Decisively Make the Best Available Play
In hockey, success often hinges on making smart, decisive plays rather than relying on hopeful, chance-driven moves. The mantra “Hockey plays, NOT Hope plays” the importance of strategic decision-making on the ice.
When you’re on the ice, every second counts. Instead of hoping for a lucky break, focus on making the best available play. This means scanning the ice, assessing your options quickly and choosing the one that maximizes your team’s advantage. Whether it’s a crisp pass, a well-timed shot, or a strategic dump-and-chase, the key is to act with purpose and precision.
3 Types of Plays
There are three types of plays you can make. In order of preference, they are:
- HOCKEY plays
- HEAVY plays
- HOPE plays
HOCKEY plays are passes or moves where you are attempting to make a play to a specific teammate or area. Hockey plays would also include making high-percentage SAFE plays (lob out of zone, dump in, chip to corner, etc.).
If you have nothing or you don't know where anyone is, that is the time to get HEAVY. We want to protect the puck, move to safe areas of the ice and wait for help. Get heavy on your stick and heavy on the puck.
We don't want to make HOPE plays. We don't want to just rim it around the boards or in front of the net and hope someone is there. Particularly, if we're doing it to avoid getting heavy (that’s wimpy).
Hockey Plays
Hockey plays are about improving the condition of the puck and giving your teammates opportunities (not problems).
- Effective Passing: Ensure your passes are accurate and timely to keep the play moving and maintain possession. We want to give our teammates the best chance to succeed rather than putting them in bad spots with our passes.
- Smart Shooting: Take shots that have a high probability of success, rather than just shooting for the sake of it. Look to make a play rather than taking low probability shots from distance.
- Puck Protection: Use your body and stickhandling skills to shield the puck from opponents, giving your team time to set up plays.
By focusing on these elements, you can transform hopeful plays into strategic, game-changing actions. Remember, in hockey, it’s not about luck—it’s about making the right plays at the right time.
Think of examples of different hockey plays and hope plays.