Buffalo Prospects
Main Development Themes
Even recognizing the risk that the specific components of our Program will surely be taken
and plagiarized, we are laying out our themes in more detail than ever before.
For the first time, we are also going so far as to provide the coaches with sample practice
plans. They are free to use these, or to incorporate their own material that relates to our
main teaching points for the given night.
As has been the case since we started, our #1 themes have always been individual skill
development (which is critical to climb to the next level) and creativity (which is often
crushed by some coaches implementing stifling systems trying to “win” so that they can
boost their own egos).
Over the years we have also quietly emphasized themes centered on battling and
competing. We are going to take these to the forefront this Spring. We will devote time to
these important areas in every session.
In team sessions T-2 and T-3 we are going to do a little bit of systems stuff (forecheck, d
zone, power play, penalty kill) to make sure everyone on the team is up to speed and on
the same page. We are not going to spend much practice ice on these topics thereafter.
Each Team session will be laid out as follows:
• Skating (20 min)
• Passing (10 min)
• Battling (10 min)
• Multitasking including Stickhandling, Passing (15 min)
• Competitive games (15 min)
Each Clinic will be laid out as follows:
• Skating (20 min)
• Special Topic (50 min)
Each 3v3 Game session will be laid out as follows:
• Skating (20 min)
• 3v3, 4v4 (50 min)
Our skating will utilize a broad set of drills I have developed using 16 cones. They will
address many important skating skills.
Given that time is short and we have so much to cover, we do not feel it necessary to
introduce hundreds of drills. We will do a set of solid, productive drills repeatedly. We
know this formula produces complete players.
Main Development Themes
Even recognizing the risk that the specific components of our Program will surely be taken
and plagiarized, we are laying out our themes in more detail than ever before.
For the first time, we are also going so far as to provide the coaches with sample practice
plans. They are free to use these, or to incorporate their own material that relates to our
main teaching points for the given night.
As has been the case since we started, our #1 themes have always been individual skill
development (which is critical to climb to the next level) and creativity (which is often
crushed by some coaches implementing stifling systems trying to “win” so that they can
boost their own egos).
Over the years we have also quietly emphasized themes centered on battling and
competing. We are going to take these to the forefront this Spring. We will devote time to
these important areas in every session.
In team sessions T-2 and T-3 we are going to do a little bit of systems stuff (forecheck, d
zone, power play, penalty kill) to make sure everyone on the team is up to speed and on
the same page. We are not going to spend much practice ice on these topics thereafter.
Each Team session will be laid out as follows:
• Skating (20 min)
• Passing (10 min)
• Battling (10 min)
• Multitasking including Stickhandling, Passing (15 min)
• Competitive games (15 min)
Each Clinic will be laid out as follows:
• Skating (20 min)
• Special Topic (50 min)
Each 3v3 Game session will be laid out as follows:
• Skating (20 min)
• 3v3, 4v4 (50 min)
Our skating will utilize a broad set of drills I have developed using 16 cones. They will
address many important skating skills.
Given that time is short and we have so much to cover, we do not feel it necessary to
introduce hundreds of drills. We will do a set of solid, productive drills repeatedly. We
know this formula produces complete players.
