The Two Biggest Differences Between High & Low-Level Hockey
How pivoting & pass receivers compare at high vs low-level hockey
Today I wanted to quickly highlight two common differences often seen between high-level and lower-level hockey.
1) Pass Receivers
At lower levels, players start playing hockey when they receive the puck.
At higher levels, players start playing hockey before they receive the puck
Elite pass receivers are moving before they ever touch the puck. By the time the pass gets to them, they are in an advantageous situation.
Playing Hockey In The Future vs In The Present
One of the key areas players must work through when developing is leveraging teamwork. While there is plenty of dialogue about the player with the puck, the best - like Hockey IQ Podcast guest and Hockey Hall Of Famer Martin St. Louis - talk about the players
A rule of thumb is that, at lower levels, the players are the limiting factor in playing quick hockey. At the higher levels, the puck is the limiting factor in playing quick hockey.
2) Pivoting
At lower levels, players pivot to the puck and worry about chasing the puck down.
At higher levels, players pivot and worry about controlling the opponent’s ability to get to the puck.
Control the player, don’t be like a dog chasing the puck.
Offense & Defense
On offense, moving before receiving the puck.
On defense, control the space and your opponent.
Further Reading