Off-Ice Training Tips For Goalies: Rebound Control (3 Drills )

The elite goalies in hockey limit their opponents to one shot and don’t give up second chance opportunities. Effectively controlling rebounds is an essential skill that requires frequent practice and can be included in your off ice hockey training program on Xtraice Home synthetic ice. This series of drills is intended as a warm up, designed to reinforce good habits and goaltending technique.

Drill 1: Low Shot Rebound Control – 10 Shots to each side

Simply have a shooter give you 10 shots to one side of the net and then repeat on the other side.  On each shot, drop to the butterfly position and actively use your stick to deflect the rebounds to the corners. Make sure to keep your eyes and head on the puck, watching it into your angled stick, and tracking it to the corner. Recover back to the post with a T-push.

Drills 2: Blocker Shots – 10 reps standing, 10 in butterfly

We’ll start off with 10 shots to the blocker while in the standing position to warm up.  Practice good technique by doing your best to get the face of the blocker on top of the puck. Avoid over-rotating your hand, instead focusing on small angling adjustments by a simple squeeze of your pinky finger. Track puck to the corner.

In the second round you’ll start in standing position and drop to butterfly for the shot, using your blocker to redirect it to the corner.  Remember to get the face of your blocker over the puck to angle it to the corner or up in the air.

Drils 3: T-push side to side with shot – 10 reps each side

Now that you’re warmed up and ready to go, let’s take it up a notch. Starting out on your left post, hinge out to get square on the shooter on the near, left side faceoff dot. Drop to your butterfly to mimic a stick save, recover to get square on the right side faceoff dot via T-push, before returning to the left side to face the shot.  The shooter can vary the height of the shot if you want to intensify the drills. Once you’ve completed 10 shots, have a quick rest and repeat from the other side of the net.

Limiting and controlling rebounds is vital to being an effective goalie and it’s a skill that needs to be practiced consistently.  Take these drills and add your own flavor and difficulty in order to challenge yourself. Keep at it and have fun!