So, I spent a good chunk of my afternoon focused on some hockey stuff, specifically watching David Toméo play. Not just watching highlights, but really trying to break down a piece of his game. I got stuck on how he handles the puck down low in the offensive zone, particularly along the boards.
First, I pulled up a few game clips. Found some shifts where he was really grinding it out behind the net or in the corners. Paused it. Rewound it. Watched his body positioning, how he used his skates, his stick, everything. Tried to see the pattern, you know? How he’d shield the puck from defenders, turn, and create space.
After maybe 30 minutes of just watching and making a few mental notes, I figured, okay, let’s try to feel this out. Grabbed my skates, stick, gloves, and helmet and headed down to the rink for a bit of open ice time.
On the Ice: Trying it Out
Once I got warmed up, I started trying to mimic what I saw. Just skating slowly along the boards, imagining a defender on my back, trying to protect the puck. Easier said than done, let me tell you.
- First attempts: Felt super awkward. My balance was off. I was either too upright or leaning too far over.
- Puck control: Keeping the puck on my stick while focusing on body position and imaginary pressure? Tough. Lost it quite a few times.
- Footwork: Trying to use my edges to turn and shield like Toméo… yeah, that needs serious work. Felt more like I was tripping myself up.
It’s funny how smooth pros make things look. On video, it’s like, “Okay, step here, lean this way, stick here.” But putting it all together in motion, even slow motion without a real defender? Whole different story. My body just didn’t want to cooperate the way his does.
What I Noticed
The core strength involved is pretty nuts. You gotta be solid to hold that position and still handle the puck. And the awareness! Knowing where the pressure would be coming from, keeping your head up enough to see options, all while your legs and core are burning. It’s not just one thing; it’s like five things happening at once.
I spent maybe 45 minutes really drilling just that basic board protection move. Didn’t really nail it, not by a long shot. But I started to get a tiny bit more comfortable with the idea of the movement towards the end. Like, I could feel when my weight shift was completely wrong, which I guess is progress?
So yeah, that was my practice today. Mostly frustration, but a little bit of learning. Makes you appreciate the skill level in pro hockey even more. Definitely something I’ll keep chipping away at. Need to break it down even simpler next time, maybe focus just on the stance or just the footwork without even using a puck at first.
