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Stride-through wrist shot

Release a controlled wrist shot while forward skating continues, without first stopping or setting both feet.

10U · 12U · 14U+Intermediate7 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Stride-through wrist shot: player positions and movement 1StartRelease
1 skates toward the net and shoots while passing the release cone, then curves away below the net. The red arrow is the puck; the solid route continues after release. 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, Net

  1. Place Start 30 feet from an empty net, slightly to the player’s forehand side of center. Put a release cone 18 feet from the net and 5 feet to the side of the skating route. Use five pucks at Start.
  2. Carry one puck toward the net at an easy pace, with the puck on the forehand side. Begin the familiar wrist-shot motion as the player reaches the release cone.
  3. Release during the ongoing forward strides and continue for two strides afterward. Curve away from the net into an open finishing area; the cone marks timing, not an obstacle to dodge.
  4. Return outside the shooting lane for the next puck. After five shots, collect together only when the station is idle; repeat one set within seven minutes.
  5. Count shots on net made without a full stop or a two-foot setup pause. Start with pace slow enough to distinguish continuous skating from a rushed release.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Keep skating through the shot.” The puck release fits into travel rather than interrupting it.
  • Carry the puck where the forehand release can begin without a large sideways pull.
  • Aim low while learning the timing; speed is secondary to an uninterrupted sequence.

Common mistakes

  • Player stops beside the release cone. Try: rehearse carrying past it with two extra strides before adding a shot.
  • Puck is left behind the skates. Try: use a closer carry position and slower travel.
  • Player races into a rushed swing. Try: reduce the approach to a comfortable two-stride rhythm.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: release while coasting forward, then build toward continuous strides.
  • Harder: shift the release cone 3 feet earlier between sets and keep the same approach pace.
Research context & source notes

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

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