Focus on puck control and reward that behavior. Always reward what you want your players to achieve. Volunteer coaches tend to emulate systems used by Pro teams. That is the worst mistake you can possibly make. Pro systems are designed to cover up weaknesses or lack of offensive talent.
Pro coaches have one job to do and that is to win or else get fired.
Your job as a youth coach is to help each kid develop to his or her full potential. If you do that, your team will win more than their share of games in the process. Ron Wilson, coach of the Washington Capitals, said it best at one of the hockey seminars. Systems kill development and creativity. Every time you introduce a system you are taking away the player s development and his creativity.