We all understand the obvious reasons why speed is so important – beating opponents to pucks, creating breakaways or just flat-out beating guys wide on a rush. If you watch games live or on TV at any level, you are able to see which skaters have speed. 

Speed does so much more other than the obvious. It creates a ton of stress on the opposing team defensively. I have talked to a number of defensemen who have talked about going against faster skaters. For them, it’s a catch-22. If they keep a tight gap on them, they may get beat wide, but if they play back, they give them a ton of space in which to work with to be able to make a play.  

Speed doesn’t just “kill” with a puck, but without a puck, too. Quicker and faster skaters are able to get to loose pucks and/or opponents with the puck quicker, limiting opponents’ options by taking away their time and space. That is usually why you always have your faster skaters on the penalty kill,  to cover the most amount of ice in the least amount of time.  

Pure and simple, speed is just an asset that every team is looking for. Consider the photos of Blake Wheeler, and Jason Zucker training in the summer. These guys are at the highest level because of their speed. Yes, they have other exceptional skills too, but speed is a big reason they are able to make an impact at the highest level.

First, is the ability to create power. Power comes from having a low knee-bend and a strong base. To demonstrate this, I will have the kids stand straight up and down and tell them to jump as high as they can. When they do this, they notice they do not get very far off the ice, maybe a couple of inches. I will then have the skaters get to 90 degrees and jump. They will immediately notice that they are able to “explode” up and generate all of their power when jumping. This is a good way to explain to young kids why it is so critical to constantly try to stay down in a low powerful position. 

It’s hard to be explosive without a knee bend. There’s just nothing to push from. Getting kids to bend their knees, drop their hips and flex their ankles forward is the best recipe to create speed.  

Second, we need to consider quickness. The ability to get your feet moving and staying light on your feet is key. Overspeed training is the best way to work on this. The best way to improve this is by having the skater repeatedly work on quick corners and crossovers, concentrating on moving his/her feet. Off-ice sprints can also help in generating faster feet. Remember, overspeed training takes a lot of energy and effort, but that’s what it will take to bring your speed to the next level.

Finally, being able to glide will help you maintain speed, so when you need to “really go,” you are already in motion and not caught flat-footed. The key is understanding what part of the blade to use. The skate blade is made up of your inside and outside edge along with your hollow or “flat.” Gliding should be done on the flat of the blade when moving in straight line forward as grinding your edges too deeply in the ice will create friction and slow you down. Gliding while turning is obviously done on your edges. The same principal applies: The less friction made into the ice, the less speed you will lose. Gliding can be done with every skill you do, as your feet will not always be constantly moving.

Keep working and good luck!

Andy Ness is the head skating and skill coach for the Minnesota Wild. He has also been an assistant skating instructor for the New Jersey Devils, the University of Minnesota men’s and women’s hockey teams and the U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team.