensive player.
The video starts with Yashin demonstrating the moves down the ice and players following, then there is a few minutes of skating exercises for balance and it moves to the Russian Big Moves Puck Handling Sequence where the coaches demonstrate and the players do the same thing. This is a GREAT VIDEO for everyone to imporve puck handling.
When I talked with Iginla last week I mentioned to him that last season I saw him doing things I have never seen him do before like the back toe drag and putting it through his legs. He said that he has changed what he does at the start of each practice. Instead of just mindlessly skating and shooting the puck around now he gets a puck and practices all kinds of moves.
If players would do these big move exercises on their own for the first 5 minutes of each practice as a warm up the puck handling skills really improve.
'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'