by Brad Vandenheuvel

Created on: February 10, 2009   Last Updated: November 03, 2010

What is a gauntlet drill in hockey?

The gauntlet drill in hockey is a very useful tool in any coach's arsenal that can be utilized to teach players not only how to control the puck, but also how to receive a body check without being injured. During this drill the entire team will line up approximately two meters away from the boards in a straight line facing forward. This means that every player should be facing the back of the player in front of him/her. Players should be spaced approximately one to two meters behind one another to avoid clutter. It is best to conduct this drill near center ice where the boards are straight. Conducting this drill in one of the corners should only be used when practicing with skilled and experienced teams that know how to properly absorb a hit without injury. Using the straight boards at center ice will prevent unexpected injuries on inexperienced players due to falling and hitting their head against the boards at the awkward curve in the corners of the rink.

Once the team is lined up as described the skater at the very front of this line receives a puck and turns around to face the rest of the team. This player then skates forward with the puck through the two meter laneway between the rest of the team and the boards. As this player skates past each of the other members on the team, these players attempt to remove the puck from his/her stick through the use of body checking. The player skating receiving the body checks attempts to maintain control of the puck while progressing in a forward motion until he/she reaches the end of the line.

Once this player has reached the end of the line he/she sets the puck aside and takes up a spot at the back of the line one to two meters behind the person in front of them. This player now will await the next player who has taken over the spot at the front of the line to come through so that he/she can attempt to body check the puck away from them when they get to the new end of the line. This process repeats itself until every member of the team has skated through the line with a puck at least once.

This drill teaches players how to effectively absorb a body check while maintaining puck control in a relatively safe and secure environment. It prepares players of all sizes to handle the contact that is involved in the sport. Without this drill players may go into a game and not know how to handle a hit from an opposing player. This can result in severe personal injuries because in a game setting hits are not controlled and players may be checked unexpectedly.

Teams that consist of players below the age of twelve, or teams that participate in non-contact hockey leagues should avoid the use of this drill. If used by smaller children injuries may occur that could potentially damage the child's entire future. This is the reason that most of the established minor hockey leagues around the world only allow contact above the age of 12. Teams that are in non-contact associations have no need for the use of this drill as it is unessential for players to learn how to absorb a body check if they will not be getting hit during a game.

Overall this exercise is considered an essential drill for  players that wish to participate in any contact hockey league. It teaches the fundamentals and safety techniques that are needed when playing a physical sport. Many smaller players fear this drill, but these players need to accept this drill as a useful training technique, or risk injury in the future.

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