Quote by: Eric

I recently came across a copy of the Lener "Transition: Defense to Offense" and have found it to be a great resource. I'm not sure on copyright rules but if it is legal or if someone who knows him gets permission, I could scan and post it. But I would feel most comfortable with his permission.

I am constantly looking for handouts from coaching clinics, seminars, etc to add to my collection. If anyone has any or has a good website, (other then this one of course!) with some on it, I would love to get in touch and swap.

This site has several well thought out outlines and handouts for free.

http://www.omha.net/flash.asp?page_id=291

Eric,

Slava's and Erkka's books are copyrighted. As a former employee of Hockey Canada (now a contractor) and as an acquaintance of both gentlemen, you shouldn't post them up here. For those who want to see if they still have some in stock, please contact Hockey Canada - The Breakaway Store: Orders 1-800-667-2242 Customer Service 1-800-667-2242

Don't forget Tom Renney and Mike Johnston also published "40 of the Best" in the same pamphlet form...

Check http://breakaway.hockeycanada.ca/ for manuals, videos, etc.

Thanks for sharing the OMHA site!

Regards,

Fun Could Go A Long Way In Saving Hockey

By Ed Shamy- Burlington Free Press
Published: Thursday, October 18, 2007

Many Vermont parents dread the moment when their 6-year-old announces he or she would like to play ice hockey.

A youth hockey player poses the immediate threat of wrenching apart the tightest knit of clans, what with the bizarre hours of available ice time, the long road trips in hazardous winter weather and considerable expense of a heavily padded sport played on cold ice in enclosed rinks far from home.

And then of course there is the dividend: The privilege of watching 12 children under the age of 8 spread out on a full-size hockey rink, some barely moving for entire periods.

"It can be pretty painful," cedes Fritz Langrock, a hockey parent.

Parents and their children have reacted in recent years by steering clear of hockey in Vermont. The number of participants has slumped. Some towns have struggled to field teams because youth ice hockey developed such a reputation as an expensive hassle.

Langrock is president of the Vermont State Amateur Hockey Association, the group that oversees the youth leagues that are now beginning practices.

The members of the hockey association, peering into a Vermont future in which hockey -- traditionally a cornerstone of the athletic kingdom -- could become marginalized, have this year instituted changes to reverse the trend.

The youngest group of competitive hockey players, the mites, will play "half-ice" games with three players on each side rather than six. Goals will be half as far apart as they were a year ago, and with fewer players the hope is that the players will be able to get more involved. To skate more and to actually handle the puck.

This must come as a relief to some hockey players. After all, to be 45 inches tall and to be strapped into skates, gloves, sweaters, helmets, pads and high socks and to stare 200 feet down the ice must feel the same way Columbus felt peering through his glass searching for land on the far side of the ocean. Now it will be 85 feet or so, a much more do-able distance.

Langrock said the association hopes players will be lured back by the increased activity of the game. Full-size rinks could be used for two or even three games at once, he said, so tournaments could be held in less time, which could translate into less travel. And costs could drop.

Some basic rules, such as icing and offsides won't be strictly enforced. There will be no more state tournament for mites. And teams will be encouraged to bring practice jerseys with them so that if one town's team seems too dominant, coaches from the two teams can mix players to get the best competitive balance.

That, Langrock said, could defuse some of the more rabid fans by encouraging them to root for whichever team their child is playing for regardless of the mix, rather than for one program over another.

"Once the parents see it, once the kids see it, it's going to be a blast," he predicted.

But, too, he acknowledged that not everyone goes into this new world order as thrilled as he is.

Some see it as blasphemy, tinkering with the rules and diluting the competitive spirit. And besides, how will young puck handlers learn the basic rules of the game if they're just skating willy-nilly on a short rink?

Hockey has a bad habit of periodically shooting itself in the foot, whether through college hazing scandals or professional work stoppages.

The new rules of mite hockey are a breath of fresh air for a sport that too often seems so adept at withering.

If a 7-year-old doesn't learn to love playing hockey, it doesn't much matter that by age 9 he or she won't know all the rules. Won't be playing anyhow.

Get the kid hooked on the sport, then teach them the rules, goes the new philosophy. Kids learn easily.

With luck, we can teach some of the old hockey parents a new trick, too. The game is supposed to be fun.

Remember? That's why we "play" hockey.

When smiles leave the game

By Tim Wendel, USA TODAY, Aug 22, 2005


Growing up, Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana pitched perfect games in Little League baseball and was so adept at high school basketball that North Carolina State offered him a scholarship.

Baseball slugger Mark McGwire quit baseball temporarily his sophomore year in high school to play golf. If he hadn't become caught up in the ongoing steroids controversy, he would be playing in more pro-ams and maybe eventually on the senior PGA Tour. He was almost as good with a golf club in his hands as he was with a baseball bat.

Deion Sanders was such a well-rounded athlete as a kid he became the only athlete to ever play in both a World Series and a Super Bowl. "Parents need to make the major decisions that affect their kids' lives," Sanders says. "But when it comes to play, they shouldn't discourage a broad approach. When a child wants to color, do you tell him to use just one black crayon?"

That's precisely what we're doing with our budding sports stars. Because of the influence of travel teams and the tantalizing hope of a college sports scholarship, the days when kids marked the seasons by the sport — football in fall, basketball and hockey in winter, and track, lacrosse and baseball in spring — are over. One wonders what would have happened to Montana, McGwire or Sanders if they were young sports stars in this day and age.

"We have reached the point of saturation — a vicious revolving door of never-ending seasons," says Fred Engh, founder of the National Alliance for Youth Sports and author of Why Johnny Hates Sports. "Children can't even take a couple of months' hiatus from a sport for fear of falling behind their peers and being excluded from teams the following seasons. Those elite teams, all those trophies — that's what the parents want."

'Dream for parents'

Summer hockey, fall baseball, indoor winter soccer, elite year-round teams that travel far from their neighborhoods — these are all part of a new kidcentric culture in which specialization supposedly breeds success.

Says sports psychologist Rick Wolff, author of Coaching Kids for Dummies: "Excelling in sports has become as much a part of the American dream for parents as getting their kids into the best school and living in the best neighborhoods."

But here's the dirty little secret: According to the NCAA, in men's college basketball, 2.9% of athletes make the jump from high school to the collegiate level. Only 3.1% of players make it in women's basketball, 5.8% in football and 5.6% in baseball. For most sports, the odds of a college athlete playing professionally are less than two in 100.

"Parents are using their kids as a lottery ticket," Sanders says. "Before all this money came along, moms and dads didn't go crazy at games. They didn't curse their kids and get on them to play better. It was just fun. Now, there's a Yellow Brick Road, and parents think it's their ticket."

In making youth sports so specialized, so adult, we're killing our children's joy for the games.

More than 70% of those who begin playing sports in elementary school will have quit by high school, according to the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports at Michigan State University. "Starting out, most kids just want to play. It's the parents who keep score," says Christopher Andersonn, author of Will You Still Love Me If I Don't Win. "They can kill the love a kid has for a sport. Once that's gone, it's very hard to recapture it."

The American Academy of Pediatrics cautions about overuse injuries (tendonitis, stress fractures) in children who were specializing or training year-round in sports.

As my two kids have grown up, I've coached them in soccer, basketball, baseball, lacrosse and ice hockey. I've told the stories about Montana, McGwire and Sanders to the parents who have children on my teams. Afterward they smile, as if I'm teasing them, and then the puzzlement creeps across their face as they realize I'm dead serious. Most of the best athletes of our time played just about every sport growing up — usually in the back yard, in the street.

That's not to say my family hasn't been affected by our society's single-sport obsession. In almost every sport my kids have played, high-powered coaches and commissioners have tried to steer us away from local leagues to more elite, even travel teams. They've often urged my children to play their particular sport year-round and attend intensive sports camps.

Sometimes, we've said no. But other times we've been caught up in the sports hype, occasionally with disastrous results. My son, who is a pretty good swimmer, recently announced he had had enough. Swimming just wasn't fun anymore.

What stays with players

At such times I vow to do a better job as a parent, and I remember something Montana said years ago, when he was as All-Pro quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. It was after another game in which Montana had rallied his team for a last-minute victory.

When reporters asked Montana about one of the pivotal plays, when he evaded a blitzing defender coming from his blindside, he smiled that Cheshire Cat grin of his and said, "Didn't you guys recognize that move?"

Puzzled looks all around. Nobody knew what he was talking about.

"It's an old basketball move," Montana explained. "Spin away from your man, remember?"

"You guys forget I was a pretty good basketball player. They offered me a college scholarship in that, too."

Tim Wendel is a member of USA TODAY's board of contributors. His books include Castro's Curveball and The New Face of Baseball.

Quote by: DMan

Dean,

I have a group of high school players in a community where hockey is relatively new. Our rink is 7 years old, so our oldest kids (18 years) didn't start playing until they were 11. The younger kids coming in are better skilled on the whole (14 year old-s who started at age 7) but they are smaller and not quite ready for the physical aspects of the game.

My biggest challenge is: How much time do I spend on strategy and game play concepts, and how much do I spend on individual skills. Our skill deficiencies always seem to get in the way of execution, both offensive & defensive.

Thanks for leading the charge on the discussion board.

Dave

Dave,

If you can't execute the basic skills, you are wasting time on strategy and team play concepts and increasing everyone's frustration levels... they won't be capable of executing them consistently (on-ice.) Why don't you rent a gym, or go to a parking lot, and do all of your team tactics using floor hockey sticks (unihockey / floorball) and or just using a walk through with a ball as they can all walk, right??!! You can also use European Handball to teach principles of play... I run an entire sequence of games off-ice that I can also use on-ice. I have done these with soccer and hockey and it can also apply to basketball as it is very similar (continuous team play.)

My suggestion is to judge your time accordingly. So more time, especially early (now) on skills. Stationary (but with heads up), then once they become competent, get them moving. Then once they get competent, try to get them to execute the same skills more quickly (heads up.) When they get better, put pressure on them... like keep score (accountability) - how many shots hit the net, passes can they make on the tape out of 10, use time limits to put pressure on, etc. Be creative!

Not knowing exactly your skill level, it is tough to say. But I would spend 10-15 minutes doing a skill warmup (skills in combination - individual skills progressing to individual tactics - skating, puck control, shooting); then some team tactics (2 or more players involved) for another 10-15 minutes; then I would spend the rest of the time on Smart Transitional Games. These improve intensity, competition (keep score and losers have to do something - winners get a break / water), fitness and require the individuals to perform skills and tactics in a real-life setting (under pressure / on demand) so the game becomes the teacher! Plus they are fun!

Remember... SKILLS first with heads up. Then increase the speed / pace expectations with heads up. (Try the silence rule.) Then increase the pressure while they perform the skill with heads up at speed. Then they should be able to perform these under demand.

Just my 2 cents...

PS If you haven't bought Tom's book, you should! He has a ton of good stuff in there and it is presented in a logical, progressive manner!

Ha its hard to take you serious when your avatar is you with a huge beer.

Enclosed are two articles from my friend Igor Andrejkovic; (Department of Games, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia) The first paper is his PhD Thesis while the second is a further scientific paper he published.

Article 1 - RELATION IN SOLVING A 1 ON 1 GAME SITUATION DURING MATCHES AND WITHIN TRAINING SESSIONS IN ICE-HOCKEY JUNIOR U 18 CATEGORY

Article 2 - RELATION OF SOLVING 2 ON 2 GAME SITUATION DURING MATCHES AND WITHIN TRAINING SESSIONS IN ICE-HOCKEY U 18 CATEGORY

Original scientific paper
Sport Science 2 (2009) 2: 20‐26

Pay particular attention to the conclusions; particularly in Article 1, where Igor discusses the proportion of time spent in practices on 1 vs. 1 / 2 vs. 1 / 1 vs. 2!

In rationalization of the training process:

• Dominant attention in the offensive game phase should be paid to solving a typical 1 on 1
game situation. From the point of view of results of championship matches, it is a critical
game situation. A successfully solved 1 on 1 game situation in the offensive game phase
means outnumbering, winning space, better position of players towards opponents’ goal
cage and many times an individual penetration.

• Proportionality of particular typical game situations within training sessions should be
derived from the frequency of occurrence of these game situations in championship
matches. For the junior category we basically recommend 1 on 1 game situations (45
percent), 2 on 1 game situations (35 percent) and 1 on 2 game situations (10 percent).

• While improving offensive game activities of individuals in typical 1 on 1 game situations,
game exercises and preparation games should be applied under conditions similar to
matches.

Try reading it after a BIG beer!

I like how Kai outlined his weekly template. I wondered what he thought of it?

His question, “What is your opinion, should the practice after the game reflect the game you had?" I see this as a “what comes first – the chicken or the egg" big picture question - i.e.: what comes first. I certainly think that there is a great inter-relationship between performance in games and what you do in practice (both before and after the games.)

Dean

The main principles in our YTP and week schedule are:

Long term player development. we want to give to our players good set of tools to future (especially off-ice). With U18 players who have sensitive period on strength, endurance and elasticity. So we really want to set up good base for future training. With skills you work with details and perfect the skill base that players have. So it’s heavy physically template. On ice we work with game sense

Diverse off and on ice training. on off-ice we want to keep it diverse (play basketball, soccer, ultimate etc.) and train the skills off- ice (agility, coordination, elasticity). We try to keep the endurance training diverse and fun.

Themed and focused practices on ice and off -ice. In our training 80%-90% is focused on offensive skills and playing. The YTP is chopped in five week periods each week has its own theme or focus.

How did work? Well I believe the Monday's recovery / skill training served three needs: recovery from the weekend games, work on aerobic endurance, and train individual skills. Players liked it too.
It’s a big challenge to fit the things you need to do in one week. That's why good planning and themes and focuses help. So that you your not trying to do everything every time. According to Harri Hakkarainen with youth players you should have two speed trainings and two strength trainings in week template.

I don't know if this post gives any answers or does it make any sense to anyone (I'm trying to wacth the Jets game at the same time)

Kai- Good reminder on the focused practice. One of our assistants is a soccer coach in a successful program and they use themed practices. (ex. "Today we're going to focus on defensive side positioning") It's really tempting to throw offensive ideas in there too, but the trick is to keep the message really clear and focused on one thing. I think this helps the players greatly.

Dean: What template are you talking about?
Tom: How do I get one of those beer pics by my name? I've tried signing up several times but I never get a confirmation email.

DMan,

I used have bad habit of trying to fit erything in one practice. Planing has helped me to correct my tendensies. I'm learning to coach players comprehensively one focus at a time. And I had also a great mentor.


Dean,
I live in Vaasa. Meet up with few beers sounds great!

What else can Renney do?
Oiler coach running out of options
By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, QMI Agency
November 25, 2010

EDMONTON - He’s benched the fourth line, the rookies, some veterans and he’s called the team out publicly, after lighting into them privately.

And we’re not even into December.

Tom Renney is working his way through the Grab Their Attention checklist and still hasn’t managed to grab the Oilers attention, or at least keep it for more than one game a week.

Like vanquished coaches Craig MacTavish and Pat Quinn before him, Renney is running out of ways to inject some passion and focus into a group that’s lost by four or more goals five times (5-0, 7-1, 8-2, 6-2 and 5-0) in the last eight starts and has been out-shot to the tune of 19-4, 16-4, 11-5, 20-4 in the last four opening periods.

You have to go back six games to even find a night when Edmonton even had more than five shots in a first period.

So the coach scans his checklist, choosing to run battle drills Wednesday instead of giving them the day off they expected.

“Nobody’s happy with that type of a performance and how we mismanaged our game,” Renney said of the 5-0 loss Tuesday in Phoenix. “At the end of the day there are some tools that you have to look at as a coach that can help you put the proper premium on how they have to play.

“I think I’ve shown a few examples of how that can work. And I’ve got more bullets in the chamber.”

He’s not bluffing and he doesn’t play favourites, not that there’s anybody left in the room who thinks otherwise after Renney benched the captain and the first pick overall in a span of two weeks.

“Tom can be hard on us, he has been in the past,” said Shawn Horcoff, adding what we see publicly is pretty tame compared with the stuff behind closed doors. “He holds guys accountable. It’s definitely a point he’s got across to everyone and he’ll continue to do that until we get it right.”

Renney carved them after the Phoenix loss, the first time he’s come out and questioned their commitment and pride. The only surprise is that it took this long.

“Tom’s been very patient with us, very positive,” said Colin Fraser. “And that’s what we want to have, a positive attitude in here. But when you give up six, seven, five goals as often as we have been lately it’s tough to stay positive. Guy’s don’t want to accept that.”

They seem to be accepting of defeat sometimes, which is most concerning. You honestly have to wonder about a team that plays the way Edmonton did on Tuesday. If they play that way in front of their dads, who exactly are they saving the inspired efforts for?

“With his coaching and the game plan we have there’s no excuses for the efforts we put out some nights,” said Andrew Cogliano. “We have skill in here, we have guys who want to play hard, but some nights the compete level just isn’t there.”

So Renney, like Quinn and MacTavish, will continue to dig. But there are delicate balances between accepting growing pains and accepting losing, between laying down the law and losing the room.

“If I’m in there so often doing those things then it become redundant and they’ll turn me off,” said Renney. “So you have to be creative and inventive as a coach in terms of how you get those messages across and by what mechanism. That’s the art of coaching.

“We’re still nurturing, we’re still supportive, we’re still demanding. And when we need to, we draw a hard line. That’s what this year is going to be all about.

“I thought we played pretty good in Anaheim and I thought we played pretty good at home against Phoenix, as much as we let them come back and tie us.

“I thought we might have been able to kind of round the corner there but this appears to be a pretty big corner.”

http://www.istadia.com/article/jspano

Posted Fri Apr 3 2009 11:51 AM posted by jspano

Rethinking Anger: Anger Doesn’t Equal Intensity

Getting pumped up, excited, intense, or focused are all great qualities for an athlete. Being angry isn’t one. Often athletes (and coaches) equate anger and aggressiveness with intensity. Intensity is a positive attribute, anger is a negative attribute. Intensity is based on being focused and in control; anger comes from frustration and losing control. Anger almost always has negative effect on performance. Anger causes a shift in attention, the focus becomes on what you’re angry about and not what is happening in the moment. This break in concentration causes your performance to suffer. This experience is similar to the effects of stress.

For example, if a basketball player thinks he/she got fouled but doesn’t get a call from the referee the focus may be on the non-call. Their focus becomes the non-call and not the current situation causing performance levels to drop. The use of concentration techniques would be helpful in breaking the cycle of anger and poor performance.

The most effective ways to do this are:

• Cue Words or Phrases (Self-talk)
Cue words/phrases can be used to trigger a particular competitive response. They help athletes narrow their focus when necessary. Cue words/phrases can be either instructional (i.e.; follow-through, relax, watch the ball) or motivational (explode, do it now, strong) to help focus on the task at hand.

• Take a personal time out
As soon as you can take a few seconds and remove yourself from the situation. Take a second to take a deep breath and think objectively about the situation that just occurred. Once that is over take another deep breath and think about what you need to do next.

• Use Performance Routines
Use pre-competition or pre-situation routines help you get focused and prepared for what is about to happen. Using routines when concentration breaks will help athletes refocus and performance will improve.

7 Keys to Building Good Work Habits in Young Baseball Players

By Nick Dixon

http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Keys-to-Building-Good-Work-Habits-in-Young-Baseball-Players&id=1980393


Today the four letter word for baseball coaches is W-O-R-K: Working and learning to work are one of the vital elements required in the building of a successful baseball team and program. In baseball coaching work and baseball playing involves a lot of things. Work is practice. Work is hustle. Work is execution. Work is commitment. Work is being focused. Work and knowing the value of work may be the most important thing that you will teach your players. A player can have all the talent in the world, but if that player is not willing to work hard to develop that talent, the player is destined to be an underachiever.

Work is what allows a player, a team, and a coach to reach their maximum potential in the game. Every player has the potential to be great at something in the game! Hard work is the key element that will determine a the level of success a player will have later in life. Learning to work hard is a life skill that every youth player can benefit from. We all know of players that we played with or that we coached that had great God-given abilities but terrible work habits. They refused to push themselves to greatness. They would always spend more time looking for a way to get out of work, than actually working. They were simply lazy. They did not have the drive. It made no difference what the coach did, what the parent did, or what their peers said, they simply did not have the focus and commitment to work hard. These underachievers always come to their senses but it is always too late. When they look back to the good old day, they always say that wish they would have worked harder. A common saying of underachieves is that if they only had known then what I know now, they would have pushed themselves harder and made themselves work harder.

Players and coaches must understand the value of hard work. Anything worth having is worth working for. You must work hard. The assistant coaches must work hard. The players must work hard.

What are the keys to teaching players to work? Here are 7 keys to building good work habits in young players:

1. Praise
Praise the player when work is done. Instant positive feedback can serve to motivate players to work harder and harder. You should always correct a player when he does something incorrect. But when you do verbally get on a player, always find a reason to pat that kid on the back later. Keeping a balance between corrective criticism and praise is a valuable skill every coach must learn. Always try to send the players home on a positive note with a positive frame of mind.

2. Fun
The kids must enjoy practicing, playing and spending time together. If going to the baseball field feels like going to the dentist, they are going to lose interest and drive. When they lose interest and drive, they will stop working. Plan your practices with a variety of drills and activities to prevent boredom from setting in. Always include a couple of competitive games or drills to make the practice as fun as possible. I am not saying make your practice all fun game and play-time. I am just suggesting that you plan and organize your practices to include as many fun and motivating activities as is practical.

3. Discipline
Team discipline and player self discipline are two crucial elements for having a successful season. Players should be expected to have a high level of self control and follow all team rules. One important team rule is always showing respect to coaches and adults on and off the field. You can be firm and still keep a fun and comfortable atmosphere.

4. Role Model
The players must see their coach work. Kids can sense when a coach practices what he preaches. Do not expect a kid to work for you if you do not work for him.

5. Short-term Goals
Setting a goal for a drill or workout activity will often motivate players to put forth more effort. Have the goal be something simple and have the reward instant.

6. Long-term Goals Setting team goals for the season is an important tool to improve player mental focus and to add value to the work done at practice.

7. Individual Goals
If you have a gifted player that is more advanced and skilled that most of the other players on the team, you may want to have each player set 3 individual goals for the season. Have players set a target batting average goal, a goal of stolen bases, a goal of a number of base hits or such. Such individual goals often can motivate players to work harder than ever.

Nachbaur puts main jolt in surprising Chiefs

John Blanchette The Spokesman-Review

January 30, 2011

Just in case they don’t meet in the playoffs, the Western Hockey League schedule has arranged the next best thing: Eight of the Spokane Chiefs’ last 23 games are against the Tri-City Americans.

And if they do meet in the playoffs, well, so much the better.

The first of those eight came Saturday night at the Spokane Arena, a heart-breaking 5-4 Spokane loss, the 11th game for the Chiefs in 18 days. Seems excessive in the context of teenage hockey, and yet it’s not all that uncommon in the WHL even if it corrupts the notion of teams being prepared and dialed in every night out.

But it reminded Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz of a point to be made about his coach, Don Nachbaur.

When the Chiefs and Ams last met in the playoffs, it was 2008. Spokane would win the Memorial Cup that season; there’s every reason to think Tri-City would have had the Ams been the ones to prevail in Game 7 of their series. At the time, of course, Nachbaur coached the other guys.

“I remember beating them here, 2-0,” Speltz said, “to go up 2-1 in the series. I thought, ‘OK, we’ve got them right where we want them.’ I mean, he had (defensemen) leaving that night – I wasn’t sure they’d come back to the rink they were hit so hard and we were on them so bad.

“Right. They beat us the next night and we had to go back to their building 2-2. He’s simply as focused on having his team prepared as any coach we’ve had.”

And maybe at catching everyone unprepared.

To find Spokane hungrily poking around near the top of the U.S. Division standings this season is a little like discovering a Ferrari under your Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

In its first two decades of existence, never had this franchise put together back-to-back 90-point seasons. Coming off three in a row, then, and given the loss of 82 goals from a pair of all-star forwards, quantum slippage seemed inevitable – to the point that even early in the fall, the most anticipated date was the January trade deadline and what it might bring for the future.

That was before the Chiefs won 18 of 24 games during the second third of the season.

“And so we didn’t feel it would be fair to this year’s group,” said Speltz, “with the success they’d had, to say, ‘We have to look to the future.’ ”

Nor to the new coach who has more or less willed this bit of astonishment.

This is not to discount the remarkable jumps made by any number of youngsters of previously negligible accomplishment, or the MVP year Tyler Johnson has in the making or the leadership and consistency of nearly all the Chiefs veterans.

But this has the feeling of alchemy and, as such, needs an alchemist.

That the Chiefs had the opportunity to hire Nachbaur after his one-year toe-dip coaching in the American Hockey League was a gift; that they finally recognized the changing face of the WHL and took the leap away from “developing” a relative newbie was a whiff of hard reality.

“There are ex-NHL guys all over the Western Conference,” Speltz said. “Our guy has 450 wins in this league. That level of accomplishment is becoming the norm.”

If that means instant credibility, fine – but he’s not looking to sell his players on his credibility. His approach couldn’t be more basic.

“Earn it,” he said. “That’s always been my motto. I was given nothing in hockey. I had to earn my way through the ranks. And I think it’s a missing link in society today. I think our guys understand, now, that they earn the right to stay on the ice every night. They can earn their way off it, too.”

The message has not only been heard, but embraced. The Chiefs were the first WHL team to 200 goals, with 10 skaters in double figures. But they’re also among the league leaders in fewest goals allowed – though now their starting goaltender is out indefinitely.

“Don doesn’t accept ‘sometimes’ or ‘maybe,’ ” Speltz said. “By the same token, we’ve never had a coach who agonizes over the players who have to sit out. Somebody has to every night, but it drives him crazy.”

The question with all overachievers – and for the sake of argument, let’s call the Chiefs that – is whether they can sustain the pace.

“You weigh what’s important – being fresh and ready for that first round of the playoffs or whipping the pony to the end to hang a banner and get that home-ice advantage,” Nachbaur said. “I’ve been on both sides, and I think our kids like being in striking position.

“We’re in the hunt. That’s where you want to be.”

VIGNEAULT STOPS CANUCKS' PRACTICE AFTER LACKLUSTRE EFFORT

TSN Staff April 4, 2011


A season that has already netted the Canucks the top seed in the NHL and the Presidents' Trophy wasn't enough for Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault to accept the effort he was getting from his players at practice Monday.

Following a rare home defeat to the NHL's worst team Saturday night and unimpressed with the lacklustre start of practice, the coach pulled the players aside for a brief message before starting up practice again.

"It wasn't a huge message. It was just basically a 'what are you guys doing out here? Let's wake up and play the way we want to play.' We've been professionals all season long and these last three games are still part of the regular season. So it's up to us to stay focused," said defenceman Kevin Bieksa.

"The start of practice wasn't good enough and we realized that too. After that it was fine. I think after last game we needed to sharpen up," said captain Henrik Sedin.

With nothing left to play for - save for individual accolades - the Canucks find themselves in a position of waiting for the playoffs to begin, but needing to keep that level of play that vaulted them to a franchise-best season.

"To stay sharp you've got to execute and you've got to work hard every day. If we do that we'll be fine," said goaltender Roberto Luongo. "If we lay off the gas and go through the motions the next week, then we might have a little bit of trouble getting going next week."

Vigneault didn't seem overly concerned with stopping practice.

"If a coach only has to stop practice one time during the year because he's not happy with execution or total involvement, it's been a pretty good year," he said.

The Canucks finish their regular season with games in Edmonton on Tuesday, their home finale Thursday against the Wild, and they end their regular season in Calgary Saturday night. The players are eager to finish the campaign off strong, regardless of result.

"If a team comes in and just plays better than us we'll accept that," Bieksa said. "But when we're not putting our best game out and putting an effort out like that last game, that's unacceptable. We're looking to build good habits in the last three."