Why Skill Development Beats “Just Playing Games”

Kevin Geist
Dec 17, 2025
2 min read

There’s a common belief in youth hockey that the more games you play, the

better you’ll get. While games are important, “just playing games” is not the most effective way to improve long-term performance. The fastest-developing players understand a key truth: skills are built in practice, not magically during games.

Games Expose Skills — They Don’t Build Them

Games are a test. They reveal what a player can and can’t do under pressure. But if a player struggles with puck control, edgework, or decision-making in a game, simply playing more games won’t fix it.

Without targeted training:

Bad habits get repeated
Confidence drops
Players avoid the puck instead of demanding it

Skill development gives players the tools they need so when the game speeds up, they’re prepared — not overwhelmed.

Reps Matter More Than Results

In a typical game, a player may touch the puck for 30–60 seconds total.

Compare that to a skill session where they’re handling the puck, skating, and making decisions for the entire hour.

Skill development:

Creates hundreds of purposeful reps
Allows players to fail, adjust, and retry immediately
Builds muscle memory that shows up naturally in games

You don’t learn to shoot better by taking two rushed shots a period — you learn by taking hundreds of intentional ones in practice.

Skill Training Builds Confidence

Players who invest in skill development play faster, calmer, and more assertively. Why? Because confidence comes from preparation.

When players know they can:

Protect the puck
Escape pressure
Make plays at speed

They stop hesitating and start attacking. Confidence isn’t a mindset — it’s a byproduct of skill.

Development Is About Control, Not Chaos

Games are unpredictable. Line changes, score effects, ice time, and matchups all limit learning opportunities. Skill sessions remove that chaos and focus on growth.

In development environments:

Every rep has a purpose
Coaching is immediate and specific
Players can isolate and improve weaknesses

This controlled setting accelerates improvement far more than hoping for learning moments during games.

The Best Players Balance Both

Elite players don’t choose between games and skill development — they prioritize both, with a heavy emphasis on training.

Games teach:

Compete level
Decision-making under pressure
Team concepts

Skill development teaches:

How to execute
How to create time and space
How to control the game

One without the other leads to plateaus.

Long-Term Players Are Built, Not Scheduled

At younger ages especially, stacking games often leads to burnout and stagnation. Players who focus on skill development:

Progress faster year over year
Stay engaged and motivated
Develop creativity instead of fear of mistakes

The goal isn’t to win the most games at 10 or 12 — it’s to build players who can play at 16, 18, and beyond.

Final Thought

Games show you where you’re at. Skill development determines where you’re going.

If players want to play faster, think quicker, and stand out when it matters most, the answer isn’t more games — it’s better training.