What do a football quarterback and hockey players have in common? Ask New York Islanders forward and Edina native Anders Lee, and he will tell you there’s plenty.

Lee dominated the gridiron and ice for Edina High School. At quarterback, he passed for 2,007 yards and was selected as the 2008 Minnesota Gatorade Football Player of the Year his senior season. That same year he helped push the Hornets’ hockey squad to state tournament appearance.

Now, Lee is using those skills on the NHL stage.

“Being a quarterback requires a lot of leadership skills and a lot of vision,” said Lee, a former finalist for both Mr. Football and Mr. Hockey. “There needs to be an anticipation. Whether it’s a guy cutting on the football field or looking for a forward on the ice, it’s the same type of thing. When you have the puck, you need to know how to start the play. You have to lead the guys on the ice.”

Minnesota State University head coach Mike Hastings said being a quarterback-type player on the ice is a sought after quality that he looks for in his own players.

“A quarterback sees the ice and reads the play,” said Hastings. “He’s unselfish. If somebody continues to give you the puck and you don’t ever give it back, eventually they’re going to stop giving it to you. That’s a quality that, in my opinion, is very important to have in a player.

“It’s the difference in having success in hockey.”

Here are some ways to harness your inner quarterback and become the pro-passer that every teammate will appreciate.

Be Aware: See the ice and notice your options. A great leader in any sport knows what’s happening around him or her at all times.

“Having rink vision is one of the most important qualities a player can have,” said Hastings. “You have to read the play and see the ice. Is there somebody off to the right? Is the net open? Those things can change rather quickly and if you have that vision you can react.”

Be responsive and reactive to plays happening all around the ice, not just in your area or zone.

Keep Your Head Up: If your head is down, you won’t see the open options. Not only that, but your accuracy is gone. It’s natural for the puck and your body to go where your head is facing. Look at the teammate your aiming for and sail the puck over.

Small Areas, Big Plays: Small area games have unlimited benefits to a player’s development. Passing, leadership and being aware are all found in small-area games and practices.

“Where there’s traffic, you will learn, that’s what makes small area games so important,” Hastings said. “It forces you to keep your head up and see where you’re going, and where you want the puck to end up.”

Small area give-and-go games will help increase your on-ice awareness and your passing abilities in tight spaces. Learn how to receive the puck in tight spaces, too.

Extra Man: The boards can be a sixth teammate. Rather than trying to pass through an opponent, bounce the puck off the boards to your teammate. Be weary that this doesn’t just turn in to a dump and chase. Think about your angle and where you want the puck to end up after it leaves your stick.

Don’t Force It: It’s not uncommon to come under pressure with no open outlets or options, but be careful not to put your teammates in a bad position. Just like in football, forcing passes often results in a big hit or a turnover.

“You want a player that moves (the puck) when he should, not when he has to,” said Hastings. “You give it to somebody at the appropriate time instead of making it somebody else’s problem or giving it to somebody who is going to be under pressure right away. Give it to somebody who can shoot or make a play themselves.”

When you come under pressure, use open ice to your advantage by send it to the area where you want your teammate can make a play, not necessarily just where he or she currently is.

Multidimensional:  Anyone who pays attention to football knows that dual threat quarterbacks have become a major part of the game, and the same goes for hockey.

“If you’re a player who’s one dimensional, it’s going to be tough to make it,” said Hastings. “The more dimensions you can have to your game, the more valuable you are.”

In addition to be a great passer, learn how to be a good receiver by supporting and getting open for your teammates when they have the puck and be sure to shoot when you have opportunities in scoring areas.

Toss the Sauce: Have an opponent using their stick to cut off the lane between you and your teammate? A saucer pass that goes seven to 10 inches, over the opponent’s stick and lands flat for your teammates is a great option.

Quick Feet: Hockey, football or soccer, the most important thing is to stay on your feet. Just like a scrambling quarterback, a player that is strong on his or her skates will go far – and quickly, too.

“Moving through guys when you’re down in the corners or battling in front of the net is similar to avoiding tackles and staying on your feet,” said Lee. “They both require quick feet and quick movements.”

Skating is a skill that can never be over-practiced. The more you work on strides and quick steps, the better you’ll be.

Roll with it:  Work with the puck and feel it roll off your blade. Sweep it across the ice instead of slapping at it. Your teammate will have an easier time accepting the pass that way, too.

Grab the Apples: Scoring is great, being the one who helped make it happen is even better.

“I’m usually the guy in front of the net on the receiving end of a play,” said Lee. “But those guys that play the quarterback and make the big plays, they are the higher skilled players on the ice. There’s a reason they start the play because they are so skilled and can figure out a way to get the puck toward the net.”

Goals aren’t scored out of thin air. Every goal scorer needs a playmaker to set-it-up. Plus we can’t forget that hockey’s a team sport. Whether you tally the goal or add a point in the assist column – or none of the above – it’s all about working together as a team.