Developing Stickhandling Skills: Drills and Exercises to Improve Stickhandling Abilities

Mastering stickhandling is a way for any hockey player to elevate their game. Better control over the puck means you can focus more on where you want to go on the ice, with the confidence that you can carry the puck with you and fend off basic defensive plays.

As you get more comfortable puck-handling and when you can more confidence with the puck, you’ll be ready to try out deking and stick-handling around real opponents in game situations.

Here are some effective drills and exercises to improve your stickhandling abilities, keeping you agile and confident on the ice.

Figure-Eight Drills

To set up this drill, place two cones or pucks about one stick-length apart. Start with the puck on your forehand side, then stickhandle the puck around the first cone, bringing it back to the center. Move the puck to your backhand and continue around the second cone, repeating this figure-eight pattern continuously.

Keep your head up, use both forehand and backhand sides, and maintain close puck control. Gradually increase the speed and practice with narrower or wider gaps between the cones for different difficulty levels.

Training Ball Drills

Use a training ball instead of a puck for this drill. Stickhandle the ball in various patterns such as circles, zig-zags, and straight lines. Try performing this drill on different surfaces (concrete, tiles, etc.) to adapt to varying resistances.

Training ball drills enhance hand-eye coordination and reflexes. For a greater challenge, use a smaller ball like a golf ball, to further improve your control and precision.

Toe Drag Drills

For toe drag drills, start by positioning the puck in front of you. Use the toe of your stick blade (the furthest point) to drag the puck towards you, then quickly move it back out. Practice toe-dragging the puck from side to side, simulating dodging an opponent.

This drill helps develop precise control using the toe of your blade and quick directional changes. At the end of a toe drag you can finish by incorporating a wrist shot to transition from handling to shooting, or add a fake shot before transitioning into a toe drag to mimic game situations.

On-Ice Obstacle Courses

Create an obstacle course using cones, pucks, or any small objects. Design a course that includes straight lines, sharp turns, and varying distances between obstacles, then stickhandle through the course, making quick changes in direction and speed.

Using obstacle courses simulates in-game scenarios, enhancing agility and control. For variation, time yourself and try to complete the course faster with each attempt, or add more obstacles for increased complexity.

Ball Drops

You can set up ball drops with a partner or rebounder board. Have a partner drop a ball from various heights and angles, then stickhandle to catch and control it before it hits the ground. 

This exercise helps improve reaction time and hand-eye coordination. Increase the speed and unpredictability of the drops, or use multiple balls for added difficulty.

Quick Hands Drill

Use a stickhandling ball or any small, light ball for this drill. Stickhandle the ball as fast as possible, making quick, small movements, keeping the ball close to your body, and switching directions frequently.

This drill enhances quickness and precision in stickhandling. Perform the drill while moving to simulate in-game scenarios, or use two balls simultaneously for an advanced challenge.

Balance Board Stickhandling

Stand on a balance board and stickhandle a ball or puck. Maintain your balance while performing various stickhandling moves.

This drill improves balance, core strength, and coordination. Try using different types of balance boards (e.g., wobble boards, BOSU balls) to vary the difficulty level.

Practical ways to improve your hockey game.

Developing stickhandling skills is a great way to elevate your game. By incorporating on and off-ice drills, you can enhance your agility, precision, and control. 

Find the right training aids from Lowry Sports to accelerate your improvement. Lowry Sports offers the highest quality training cones, pucks, balls, and shooting trainers to help you train like a pro!

Remember, by consistently refining your skills you’ll have more confidence in youre skills which will translate to your performance on the ice. Embrace these exercises and drills, and watch your stickhandling abilities soar.