Publisher: Firefly Books; Second Edition, Revised and Expanded (December 22, 2017)
Language: English
Paperback: 160 pages
ISBN-10: 1770859756
ISBN-13: 978-1770859753
Item Weight: 1.1 pounds
Dimensions: 7.75 x 0.44 x 9.75 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #109,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #3 in Hockey Coaching #74 in Winter Sports (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.7 out of 5 stars 64Reviews
Product Information
From the Publisher
TAKE YOUR GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL!
Following the success of the first edition, Play Better Hockey has been retooled with even more individual skill advancements for the modern player.
Starting with a focus on body positioning, skating technique and stick work, Ron Davidson’s progressive-learning approach provides players with the fundamentals of how to move effectively on the ice in any gameplay situation. The skills Davidson presents readers are the same that Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews use to dominate the NHL. The second edition of Play Better Hockey also delivers readers a new set of dynamic team and skill drills that are sure to challenge players and make practice exciting!
Players will learn how to skate, pass, shoot and deke like the pros with highly detailed skill descriptions, precision photographs of NHL stars and comprehensive illustrations.
Author RON DAVIDSON is a former member of Canada’s national team. As an advanced-level coach he has run clinics for the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes and Ottawa Senators. Ron directs UltraSkills hockey school and was the on-ice director for Hockey Night in Canada’s “Think Hockey,” as well as the Hyundai Hockey Nation tour.
Skills illustrated and explained
Leg Extension from the Drive
Leg is extended so that you drive straight back. The ankle is extended down and away from you, driving the inside edge of your blade at the ball of your foot into the ice.
Cross-Over
Recover your drive skate in toward your body and cross it over your gliding skate, which will have pivoted so that your heel is pointing toward your intended direction of travel.
Cross-Under
Your original drive skate is the glide skate during your cross-under. Extend your cross-under leg behind the heel of your glide skate. Rotate and extend your ankle on your cross-under skate to drive from the outside edge at the pad of your foot. Recover this skate underneath your body and beside your glide skate, and tap the insides of your skates together before striding with your original drive skate.
Techniques of the pros deconstructed
Fake Slap Shot to Slap Pass
Troy Stecher, positioned at the point, executes a slap shot backswing.
He brings his stick down and changes the angle of the shot...
...by keeping his bottom hand low on the shaft and moving his top hand out and away from his body.
The result is a fake slap shot turned into a slap pass.