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Stickhandling / On ice

One-hand open-ice carry

Carry a puck with the top hand alone for a short open-ice segment, then restore a two-hand grip without losing the puck.

10U · 12UIntermediate6 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
One-hand open-ice carry: player positions and movement 1StartReachRecover
1 carries right. The dot begins close to the player; the offset middle route indicates a slightly extended puck position during the one-hand segment. Reach and Recover are grip-change cues, not obstacles. 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 straight 25-foot lane with Start, Reach at 8 feet, and Recover at 17 feet using cones beside the route. Leave room beyond the lane for stopping. Begin with one puck and a normal two-hand grip.
  2. Carry slowly toward Reach. Remove the lower hand while keeping the top hand at the stick knob, and guide the puck slightly ahead and to a comfortable side of the body.
  3. Between Reach and Recover, use small blade contacts to keep the puck within a reach that does not pull the torso off balance. Use the blade face that stays comfortably against the puck; do not force a fully extended arm.
  4. At Recover, replace the lower hand and gather the puck closer before stopping. Return outside the lane with two hands. Complete five trips with brief rests within six minutes.
  5. Count one-hand segments followed by a clean two-hand recovery without a chase. Reach distance is secondary to keeping the puck available for the next action.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “One hand carries, two hands collect.” Make the grip transition deliberate.
  • Keep the free hand near the shaft so it can return promptly.
  • Use short guiding touches rather than batting the puck several strides ahead.

Common mistakes

  • Puck runs beyond reach. Try: shorten the one-hand segment and make smaller touches.
  • Player bends sideways to reach. Try: bring the puck nearer the body and reduce speed.
  • Lower hand grabs the shaft too late. Try: start the regrip a stride before Recover.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: rehearse one-hand control while stationary, then carry for only two gliding strides.
  • Harder: add a brief look toward the finish during the one-hand segment while keeping the same reachable puck position.
Research context & source notes

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

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