How to Quickly Change Directions in Hockey
Changing direction quickly is one of the most valuable skills in hockey. It separates players who can create space from players who get caught. The key isn’t just about quick feet — it’s about using the right mechanic at the right time.
The Anchor — Your Secret Weapon
The Anchor is a directional change mechanic where you plant one foot firmly on its inside edge and use it as a pivot point to redirect your momentum. Think of it like a slalom skier carving around a gate — the inside ski anchors while the body redirects around it.
How to execute the Anchor: As you approach the point where you want to change direction, plant your inside foot firmly on its inside edge. Let your momentum carry your body past the planted foot, then push off in the new direction. The key is committing to the edge — if you’re tentative, you’ll slide instead of carve.
Stay relaxed. Tension is the enemy of quick direction changes. Your upper body should remain loose and your knees should be bent and supple. The Anchor works because your body weight naturally redirects around the planted foot — don’t fight it with stiffness.
Think of the skiing analogy: a skier doesn’t muscle their way through turns. They use edge pressure and body position to let gravity and momentum do the work. The Anchor works the same way on ice.
Anchor vs. Soft Drag — Knowing the Difference
The Anchor and the Soft Drag are both directional change tools, but they serve different purposes. The Anchor gives you a sharp, hard angle change — it’s decisive and explosive. The Soft Drag is subtle — it changes your angle of attack without a definitive stop-and-go. Use the Anchor when you need to make a hard cut (evading a checker, changing lanes). Use the Soft Drag when you want to subtly shift your path without alerting the defender.
Advancing Your Skills
Once you’ve mastered the basic Anchor, progress to these more advanced applications:
- Anchor Stops. Use the anchor mechanic to come to a full stop, then explode in a completely new direction. This is devastating in the neutral zone when a defender commits to your initial path.
- Zigzag Patterns. Chain multiple anchors together in a zigzag pattern. Alternate planting your left and right foot. This builds the edge confidence and body control needed for game situations.
- Combining with Corkscrews. Add a corkscrew (tight turn on your edges) immediately after an anchor to create a compound move that’s nearly impossible for defenders to track.
The Path to Mastery
- Practice off-ice first. Use rollerblades or even sneakers on a gym floor to practice the weight transfer and edge pressure of the Anchor. The motor pattern transfers to the ice.
- Study the pros. Watch how players like McDavid, MacKinnon, and Hughes use directional changes in traffic. Slow down the video and identify which mechanic they’re using.
- Seek feedback. Film yourself performing anchors and compare to elite players. Small differences in body position and edge angle make a huge difference in effectiveness.
- Game-time application. Start using the Anchor in low-pressure game situations — like when you have space in the neutral zone. Build confidence before trying it in traffic.
Conclusion
Quick directional changes aren’t about fast feet — they’re about using the right mechanic with proper edge pressure and body position. The Anchor gives you a reliable, repeatable tool for hard direction changes that leave defenders behind. Master it off-ice, refine it on-ice, and watch your ability to create space transform.