There is a difference between being a good shooter and being a good goal scorer.
A player can have an excellent shot in practice. But can they create and execute that shot when a defender is closing in, the goalie is set, and they have less than a second to make a decision?
SCORING IS A PROCESS.
After more than 25 years of coaching and developing players in Europe and North America, one thing continues to stand out: scoring is not one skill. It is a process.
The shot matters. So do the actions that create the opportunity, the decision to use it and the willingness to stay involved when the first attempt does not go in.
FIVE AREAS WE FOCUS ON.
At Euro Elite Hockey Development, these five priorities connect technical work to the demands of the game.
01 / Build a shot you can trust.
Develop mechanics that hold up at game speed—not only when shooting stationary pucks. Players need balance, control and the ability to prepare a shot while their feet and the puck are moving.
02 / Get the puck off your stick faster.
At higher levels, time and space disappear. A quick, deceptive release is often more valuable than pure shot power. The aim is to recognize the opportunity and release before the defender or goalie can adjust.
03 / Learn to score around the net.
Rebounds, tips, screens, loose pucks and second efforts are not always pretty—but they help win games. Players need to stay ready for the next puck and compete for another chance after the first shot.
04 / Change the shooting angle.
Elite scorers do not simply wait for a lane to appear. They use their feet, hands and deception to create the opening. An angle change can force the defender and goalie to adjust, creating a new opportunity to release.
05 / Develop scoring instincts.
Players need to recognize where the next opportunity will be. That requires more than predetermined drills. It requires pressure, reads, competition, small-area games and decision-making.
GIVE PLAYERS A PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
For me, this is one of the most important distinctions in player development:
If every drill tells the player where to skate, when to pass and when to shoot, we may be training execution—but we are not necessarily developing hockey intelligence.
We need to give players the technical tools and put them into situations where they have to find solutions. A blocked shooting lane, a closing defender or a rebound changes the problem. The player must read what is happening and respond.
Structured repetitions help establish technique. Pressure, competition and live decisions give players opportunities to apply it.
FROM TECHNIQUE TO FINISH.
Our development progression connects the shot to the play around it:
- Technique
- Quick Release
- Deception
- Awareness
- Decision
- Second Effort
- Finish
That is the difference between practicing shooting and learning how to score. These elements connect during play; the progression gives our training a purpose beyond the final shot.
DEVELOP SKILLS THAT TRANSLATE.
At Euro Elite Hockey Development, our philosophy combines European technical detail with North American pace, competitiveness and intensity.
The objective is to develop players whose skills translate when the game gets faster and space disappears.
Build the tools. Read the play. Compete to finish.
— Guido Lamberti-Charles
Professional Hockey Coach | Player Development
Euro Elite Hockey Development
Learn about Guido’s coaching experience, qualifications and approach to player development.
Meet Coach Guido ↗