To be an assistant on Mike Babcock's staff you have to do one specific thing.

"I want you to have a new idea every day, and I want you to fight for your idea," Babcock said. "I try to hire people that are going to bring change. I've got that right in their job description."

It's all part of Babcock's R&D philosophy, something he's famous for among his assistants.

"Rob and Do," said Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan, a former assistant to Babcock with the Detroit Red Wings. "That's his R and D. That's his research and development."

It is often noted that good coaches are great ‘thieves’ - they ‘rob’ concepts, ideas and drills from other coaches. Great coaches, however, modify and adjust those drills to fit their players and programs – that’s the ‘do’ part of R and D – and its crucial to make it your own.

As the season starts to ramp up, some coaches can find it tough to balance the demands of everyday life to their hockey commitments. In order to help keep those practices running efficiently and effectively while introducing innovative new strategies to teach your team, we have compiled a list of the seven of the best resources for planning your next practice to ensure you get the most out of the precious practice time each week.