Perfecting the toe drag will give you the ability to move the puck quickly backwards and forwards, and side to side no matter where it is. Another great advantage to the toe drag is to use it to deke out the opposition or the goalie.
There are a number of situations where a quick toe drag can be the best (and prettiest) way to get around the defense. Sometimes the defensemen thinks you have no room to move the puck, but by using the toe of the stick to pull the puck backwards you give yourself more room move the puck. Then you can move it over and up and blow past the D (and look awesome!)
How To Toe Drag
I was hesitant to show people how to toe drag off-ice. I learned how to toe drag with a stickhandling ball, I had it perfected, then I stepped onto the ice and tried it with a puck, not good. The puck flew backwards over, and over, and over. I did have the general motion down, but I had to adjust a bit to get it to work on the ice. I think the biggest problem was that I learned with a ball, and with a lot of friction, but on the ice you use a puck, and there is very little friction. So my best recommendation for learning to toe drag off-ice get a Green Biscuit, and a shooting pad (I really like the roll up shooting pad).
The toe drag is pretty simple on paper (or computer screen), but actually getting it down is tough, here is how to toe drag
- Roll your wrists to roll the blade of the stick over, so the toe of the blade of the stick is pointing down
- Catch the puck with the toe, and pull it backwards (or sideways if the puck is to your side)
- As the puck is coming backwards, roll your hands back and catch the puck
This is the most basic toe drag, once you get better you can use the toe drag to move the puck straight back, in a J motion, or a wide U to pull the puck from one side of your body, all the way to the other.
Green Biscuit
The Green Biscuit is an off-ice training hockey puck that will help you and your team develop passing and stickhandling skills that will blow your competition away. Try it and you will agree.
Visit the Green Biscuit pageHockey Shot Shooting Pads
Perfect for anyone who wants to improve their on-ice game at home, the HockeyShot Shooting Pads make excellent indoor and outdoor trainers. They simulate the smooth, slick feeling of the rink so you can work on passing, stickhandling and shooting. And you don’t have to worry about rough asphalt chewing up your blade. Visit the Shooting Pad Collection page
