Reply To: Open thread for coaching discussion

[Tom Molloy]

Another year for Canada to come home without a medal at the U20 World Championships. The USA won last year but were eliminated before the medal round this time.

I emailed my Finnish partner Juuso Wahlsten to congratulate him on them first winning the Mac's midget U18 tournament with their U17 team and then winning the World Junior Championship. He answered 'thank-you and we also just won the World Ringuette Championship. (Juuso introduced the game to Finland after seeing it on one of his trips to Canada)

The Swedes and Finland were in the final and each country has about 10% of the total players that Canada and the USA have. They have to use their resources efficiently and do a great job of coaching to make up for the huge gap in total number of players.

I like to study how they coach and approach the game and see that their methods are very superior to what we do. Some big examples are:

1 – develop the athleticism of their players. They play many sports and learn to train at a young age.

2 – they play cross-ice until U10. This results in players learning to play in smaller spaces and 600% more touches in game. The star can't just beat one or two players and go on a breakaway like happens in full ice with young kid's.

3 – they teach the mechanics of puck handling, passing, skating at an early age. If you don't stride to the side, hold your stick properly, pass with a heel to heel rotation, play in the triple threat position, etc. etc. at a young age – during the golden years of learning which are the last 3-4 years before puberty, then your capacity to be a good player is in reality destroyed.

4 – they use a lot of 'games to teach the game' with the young players and all through their hockey training. This promotes creativity. (Canada Jr.s had few creative players and the women's team doesn't look on the same level as the USA in skill or creativity.)

The style of play also has to suite the big ice 30×60 m. 200×100 ft. vs. 200×85 ft.. You can't play the usual NHL style of overloading with 3 F's on one side and expect them to cover the extra 15 ft. You need to have balance all over the ice. One pass on the big rink eliminates all three forwards. Styles like the 'left wing lock' are much more effective on the big ice. For Canada's sake I hope Coach Babcock hasn't forgotten this forecheck. North American pro teams haven't won at the World Championships for a long time when they are played on European sized rinks. We used the Pounce in Austria and it was effective because you had three on the forecheck on both sides and four on the attack but three F's didn't have to chase the puck side to side. A balance style of play is needed.

There is a better way to coach the game and this site exists to explore the most effective ways to coach.

(These comments are based on my 20 hockey trips to Europe where I have worked with many teams and done many hockey camps. Also based on my coaching with the head of Czech hockey, the former Russian Olympic coach, working with the current Finnish Olympic coach, coaching in Austria with coaches from every hockey nation and studying the game extensively with Juhani Wahlsten, IIHF hall of famer as my mentor. I have also attended about 15 total IIHF and Hockey Canada international symposiums where high level coaches from all over the hockey world present. So I have had the opportunity to see and hear a lot. ) Most of the time on my own dime.

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