Unlike most youth sports, ice hockey players are significantly disadvantaged in terms of their opportunity to practice and develop their skills. While baseball, soccer, basketball, and football teams easily schedule and organize daily, multi-hour practices on fields or in gymnasiums, ice hockey teams rarely have access to ice to practice more than twice a week. And in today’s highly competitive athletic landscape, practicing twice a week simply is not enough to excel in any sport, especially ice hockey.

Former NHL player and two-time Selke Trophy winner Michael Peca believes skill development is tremendously important and should start at a young age, “I try and convince kids in the spring time and the summer time to get as much skill development as you can at a young age.  Unfortunately a lot of people want to play on high level tournament [teams] and they get competition fatigue.  It’s so important at a young age to get that skill development.”

For years now, players like Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and John Tavares have committed countless hours to power skating, stick skills and overall skill development to get where they are.  Not only did they seek the extra ice time and instruction during their amateur and junior hockey days, but they all still relentlessly hone their skills each off-season of their professional careers.

Therefore, it’s important to remember that skill development never stops at any age or after achieving any level of success.  Local product Christian Hanson, who is playing in his third year of professional hockey (Hershey Bears/Washington Capitals), believes the same, “skill development is an on-going process. It’s not something I’ve stopped working on once I became a pro. Guys are always working on new moves and ways to get a step up on their competition, so unless you’re proactive in your development, you’re going to fall behind the curve.”

If you’re on a quest to be the best hockey player you can be, we recommend you commit yourself to constantly improving your skating and stick skills. And if you are one of the committed in the Pittsburgh area, make sure to sign up for our upcoming Spring and Summer hockey programs to Get After It.

Video:  Feature from NHL Network’s “Making of a Royal” about the importance of skill development: