Thinking the Game – Defensively

Coach Chic’s Hockey Podcast 70

By CoachC | January 1, 2026
Coach Chic’s Hockey Podcast 66

Don’t forget to grab all you can from this awesome site, and make this coming month one to truly remember…

Mastering Hockey Tempo Changes

By CoachC | December 23, 2025
Mastering Hockey Tempo Changes

Tempo is the speed and rhythm of the game, and learning how to change it at the right moments can separate smart players from players who only rely on speed. Hockey is not played at one constant pace. The best teams know when to attack fast, when to slow things down, and how to control momentum during a shift, a period, or an entire game.

Building Confidence After a Bad Shift

By CoachC | December 21, 2025
Building Confidence After a Bad Shift

Every hockey player has experienced a bad shift. It might be a turnover that leads to a goal, a missed assignment in the defensive zone, or a penalty taken at the worst possible time. In those moments, confidence can disappear fast. Players often replay the mistake over and over in their minds, and before they know it, one bad shift turns into a bad period or even a bad game.

Teaching Smart Line Change Timing

By CoachC | December 15, 2025
Teaching Smart Line Change Timing

A poorly timed line change can turn a good shift into a breakaway against, while a smart change can keep pressure on the opponent and lead directly to scoring chances. Learning how to time line changes correctly is not about being fancy or fast. It is about reading the game, communicating with teammates, and understanding responsibility…

Unlocking Better Gap Control

By CoachC | December 10, 2025
Unlocking Better Gap Control

When defensemen master gap control, they force opponents into bad decisions, limit dangerous scoring chances, and make the game feel slower and easier. When gap control is weak, even slower forwards suddenly look fast, and even simple rushes can feel overwhelming. Learning to manage that space effectively can completely change the way a defenseman plays in the neutral zone and inside the defensive zone.

Improving Hockey Reaction Speed

By CoachC | December 3, 2025
Improving Hockey Reaction Speed

Hockey moves too fast for anyone to rely on instinct alone. Players must be able to see what is happening, process the information quickly, and respond in a way that supports their team. This is one of the biggest separators between average players and impact players. Reaction speed isn’t only about how fast someone can skate; it’s about reading plays, adjusting on the fly, and making confident decisions in a split second.

Coach Chic’s Hockey Podcast 69

By CoachC | December 1, 2025
Coach Chic’s Hockey Podcast 66

Don’t forget to grab all you can from this awesome site, and make this coming month one to truly remember…

Late Bloomers in Hockey Training

By CoachC | November 5, 2025
Late Bloomers in Hockey Training

In the world of hockey, players often develop at very different speeds. Some seem to dominate early, skating faster, shooting harder, and standing taller than everyone else. Others, though, might take a little longer to grow into their game. These are the late bloomers, the players who might not catch everyone’s attention at age twelve…

Coach Chic’s Hockey Podcast 68

By CoachC | November 1, 2025
Coach Chic’s Hockey Podcast 66

Don’t forget to grab all you can from this awesome site, and make this coming month one to truly remember…

Breaking the Pressure Cycle and Resetting After a Mistake

By CoachC | October 30, 2025
Breaking the Pressure Cycle and Resetting After a Mistake

Every hockey player, no matter how talented or experienced, has made a mistake that felt like the end of the world in the middle of a game. Maybe it was a turnover that led to a goal, a missed open net, or a bad penalty that gave the other team momentum. What often happens next is what really matters…