The Playmaker Report 🚨
Welcome back, {{firstname | Playmaker}}.
One of the coolest parts of Hockey Players Club right now is seeing how quickly the community is becoming global. 🌎
This week’s report features a simple but valuable scoring concept from Caden Villegas, along with four Playmakers from Slovakia, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and New Zealand who have been putting in the work this offseason.
Also, I’ll be attending the Working in Hockey networking event at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto this Thursday. If you’re planning to be there, please reply to this email so we can link up. 🤝
Let’s get into it.
📈 Player Development
Caden Villegas — Pro player (Swindon Wildcats, NIHL) & skill development coach (CV Skills)
Most players only shoot when they see a clear lane.
In this drill from Caden Villegas, players attack with speed, make a move to the outside before the blue line, then cut back toward the middle and finish through a narrow shooting lane created by two stationary nets.
The restriction forces players to do two things:
Recognize that a shooting opportunity still exists even when traffic is present.
Execute accurately through a small window before that opportunity disappears.
At higher levels, many goals aren’t scored from wide-open looks. They’re scored because players can identify a lane through traffic and get the puck through before defenders or goaltenders can react.
The goal isn’t to find a perfect shot.
It’s to recognize an available one.
🏆 Playmakers of the Week
From Slovakia to New Zealand, Hockey Players Club members continue putting in the work this offseason. Here are four players who caught our attention this week:
🏒 Thomas Zednik (Slovakia)
Starting from his own zone, Thomas beats multiple defenders before finishing with a highlight-reel goal. A great example of confidence and puck control in transition.
🔥 Evan Barr (Pennsylvania)
Evan brought some creativity to his summer league penalty shot, pulling off a Michigan-spinorama attempt that had everyone paying attention.
⚡ Zoe Neurer (Minnesota)
Zoe shared clips from recent skill sessions showcasing strong skating, quick hands, and the ability to finish plays at speed.
🏠 Jonas Machek (New Zealand)
Jonas continues documenting his off-ice skill work, putting in extra reps at home to build better puck control and hand speed.
🎯 Your Turn.
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Featured players and development content are pulled directly from the community each week.
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