Stop Cradling the Puck When You Receive a Pass

Cradling the puck is one of those things coaches have been teaching forever. I heard it before I ever stepped on ice, watching old VHS tapes my stepdad had in his library. Some coaches brought eggs out to demonstrate. You've heard the speech. Soft hands. Cushion it. Receive it like an egg.

Here's the problem. Watch a real game, not a drill, and you almost never see it. There's a reason for that.

When you're in a game situation, drawing your attention to the puck is the last thing you want to do. The moment you soften your blade and slow that puck down, you've lost a step. You've given the puck control over where you go instead of you deciding.

The better move is to redirect the pass. Let the puck come in and carry right off your blade into the space you're already moving toward. You're not catching it, you're steering it. The puck works for you, not the other way around.

You're not catching the puck, you're steering it. The puck works for you, not the other way around.

Cradling isn't always wrong. If you're loading up for a shot and need to settle the puck for a second, that makes sense. There are a few other situations where it fits. But those are the exceptions, not the rule.

For almost everything else, redirect and keep moving. Your speed and your awareness of the game are worth more than perfect puck feel on every reception. Survive the game first, then get fancy.