Mastering the punch turn - a must, especially for forwards!

A punch turn — also known as a jam-turn, half-stop, or hybrid turn — is an essential skill every player should develop, especially forwards. It allows skaters to change direction sharply without giving up momentum. One skate holds a strong inside edge,

Nylander working his punch turn in warm ups

while the other lands nearly flat or briefly catches like the start of a stop. The turn sits between a tight glide turn and a full hockey stop — but unlike either of those, the punch turn delivers three key advantages: better speed retention, stronger balance, and more flexible exit angles.

We elaborate on punch turn benefits more below.

• Speed retention

You never come to a dead stop, so kinetic energy (momentum) carries through the turn. That means a much tighter turn with faster acceleration out of the turn.

• Better balance and control

With one edge carving and one blade flat, your center of gravity remains low and centered. The move feels stable even on choppy or soft ice, reducing the chance of washing out.

• 360° exit options

Because players are not locked into a pure inside-edge carve or a full two-foot stop, players can drive out of the turn in nearly any direction—forward, backward, up-ice, or laterally. That flexibility keeps defenders guessing and helps defenders mirror shifty forwards.

In short, a punch turn blends the quickness of a stop with the flow of a power-turn, giving both offensive and defensive players a low-risk, high-reward way to change direction while staying in full control of their speed.

What actually happens in a punch turn

Phase	Key body cues	What your edges are doing
Approach	Knees bent, hips low, hands away from the body for balance	Both skates on their inside edges, weight 60 / 40 front to back
“Punch”	Front skate “punches” ahead and slightly out, blade landing almost flat	Front skate goes from inside edge → flat; back skate remains on a strong inside edge
Pivot / rotate	Hips and shoulders snap toward the new direction; head leads, eyes up	Front foot begins new glide path; back foot carves a tight arc
Exit	Accelerate with two quick cross-overs	Both skates transition back to inside edges, building stride power

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Why every forward should master it

Benefit	In-game scenario
Create separation on the rush	Fake a cut-back, punch-turn to the boards, then explode down the wall when the defender lunges.
Protect the puck under pressure	In corners, you can face the wall, punch-turn under the stick-check and pop out into space.
Maintain speed through the neutral zone	A punch turn lets you reverse direction without the big speed loss of a full stop-and-start.
Deception for shooting lanes	Drag the defender inside, punch-turn outside the dots, release off the back leg.

Why defensemen need it too

• Gap control & angling

  Defenders can better defend a forward by mirroring their cut-back, punch-turning inside and staying square instead of pivoting all the way around.

• Puck retrievals and wall battles

  When under pressure from opposing forwards in the d-zone or along the walls, a punch-turn lets the D to reverse up-ice while still shielding the puck with their bodies.

• Transition offense

  The move flows naturally into cross-overs, so a D-man can turn a retrieval into an instant breakout and head-man pass.

  
  

Want to see the punch turn demonstrated step by step? Below is a great video from Hockey Tutorial on YouTube that shows the punch turn with excellent detail. It's a great watch and can help players visualize the steps so they can emulate them on ice!

Final take-aways

• The punch turn is a low-risk, high-reward tool: faster than a power-turn, more stable than a hard stop.

• Offensively it buys space; defensively it preserves angles.

• Master it both directions, then layer deception—head fakes, puck “spotting,” and variable exit heights—to keep opponents guessing.

  
  

Having your player add the punch turn to their skating toolbox is a game changer. Players that can master it have an edge over their peers!

Best,

Coach Kevin