This is very true. I played from Pee Wee to Juniors and beer leagues. I started as a wing but as I grew and gained weight as a teen my skating speed suffered and was made a defenseman.
Last season my stats were 51 goals and 35 assists and I was a game changer but this year they are 3goals in 6 games can you make a video about how to get out of a drought
last year I was a grinder, so this off season I've been working on skating (cause thats what I needed to work on the most) and now I'm an all rounder. I have the rest of summer to work on being a playmaker/sniper and I think Im accomplishing that right now. Im good, but I wanna great
Mentally sometimes I’m a lost puppy, but my hands are good and I skate pretty well and try hard. So I would consider myself a all-around It’s my first year on travel so there’s so many things I didn’t learn on house, like basic stuff. This year I learned how to defend as a winger.
I'm a center, I am a solid back checker and I see my self as a playmaker. The main skills that I have to work on are deflections and puck protection, but I need other people if I want to work on those skills
Moist bagels don't EVER make excuses. That's a weak mindset. Figure out a way to work on them on your own. Make something up. Or FIND someone to work on it with you. Do whatever it takes.
Hi coach my coach says I have all the talent in the world he says I’m a great skater and I have a great shot but he says I need to work on positioning do you have any tips?
I would say I'm a game changer. My team always count on me to score to even the game or to win, I can score and make plays too ( 24 goals, 24 assists in 20 games this year) So I would say I'm a mix of playmaker/game changer.
My coach put a grinder (almost a lost puppy) on the first line, I’m a sniper and have decent hands but no one passes it to me and the coach never takes advantage of my shot, I’m on the 3rd line with someone who’s a lost puppy
First thing we teach our players is to stop making excuses. Right now you're blaming everyone else but yourself and that's the truth. That mindset will never get you anywhere. All great players face adversity. Stop making excuses, work harder, be humble, and work even more. You can get mad or you can get even.
247 Hockey I work my ass off in practice all the time, i practice at home and in the summer i train a lot but it doesn’t matter anymore because my season is over and he quit coaching, I’m still going to continue practicing and working hard on and off the ice but it doesn’t help when my coach would yell at you for simply losing the puck, my friend quit hockey because of him, he would call my friend a bastard and say that he isn’t even playing hockey out there even though my friend always tried his hardest
Im an all rounder but this year im one of the oldest player on my team. probably an "A" or "C" so im gonna need to become a game changer a lot of food in my plate but im ready for it
Can we have a video on best choices of action when obtaining the puck. For example, dump and chase vs a pass to a forward or to bring the puck up the ice yourself. I’ve played for many years and I often times see unskilled players just dump the puck in the opposition’s hands because they don’t know what to do with it once they have it.
I would be an elite playmaker close to gamechanger if I had better hands and more confidence with the puck. but even with my lack of hands I'm still a good defensive center who destroys in the faceoff circle and helping out on D. any tips to get the hands in check?
Is it most likely that the top 3 player types are the ones who are the 1st liners and end up playing major junior or is just the game changers that tend to make it to a high level? I see it as your game changer is the elite players and the playmaker and snipers are the top 6 players that can still produce but just need to focus a bit more on their weaknesses. Great video btw!
Not always, but they have the bets shot. Even the best players on the team won't make those higher level teams. They only make the best of the best. Being game changer gives you the best shot, but you need to dominate every game consistently. Glad the video helped. Take our FREE skill changing to start working on improving your playmaking skills: 247hockey.com/skill
Hey bud, you got any vids on how to improve my power behind my shots as everything is improving, e.g. Passing, setting up plays, defending but I'm struggling to get the puck off hard enough and fast enough to compete with the better goalies as I'm quickly moving up leagues
Couple of things I would add to anyone looking to improve: No matter your skill level, you should always be the hardest working player in a game. Win your puck battles along the boards. Get to the dirty areas in front of the goal to generate scoring chances and eliminate scoring chances for your opponent. Always be skating while you’re on the rink. Standing still makes you easier to defend and easier to beat as a defender. Don’t take stupid penalties! Play defense with your feet - just like one would play in basketball. Reaching with your hands or stick makes you vulnerable to bad defense and susceptible to penalties. Focus on where your opponent is or is not rather than simply watching the puck. Find areas to create space so you can free yourself and teammates to score by making the opponent have to defend you. Same applies in your own end. Be responsible defending and help cover the slot in front of your goal. Play to the whistle! If a shot is put on the opposing goalie, force them to hold it until that whistle. Make your presence felt. Too many players see a shot taken, assume a whistle and just skate away. Get to the net! Every time! Keep the opponent on their guard. Same while defending. Get to your goalie at the whistle to provide any support.
I don't know why I'm watching this, I'm 40, I teach English, but it's so interesting, brings back the good old times when I played hockey with my friends in 90-92 or something, following NHL, arguing over players and teams... "Those were the best days of ma life" (c) Brian Adams
I’m a reliable two way Centre Great at face-offs and defense. can chip in on goals and assist, always trying to help out the wingers and defense and working hard for the puck to our possession. I compare myself to A Nugent Hopkins or a Bergeron
That's a great spot to be in, but just remember you can ALWAYS add offensive skills to become a better playmaker while you are still solid defensively. Players like Bergeron were HUGE offensive threats in Junior hockey and they dominating offensively and defensively. Keep working on those skills and become a gamechanger!
I am a grinder, I work very hard on the ice I get into dirty areas and I get complimented because of it. But I also wanna move up into higher levels of hockey and I feel like the biggest things holding me back is my stickhandling and my hockey sense isn’t horrible but it needs to get better in the Neutral zone, and I study hockey a lot but when I am on the ice I feel like I get scared and sometimes cough up the puck, could you do a video on how to not get nervous with the puck?
Just get more comfortable with the puck by practicing more. Improve your knowledge by asking questions. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, learn from them
Love this video! I've always been a grinder and I really wanted to be a more valuable player to my team. I always knew I wasn't a sniper and let that hold be back. But I can be a playmaker instead! I really want to take the heart and hustle of my grinder and adapt that into a playmaker role. I love getting those apples!
I've always been a playmaker. Problem is, at some level people expected me to be a gamechanger or a sniper, but I'm not. I have an average shot and I'm not the best skater, I just create good opportunities for everyone but I can't do it by myself most of the time. Honestly it's frustrating, so I'm working on my killer instinct.
Keep doing what you do best and work a little bit every week and leveling up your weaknesses. Improving your skating and shooting will also make a huge impact on your ability to be a better playmaker as well.
Hey Zac , how do you set goals to improve skills ? Like yes I'm shooting pucks and stickhandling but I feel like I'm going through motions. For example if you want to improve squats you can check if the weight is going up or not. How do I measure stickhandling, shooting and even agility ?
Great question, not everything is measurable but you need a plan to train with intensity and do the right drills. Ultimate measure of progress is your results ON THE ICE. We do have challenges that you can track off the ice to measure your skills and try to beat your score. Start with our free sniper challenge at 247hockey.com/sniper
I was the ultimate gamechanger in my league for several years but I moved up like 6 levels very quickly from there and was a lost puppy on my best teams. When I look back at how I played, I was sooo dumb - the worst kind of tunnel-vision on only the net. I'm about to play again in beer league after 15 years for the first time, and I'm excited to see if I'll play any smarter.
@@nicknogalo1535 bitch nah maybe that was you. I was a pretty boy dangler with a very one-dimensional, attack-the-middle only playstyle and it didn't translate properly to AAA. I never switched it up and got buried in the line up over the course of the season. and then I quit
im like mid way between play maker and all around. i have excellent speed and foot work but lack in full puck control. i used to play college level d2 hockey back then i was definitely better but now with work in the way Ive deteriorated. i have really good hockey sense as well. ( doesnt help that my beer league team i play for puts me as a defensemen when i was a forward for my entire career.)
if you're starting as a defensive all-arounder whats the most logical progression to the second level? I'm thinking playmaker but is it still possible to be a blue line sniper?
Can't say enough about positioning and hockey sense. I'm definitely at that smart level and while I train off-ice it's likely I won't be moving up anymore. I play club hockey in college and I'm 31. Missed all the good years of hockey while I was in the Marines, but I still love to play. That being said, lots of guys on my team and the teams we play against played high level juniors so it's definitely very competitive. I play second pair defense and eat a lot of minutes and I think the biggest reason for that is because of positioning and hockey sense, being able to read the play etc. The coach has never shied away from putting me out there in clutch situations even though I'm pretty middle of the pack skill-wise. Even though I'm often totally outclassed skill-wise by some of these young dudes, I'm out there defending against them and doing okay just because of positioning, playing disciplined hockey and making smart choices with the puck. Not to say I don't get burned from time to time, or that there isn't huge room for improvement. But being a smart player that knows his/her position just pays so much dividends it's crazy how little some of the more talented players don't seem to pay attention to that aspect of their game. I play almost half the game while some guys that are better than I am sit, just because they aren't coachable or do the wrong thing at the wrong time (hello trying to puck handle with your sick skills through three defenders). You see these guys in the NHL who are normally third-liners, but can play up and down the lineup and in all situations. That's cause of their hockey knowledge, their positioning, their consistency, not so much their dazzling skill. But in a clutch situation they can slide in there on a higher line with the more skilled guys and just might make the difference when it counts.
two things helped me a lot a couple years ago. a shorter stick and playing lower on skates. Let me explain. Played as a defensemen also for many years and I had this relatively long stick for obvious reasons. Big guy, played heavy (240 pds +) with very limited skill stick. I had the goon role let's say with a killer shot, but had more potential than that. Started training a lot during an injury, lost a couple pounds and gain massive mobility. But I was done with the game by then. So I played forward for fun on outside rinks and beer league later on. I then experienced the feeling of playing with shorter sticks. gained some serious skillstick! I could create the space I needed to make the play. it was a real relevation 'cause having a shorter stick meant to play with a lower "gravitational center". My skating abilities grew exponentially. These newly acquired skills changed my role on the ice litterally since it modified the way I saw the game; since it opened so many doors I would not have dare to open before; it gave me the opportunity to put my focus on something else than the physical/defensive game. I play center... and my old teamates I considered like skilled players -the ones that went on the next level- were surprised when we met back years ago.
I agree 100% about how important it is. Don't discount how important skills are though. The 3rd and 4th liners in the NHL have INSANELY good skills. The more you improve your skills, the more it highlights your hockey sense and and positioning knowledge and you can execute on the plays you read. Thanks for the comment!
I made you the head coach of my team in NHL 20 for PlayStation 4 it's the closest I'll ever get to the ice but you seem like a great coach and even better person so you are now the coach of my Buffalo Sabres don't let me down sir your video certainly don't greetings from the best city in the world and the home of the Stanley Cup in the very near future Buffalo New York go Sabres
In lower level hockey I'd say the "sniper" is almost below grinder in some cases because doesn't back check, pass, or check well in a lot of cases and just calls for the pass but can shoot somewhat ok lol 30+ years experience playing so I've seen a lot of them so called snipers, with bad plus minus too not to mention
Every team needs grinders. Just make sure you level up your skills as well. You can be a grinder and still be a playmaker or sniper and then become more of an all around player.
Same here. I can't stick handle, receive, or make goals worth a damn but I have a knack for being where I need to be when and getting in the face of anyone trying to turn the play over. I spent an hour watching positioning videos before my last game and it was easily the best game I had ever skated just by knowing how to react to the play.
I’m a 1st line centre who scores goals and makes plays. I have trouble controlling emotions on the ice. Like taking dumb penalties and that’s what really ruins my game as a hockey player. Any tips?
We will make a video on that. If you know it's a problem, you have to think about what sets you off and use visualization and mental training to practice and start to identify situations before they happen. It's a process, try just to work on the NEXT time you feel like you are going to lose your emotions to pull yourself back in. If you can do it once, you can do it everytime. Look on the video this coming soon.
All around can be sniper or playmaker more, ._.., all often more playmaker but its individual, me i was cente and i was the more quick , so often i go i the wings, and i develop touhness around the rink, but yeah i understand that score is not my ultimate goal
Very useful video. I would say I'm at the All-round stage, but I have recently changed team. My team now isn't as good, so I'm filling in more of a playmaker role.
My skills are at same level that my team gamechangers but im not that confidence with the puck that them, so how i can learn to be more confidence with the puck?
Just work on it. Those other skills are key, improve your skating a little bit everyday. Work on off-ice and on-ice drills to improve knee bend, stride angle, stride power, single leg balance, etc.
Hey Zac, what do you think my role is? I work super hard, hardest in the team. I am probably the most skilled person on the team. My stick handling and shooting are a lot better than others and i am one of the fast skaters also. But every time, I go out on the ice, i feel like i have no impact other than forechecking. I hardly get the puck and so when i get it, i have almost have no confidence. I trained tons in the summer and still train but i've only been playing hockey for 2 years. I need to become a Game Changer soon if I am going to move on to Midget Rep next year. Can you tell me what I am missing?
Sounds like you have the skills to be a gamechanger but you are stuck in "lost puppy" mode. Need to learn how to think the game and train you rmindset so you can use your skills properly. Read the book "hockey tough".
Hey Zac, i'd say im a sniper but i have excellent hands / fastest head up and down for my age group (2004) for my city , but there is one problem i cant seem to peform my hands as well as i do off ice on the ice. so its kinda like a waste of talent do you have any tips ..? also i'm trying to work on my defensive skills because i can backcheck hard but in the D zone im not the greatest so ill also need suggestions on that too... that is something that could really bump me down in the tryouts.
Practice GAME SITUATIONS under pressure. Force yourself to perform specific game situations and setup drills that simulate plays you are trying to make in a game. Then go through them at TOP speed. You have to learn how to execute those skilled plays in games.
I see your point but typically a coach will refer to an all-around player as someone who plays well offensively and defensively but doesn't make a huge offensive impact on that game.
Really talented power forwards can fit into the gamechanger category, but often times unless they are producing a significant amount of offense they are a grinder.
Sorry Hunter, we just weren't meant to be. To bad your attention bad is so short, it's actually a really helpful video. But I don't want you to have to wait a FULL MINUTE!!!!
Why can't you be both? Don't make excuses like that. If you improve your sniper ability and you are already a playmaker and grinder that would make you a game changer and EVERY team needs game changers. So, work on those skills and make it happen. Don't make excuses for yourself.
It depends on how good you are offensively. Average offensively puts you in the GRINDER category. If you have good playmaking or sniper skills then you bump up to those categories and if you have all 3 of those....GREAT DEFENSIVELY and GREATE OFFENSIVELY you are a game changer.