Reply To: Diary of a Season 2013-14

TomM wrote:
The 2013 part of the season has been very challenging. I thought we would have an offensive powerhouse this year but the top 3 forwards and top 2 defense who I thought were coming back went to sport schools. The conventional wisdom seems to be that if you spend a lot of money on tuition and hockey fees to a sports school (between 30-45 000) it translates into you being offered a scholarship to university. It isn't true as almost every graduating player from my first two seasons with the team is playing at a university or college. Two of my 96 born who are still with our team have already signed 'letters of intent' to CIS schools and another is talking to an eastern university. Last year we had two graduate Flyer defense playing in the CIS National Championship tournament.

But as the standard hockey saying goes, 'It is what it is."

So we were almost starting over when the season began with ten new players. My plan has been to help them get better at every skill and improve their fitness level. An the average week is: Monday – spin class on exercise bikes. Tuesday and Wednesday both are 90 minute on ice practices with lots of emphasis on skills and game sense. Thursday – off. Friday a 75 minute practice practice with about 30 minutes of skill at high tempo and 45 minutes of team play. Sat – Sunday games.

We have played 21 league games so far. The first 10 games we were 2-6-2 and the last 11 games we are 4-4-3. This weekend we played the top two teams in our division and tied 3-3 vs. the second place team and beat the top team 2-1.

I have tried to find a forecheck that fits this group of players. I don't have many high energy players who want to be on the puck and cause turn-overs and my D have scored only 1 goal. So really aggressive forechecks haven't worked. The 2-1-2 with F3 high and a strong side pinch when the D is sure and weak side pinch on a rim works for this group better than the aggressive forechecks we tried or the 1-2-2. I also changed the penalty kill to be more contain than pressure for the same reasons.

Take away a 7-7 tie and we only average 1.3 GF a game, so our margin of error is very small. Most of our games are 2-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-2. This weekend we scored 5 goals and if we can keep this up we will do well. Our defensive play is good but of course it can get better.

I have basically rolled lines all season. You are only as strong as your weakest link and we have some players who have never played AAA before and the league is 96-97-98 born players. The ones with lots of potential are the 98 born and they have to get used to playing vs. players two years older than them. 4 of our 5 goals this weekend were scored by first year players. So they are coming on.

17 skaters is such a clumsy number to work into games. I don't know why HC has that number. 18 skaters like in the NHL and college gives you 4 lines and 3 sets of D. We have 10 F and 7 D. We now go with 3 lines and two wingers and a different centre double shifts each period to make 4 lines. That centre doesn't kill penalties when double shifting. I know we could have a few more wins and ties if I put on the best players as much as possible like the other teams in the league do but the most important thing is how good we are in the Mac's tournament which starts Dec. 26 and then the play-offs.

The players all come to every practice and fitness session (except when sick or injured) and I think it is important to reward them by allowing them to play and give them a reason to work at getting better. This philosophy isn't popular with all of the parents, especially some of the third year parents who have told me that in their opinion the 96 born should play more because they are in their last year and they have earned the right to more ice time, power play time, etc.

Maybe some people are 'entitled' but my view is that the whole team has to improve and be given opportunity. We do put on the players who are having a good game if we need a goal or need to hold a lead in the last few minutes and one player does get to double shift because of the 17 skaters but it is based on merit and right now two of the three C's who do this are first years.

The Mac's Tournament is really big in Calgary. The press supports it and lots of people come to every game. My captains are going to a press conference this week where they announce the teams. There is a boy's and girl's tournament going on at the same time. One of my Finnish friends is coaching the Finland U17 team that is playing on the boy's side. So the first 4 months has been to prepare for this tournament and the way we are playing now I think we have as good a chance as anyone. Three of our 4 wins in the last 11 games have been vs. the top team in the north and south divisions.

So the season has been a real challenge but it has been fun because this group of players wants to get better. They come to practice and work hard. A coach can't ask for more than that. I can see them improving all of the time and I hope they get rewarded with more W's and team success.

As far as coaching goes, we will keep working on skills and good habits until they become automatic.