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The Playmaker Report #2 🚨
Hockey IQ, Power, and a Heater from Humphreys.
November 4, 2025: Welcome back to The Playmaker Report — your weekly rundown of the best drills, insights, and highlights to help players, coaches, and parents sharpen their edge.
Today’s Lineup:
Game-realistic 2-on-1 drill every team should run
Simple off-ice ankle mobility for a stronger stride
Two key habits for better 1-on-1 rushes
Colorado prospect on an OHL heater 🔥
Plus, our latest poll + pregame song of the week 🎵
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📈 Player Development
🥅 Stacked 2-on-1 Drill
From: Jeremy Szczurek of First Shift Hockey (Instagram | Facebook)
🧠 Why this matters:
The Stacked 2-on-1 mirrors real game situations where both forwards and defensemen must process information instantly and make the right read — whether that’s a quick pass, shot, or defensive stick check.
It sharpens hockey IQ, offensive creativity, and defensive awareness under pressure, making it a must-run drill for developing well-rounded, game-ready players.
🦶 Ankle Mobility: Working on Dorsiflexion for a Better Stride
From: Jeff LoVecchio of Give More Be More & The Hockey Think Tank podcast (Instagram)
🧠 Why work on ankle mobility:
Strong, mobile ankles are the foundation of every stride.
Improved dorsiflexion lets players get over their edges, produce more force per push, and maintain better posture and stability through every stride.
Whether you’re a forward accelerating through the neutral zone or a defenseman pivoting on retrievals — ankle mobility translates directly to on-ice power.
Got a drill worthy of the Playmaker Report? Share it in the HPC Community or email [email protected] for a chance to be featured.
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🧠 Hockey IQ
From: Topher Scott of The Hockey Think Tank (Instagram | X | Apple Podcasts | Spotify)
🧠 Why it matters:
There are few plays that get coaches more fired up than rush entries — especially when they end in blue line turnovers. Repeated giveaways on the rush can give coaches more heartburn than your spiciest pregame meal.
To help you avoid those costly mistakes, let’s break down two key habits elite players use to gain the edge in 1-on-1 rush situations.
Got a top-shelf play breakdown? Share it in the HPC Community or email [email protected] for a chance to be featured next week.
📊 Weekly Poll
If you could only win one, would you rather win the Stanley Cup or an Olympic Gold Medal?
Last week’s poll: At what age should a serious hockey player focus exclusively on hockey?
58% of Playmaker Report poll participants say 14U is the right time to focus on hockey.
60% of our Playmaker Panel poll participants believe 16U is the right time to focus on hockey.
“Players who play or have played other sports tend to develop better agility, faster reaction times, and stronger movement patterns. It also helps prevent injuries, as repetitive strain on the same joints can be detrimental. The biggest reason, though, is psychological — players who stick to just one sport often experience mental fatigue and burnout.”
🏆 Playmaker of the Week
Who: Christian Humphreys of the Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
🔥 On a Heater:
The kid’s been torching the OHL lately — 10 points in his last four games and now sitting 13th in league scoring with 21 points (6G, 15A) in 14 games played.
After a strong showing at Colorado’s rookie showcase and main camp, he’s carried the swagger right into Kitchener’s lineup — creating space, finding lanes, and finishing with confidence.
🎯 Oh, and his pull-in release? It’s filthy — we’ve got the footage to prove it.
Got a highlight worthy of the spotlight? Share it in the HPC Community or email [email protected] for a chance to be our Playmaker of the Week.
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🎵 Pregame Song of the Week
This week’s pick: “Dreaming - The Chainsmokers Remix” by Smallpools
From: George M., team DJ, power-forward, and even assistant GM, fresh off winning two championships with Team Greece this summer. 🏆
🎧 Add it to your warmup mix or check out the full Playmaker Pregame playlist on Spotify.
Got a pregame banger to add to the lineup? Reply here or email [email protected].