How Players Can Build Real Team Chemistry

How coaches and players build chemistry by lifting others up

Jan 14, 2024

Every coach talks about building a team, and everyone wants to be in a positive environment. Each person plays a role in building the environment they inhabit.

A great culture/environment is one where each person lifts others up. As the old saying goes… “Burning down your neighbor’s house doesn’t make yours look any better.”

Thus… less energy toward complaining about what is and more energy toward solutions and things you can control. Here are three examples of how players can build true team/partner/line chemistry.

Seeing Through A Common Lens

Teammates need to be on the same page. Part of that is seeing and understanding the game with a common lens.

I love this video below from Hall-of-Fame football players Ed Reed & Ray Lewis. They share their insights:

“There not a time when you shouldn’t be talking to each other.” - Ed Reed
“The most important thing: The young pieces you have playing with you, you’re going to have to get them to see it how you see it.” - Ray Lewis
“Watch.. nobody’s communicating. How can we play fast together [if we aren’t communicating]? You can’t. That’s how you get beat on [simple] plays like this.” - Ray Lewis
“We got to see everything together” - Ray Lewis

Many times this is in the locker room or film sessions. And this is the same reason there are team systems: to create collection understanding and expectations.

Area/Leading Passes

On the non-verbal variety, leading passes are fantastic ways to train your teammates.

Players can use an area pass to lead their teammates into spaces where they want them to skate into.

In the example below, Max Domi (puck carrier/passer) clearly wants Patrik Laine (off the puck/receiver) to drive into the space behind the defenders. Passing the puck into the space shows Laine where to go in the future. Eventually, this becomes automatic.

Tape-to-tape passes are good, but Tape-to-Space passes are the best.

Communication - On the Bench

One of the reasons the elite players are easy to play with is that they understand their roles, willing to play their roles and communicate with their teammates non-stop so their teammates understand what they are doing and where they like to go.

For example, Sidney Crosby is willing to do anything and encourages his teammates to be their own players. Jake Guentzel early on looked too much for Crosby and deferred to him.

“Don’t worry about looking for me. You can carry the mail coast to coast, alright?… I’ll read off of you”

Crosby took the pressure off his teammate and will read/react to his style. This makes the game much easier for everyone.

Building Chemistry & Culture

If each player and coach is building up each other, the culture will be superior and the chemistry will come naturally. The only way to do that is to do your job and communicate.

Communication is the lifeblood of team chemistry and getting on the same page. Communication should be non-stop…. Before, during, and after each shift and away from the ice… Verbally and non-verbally.

Further Reading