How to Do a Sick Hockey Deke

Posted On September 7, 2020

Sometimes if you want to win you need to pull off a phenomenal hockey deke. It takes a certain amount of style and skill to be able to orchestrate a tight, quick deke that penetrates that goal. The first step in being able to do this is to have a can-do attitude. The next step is to practice. The more you practice, the greater your skills will become.

What is a Hockey Deke?

A deke is when you pull a trick move to fool your opponent out of their position and throw them off so that you can pass the puck around them, or score a goal. A perfect example of a deke is when you rush up towards the goal with the puck and fake like you are moving to the right, but go left and shoot. A well-played deke will end up with a score for the team.

The Ultimate Deke

Envision yourself on the end farthest from the opposing goal. You have the puck and you skate straight toward the goaltender. As you make your way towards the goal you use your stickhandling skills to slide that puck down the ice smoothly and accurately. When you get to the hash marks you deliberately push the puck towards the right side of the goal and push it so close that the goaltender has to react. You fake a shot towards the right, but stop the puck and flip your handle to pull the puck towards your left. As the goaltender is still moving towards the right to stop your move, you have already switched directions and bury the puck into the goal top shelf. That’s a deke.

Practice Dekes

One way you can practice dekes from home is to have a practice rink set up with synthetic ice. If you have high-quality flooring it will be a breeze to practice. Another training tool you can use is a hockey shooting tarp. When you practice with a puck and stick what you want to work on is your stance. Pass the puck back and forth from the left to the right while flipping your blade to keep the puck straight. Switch the weight of your body onto one foot, back to the next in a rhythm. You can do this standing still, as well as while skating. This will help you to train your balance and sharpen your deke skills. Being able to mauver your body from one side to the other quick enough to fool your opponent is crucial. This takes balance and coordination. After some time, you will be able to use your stick like a top-notch pro and pound those goals as easy as drinking milk.

Keep At It

Just like every other great athlete the best way to get great is to practice. Every time you get a chance to practice, do it. After a while, your moves will become second nature. It’s a lot like riding a bike. Once you learn it, the skill will stay with you. The key is to keep that skill sharpened. Keep it up and in no time you will be pulling off the kind of dekes that win championships.