Hockey drills you can practise in the game
Real hockey players get better through drills: short, focused repetitions of one skill until it's automatic. The same idea works in a hockey game. Instead of just playing game after game, spend a few minutes on one skill at a time. You'll be surprised how fast it shows up when it counts. Here are ten drills for Brudvig Hockey, each based on a real hockey drill and adapted to the game.
A note on how to run them: Brudvig Hockey has no separate practice mode, so these drills happen inside a normal game against the computer. That's fine, and it's closer to real practice anyway, where drills run at game speed with someone trying to stop you. Pick one drill per game, or per period, and focus on it even if it costs you a goal.
Before you start
- Know the buttons. ✕ pass (hold for a saucer), □ shoot (tap wrist, hold slap; dive on defense), ○ check (hold to wind up), △ spin with the puck, poke check without. Full details in how to play Brudvig Hockey.
- Pick a camera you like. The ⚙️ settings let you choose the broadcast view or the side view, and zoom in or out. A wider view helps for passing drills.
- Count something. Every drill below has something to count. Write it down and try to beat it next time.
Drill 1: Tape-to-tape passing
The real drill: two players pass back and forth while skating, working on giving and receiving a pass in stride.
In the game: for one full period, don't shoot until your team has made three passes in a row in the attacking zone. Point the stick at the teammate you want before you let go of ✕.
Count: completed passes before a turnover.
What it teaches: passes go to where a teammate is going, not where he is. Pointing the stick early is the habit that makes passes land.
Drill 2: Cross-ice one-timers
The real drill: a passer on one side feeds a shooter on the other side, who shoots without stopping the puck.
In the game: carry the puck down one side, pass across the front of the net to a teammate on the far side, and press □ just as it reaches him. Try it every time you enter the zone for a period.
Count: one-timers attempted and scored.
What it teaches: timing. Too early and nothing happens; too late and it's an ordinary shot after he's stopped the puck. The sweet spot is right as the puck arrives.
Drill 3: Slap shot wind-up timing
The real drill: shooting slap shots from the point with a full and a half wind-up, working on getting it off quickly.
In the game: when you have space at the top of the zone, hold □ for different lengths: a short hold, a medium one and a full wind-up. Notice how much harder the full one is, and how often a defender gets to you first.
Count: slap shots that reach the net versus ones that get blocked or interrupted.
What it teaches: when you have time for a big wind-up and when you don't.
Drill 4: Quick release in close
The real drill: pucks fed into the slot, and shooters release in one motion with no extra stickhandling.
In the game: for one period, every shot from inside the faceoff circles must be a quick tap of □, a wrist shot. No wind-ups in close.
Count: goals from wrist shots.
What it teaches: in tight, speed of release beats power. Goalies need time to set, so don't give it to them.
Drill 5: Dangles past a defender
The real drill: skating at a defender (or a cone), moving the puck side to side to get around him.
In the game: skate at a defender and, just as he reaches for the puck, flick the stick quickly to the other side. The puck goes wide, and a poke check from the side you left misses.
Count: defenders beaten one-on-one.
What it teaches: timing the deke to the defender's reach, not doing it too early, when he can just follow you.
Drill 6: Spin out of pressure
The real drill: protecting the puck along the boards, turning away from checks.
In the game: when a defender lines you up, press △ to spin a moment before the hit lands, then look to pass right away.
Count: successful spins that keep the puck.
What it teaches: that a spin buys you a second, and the best use of that second is usually a pass.
Drill 7: Wind-up hit timing
The real drill: angling a puck carrier toward the boards and finishing the check.
In the game: hold ○ as a carrier skates toward you and let it go when he's close. Alternate with quick taps when he's already beside you.
Count: hits that knock the puck loose. The end-of-game screen also shows each team's total hits.
What it teaches: a held check is bigger but takes a moment to land. Reading the distance is the skill.
Drill 8: Dive to block
The real drill: defenders practise getting into shooting lanes and going down to block shots safely.
In the game: on defense, without the puck, when a shooter winds up in front of your net or a pass is heading across, press □ to dive in that direction. Your skater lays out and slides, blocking the puck, and a carrier who skates into him trips.
Count: blocks, and dives that missed.
What it teaches: commitment. A dive takes you off your feet for a moment, so diving too early lets the carrier skate around you. Wait until the shot or pass is coming.
Drill 9: Stay between the puck and the net
The real drill: defensemen skate backwards in front of an attacker, keeping their body between him and the net.
In the game: on defense, instead of charging the carrier, back off while facing him, staying between him and your goal. Your skater skates backwards when you do this. Then use a poke check (△) or a hit when he commits.
Count: rushes against that end without a shot.
What it teaches: patience. Positioning stops more goals than big hits.
Drill 10: Saucer over the block
The real drill: lifting a pass over a stick laid across the ice.
In the game: when a defender is between you and your teammate, hold ✕ for a moment before letting go. The longer you hold, the higher the saucer pass goes.
Count: saucer passes that reach a teammate.
What it teaches: how much hold you need. Too little and it's picked off; too much and it's hard to handle.
Putting drills together
Once single drills feel easy, combine them, the way real practices do:
- Dangle, then pass: beat a defender with a flick, then pass across for a one-timer (drills 5 and 2).
- Block, then break: dive to block a shot, then switch to the skater nearest the loose puck and go (drills 8 and 1).
- Hit, then shoot: knock the puck loose with a hit and release a quick wrist shot before the goalie sets (drills 7 and 4).
A 20-minute practice plan
- Game 1 (about 7 minutes): period 1 passing (drill 1), period 2 one-timers (drill 2), period 3 quick release (drill 4).
- Game 2: period 1 dangles (drill 5), period 2 hits (drill 7), period 3 diving to block (drill 8).
- Game 3: play to win, using everything.
Then challenge a friend and see if it shows.
Why drills work, in hockey and in games
Skills become automatic through focused repetition, ideally a little harder than is comfortable. Playing whole games is great, but in a game you might try a one-timer twice. In a drill period you try it twenty times. That difference adds up fast. It's also why real players practise off the ice: see how to shoot a hockey puck for real-life shooting drills.
Drills for two
Drills work against a friend too, and they make a nice change from straight games. Agree on a focus before you start:
- One-timers only: only goals scored as one-timers count.
- No hits: win the puck back only with poke checks and dives. You'll learn positioning fast.
- Wrist shots only: no wind-ups allowed. It rewards quick hands and good angles.
- Defense day: one player is only allowed to defend for a period while the other attacks, then swap. Count shots allowed.
Set up a game with play Brudvig Hockey with a friend.
Tracking progress
The end-of-game screen shows shots and hits for both teams. Note them after each game, along with your drill counts. Over a week you'll see the numbers move: more shots, fewer shots against, more hits that win the puck. Those are the same numbers real coaches watch.
Keep going
More reading: hockey game tips for beginners, Brudvig Hockey tips and tactics and famous hockey moves. Or skip the reading and start drill 1 now.