For EVERYONE, regardless of speed or skill:

• Don’t coast. Concentrate on always keeping your feet moving.  You would be surprised how much you think you are skating but are actually coasting. Keeping your feet moving will get you where you want to be quicker. And it’ll make you a better skater more quickly because you are actually skating instead of just coasting.
• If you’re trying to stay onside:  Instead of stopping at the blue line, turn one direction or the other and skate along the blue line.  That way you have some momentum when it’s time to go into the offensive zone and you can get to the net a little bit quicker.
• Skate with your head up.  You know where your feet are, so you don’t need to look at them. It gives you more awareness of what’s going on and what your options are.  If you have the puck, practice “feeling” it on your stick so you don’t have to watch it while you skate with it.
• Try to skate with two hands on your stick.  You have better control of the puck if you have the puck and you’re stronger on your stick receiving a pass.
• Keep your stick on the ice, whether it’s while you are skating or while you are standing.  It shows you are ready for a pass, and you are more likely to catch one successfully.
• Talk to your linemates.  Let them know where you are; let them know you are chasing the puck or have this guy or whatever so they know to get the other guy or go to the net.
• Talk to your goalie.  Let them know if the puck is loose or if they have it covered and it seems like they don’t know where it is.
• As you are approaching a loose puck, take a quick look around. That way you know where it’s “dangerous” and where it’s “safe”--where the other team’s players are so you don’t give it up to them; you know where your teammates are if you need to make a pass, and you know if you have a little space to skate with it.
• Accept constructive criticism and help from other players, even if they don't seem that "good".  Sometimes those who can't do, really CAN teach. And sometimes you don’t realize you have a bad habit until it’s pointed out.

For NEWER and/or SLOWER skaters:

• If you are playing a wing, in the offensive zone, go straight for the area in front of the net, all the way in as fast as you can. Don’t worry about going into the corner to get the puck.  Your goal should be to try to stay right in front of the net, between the circles as much as you can even if you have to move a little to get away from their defensemen.  Faster players can pass you the puck and as you get faster and more comfortable skating, you can start helping chase and covering the sides of the ice.
• If you are playing a wing, in the defensive zone, stay closer to the blue line instead of going near your own net.  This gives you less ground (or ice) to cover and also gives the defense someone to pass to to get it out of the defensive zone. Still keep your feet moving by trying to keep the other teams’ defensemen from being able to shoot the puck (you get in their way of either getting to the puck or being able to make a good play; pop the puck out of the zone if you can).
• Wherever you are playing, if you need to get down the ice, you don’t have to stay on the boards and then cut over towards the center.  Head in a diagonal line—the shortest distance between you and the net.