Alongside skating, puck handling is one of the base skills in the game of hockey. While mainly overlooked by shooting or stickhandling, puckhandling is at the core of all of the great offensive hockey plays and even some great defensive ones too.
What is Puck Handling?
On the surface, puck handling looks like the ability to keep the puck on your stick. Receiving passes, having it on your stick while you skate up the ice, and keeping it away from opposing players. At first, younger players become better at cradling the puck on their forehand, keeping pace up the ice as they skate faster or make turns. Next, you become comfortable on your forehand and backhand at faster speeds. These are all of the basics of puck handling and get mastered over time as you continue to play and practice as you get older.
What's the next level of puck handling?
While all of the above may seem like everything you need to be a good puck handler, there are a ton of small details that separate a good puck handler from a great one, and even the great ones from the best ones. The continued viral growth of stickhandling tricks and dekes puts some of the best puck handlers on display, from toe drags, to puck chip ups, to the Michigan move, these days it seems like most players are incorporating these skills into their game. Being able to stickhandle out of a tight situation in the corner or navigate defenders in front of the net to score is what can separate the good from the great. Even on defense, being able to safely get the puck from your end into the neutral zone and onto your forwards' tape is a huge advantage rather than just flinging the puck out of the zone.
What do Elite Puck Handlers Do?
The best way to figure this out is to watch them during the NHL and PWHL seasons! They manage the puck against some of the best defenders in the world and work creatively with their teammates to create opportunities. Watch how Connor McDavid handles the puck as he skates down the ice faster than anyone else on the planet, or watch how Kirill Kaprizov maneuvers the puck to constantly be in a position to pass, shoot, or make another move, or how Sidney Crosby always comes away with the puck in the corners. Seeing the small details and choices these players make and working on them yourself is a great way to continue to become a better puck handler.
How do I become an Elite Puck handler?
There's only one way to keep bringing your puck handling skills to the next level, and that's with practice. The best players take every opportunity to work on their hands, whether it's by always having a puck on your stick in practice or taking the time at home to work with a stickhandling ball, working pucks on a training device like the SweetHands 2.0, or playing on the pond or street with friends. There are no cheat codes or shortcuts to getting to the top level of puck handling, and you can always get better, so keep working on this skill continuously!
