Reply To: IIHF 2012 Coaching Symposiums

[Tom Molloy]

No Canada or USA in the Medal Round

The conference was very good. There were about 125 coaches there and I think the majority were professional coaches from all around Europe.

Sessions covered topics like off ice training, skating, mental preparation, team play and team organization. I really liked the session Chris McSorley gave where he showed us the systems he uses and his philosophy of coaching both games and practices.
We got tickets to five of the games and a transit pass that let us travel all over Helsinki and take the train to the Hartwell arena were the games were. Lots of NHL coaches and GM’s met in the concourse where the coaches sat. I ran into a coach from the Salzburg Red Bulls and sat with him for most of the sessions.

The four teams playing for the medals are; Russia, Finland, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Today Canada was eliminated by Slovakia (has about as many players as in Calgary) and the USA was beaten by Finland on a goal with 9 seconds left. That game was followed by Sweden being beaten 3-2 by Czech Republic (about twice as many players as Slovakia) with about 30 seconds left. Russia earlier beat Norway 5-2.

It is the third year in a row that Canada has not made the final four. It looks like the USA and Canada thrive on the small 200-85’ ice and struggle on the bigger 200-100’ surface.

'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'