Are you in need of a great drill to use in your next practice?

Players love to compete and coaches can incorporate competition into their practices using Small Area Games.  These games increase tempo, engagement and overall fun - something that every team, at every level, can benefit from. Small Area Games can be used as warm-up drills or as a competitive way to end practice.  

Through a variety of 2-on-2, 3-on-3, 4-on-4 or mismatched sides, a smaller area forces players to become more creative with a limited amount of space available. Players need to be in control of the puck and use their teammates, giving more puck touches to everyone involved.

We have included some of our favourite Small Area Games below and would love to hear what your team does in practice as well. Use the form at the bottom of the page to submit your favourite Small Area Game.

Whether 3-on-3 or 2-on-2, the Pittsburgh Penguins often use small area games in practice:

The Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the top offences in the NHL, use a similar 'table hockey' game.

Team North America used small area games during the World Cup of Hockey.