The backbone of ice hockey, skating is definitely the most important skill any player can focus on mastering. You will see professionals on television and hear them classified in different ways; power forwards, playmakers, natural scorers, defenders-defensive and more. One thing that all elite players have in common is that they are all at the top when it comes to skating ability.
Skating is the fundamental skill of hockey, the base of the pyramid. Without a solid foundation, the rest of the skills cannot be effective. Skating is often what makes the difference between a good player and a great player, and there are plenty of players with great shots, perfect passes, or crushing strikes who will never make it because their skating isn’t up to par.
When you practice, it’s important to balance your time and work on all the skills necessary to be a great hockey player. However, if there is one area you should pay more attention to, it is definitely skating. You may not be the best shooter, the best passer, or the best corrector, but if you are the best skater, you will always be a dominant force on the ice. This is something that too many players ignore from their youthful hockey days. Not enough emphasis is placed on sheer skating skill, and if more players dedicated themselves to mastering the fundamental movement that drives their sport, they would see huge improvements in their overall game.
Remember, you may have a powerful shot or a precise pass like a laser, but if you can’t skate as well as the competition, you can’t be effective. Master skating and you will master hockey.
