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Off-target reception box

Adjust the feet and blade to receive a slightly misplaced pass, settle it, and return an accurate pass.

8U · 10U · 12UBeginner6 minutes2–2 players
Original drill diagram
Off-target reception box: player positions and movement 21
2 passes to either side of 1’s box. The dashed lines are alternative feeds, not simultaneous pucks; the short solid arrow shows one adjustment toward the lower option. Reset in the middle each time. Original schematic; not to scale. Circles with numbers or letters mark players. Other markers and arrows are explained in the caption; some diagrams show puck or ball movement instead of skating. Red arrows show shots. Follow the written setup for spacing.

How to run it

Equipment: Skates, Hockey protective equipment, Cones, Stick, Pucks

  1. Mark a receiving box 6 feet wide and 4 feet deep with four cones. Receiver 1 starts in its middle; passer 2 stands 12 feet in front with one puck. Both players use sticks.
  2. Passer 2 sends a gentle flat pass a little to the receiver’s left or right, always inside the box. Begin with the side announced before release.
  3. Receiver 1 moves one or two small steps toward the line of the puck, presents the blade, and lets the blade give slightly as the puck arrives. Settle before returning the pass.
  4. Reset in the middle after each exchange. Make eight passes, swap roles, and complete another set. If both sets succeed, repeat with the side unannounced within six minutes.
  5. Count passes received inside the box and returned within the passer’s stick reach. Do not count a stretched poke that sends the puck away without possession.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Move to the puck, soften the catch.” Feet adjust the receiving position before the hands reach far.
  • Use whichever blade face meets the puck naturally rather than turning the whole body for every pass.
  • The passer’s job is to create a reachable adjustment, not to defeat the receiver.

Common mistakes

  • Receiver reaches with straight arms and stays planted. Try: slow the feed and ask for one step before contact.
  • Puck rebounds off the blade. Try: receive with a small giving motion instead of pushing back at the puck.
  • Passer sends it outside the box. Try: announce the side and aim halfway from the middle to the cone.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: shorten the passing distance to 8 feet and alternate announced left/right feeds.
  • Harder: mix central, left, and right feeds without announcing, keeping them gentle and within the box.
Research context & source notes

Background sources for this drill’s skills and teaching principles.

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