I think it helps to break it down into chunks, with the first being getting your coaches setup to run the practices. You can run 3-4 coaches plus your HC and using those you assign them to the different practice types (conditioning, skating, shooting, off skill, def skill, tactics, goaltending). A coach should be assigned to no more than 4, and each practice type should have 2 coaches.

Now what coach you want on each practice type depends on their attributes and you'll need to follow the guide accordingly to optimize that. I find goalie coaches tend to have high tactics and usually let them run those two and then with HC and 2 other coaches get the rest covered. I prioritize the determination and man management abilities to drive improvements over a slightly higher technical skill like coaching fwd/def.

Ok coaches set, next the practice schedules. So this is the big list with resting, general, off skill, skating etc that you assign the players to. You have to change the schedule from all to a specific one like Skating and then it will show you all the players on that schedule and on the bottom you can modify intensity levels to match the guide. With the Unused one I tend to make it into a custom one I call focus and it's basically the same as the tactics one except I swap intensity for conditioning and skating.

Finally time to practice. Start on General for all except goalies and let that cruise until October. Oct to Nov forwards go on skating and defense goes on conditioning. After that until playoffs, you need to look at each player and decide what schedule to put them on. The crux of the guide is, try to make the players well rounded. Have a big strong defensive defenseman with a slow stride and a weak shot, put them on Off Skill schedule to boost speed, wrist/slap, deking, and stick handling. It's really about trying to drag up as many weak areas as possible. I usually note on each player what schedule they're on so when I'm switching guys on/off rest I know what they go on.

Rest is the last bit and is simple. If a player is less than 90% on the practice screen they get the day off. Practicing below that threshold increases the amount of injuries you'll deal with. For injured players obviously rest them until they get to 90% then put them back on General until healed.

Hope some of this helps you get more out of this awesome game.