Articles

[hockeygod]

Flames' Brodie not taking NHL job for granted

Vicki Hall, Calgary Herald, February 8, 2012

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — In spite of his lengthy stay in the bigs, T.J. Brodie is not about to declare his occupation as full-time player in the National Hockey League.

Not when a trip back to the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Heat is only a phone call away.

“It’s nice to be up here,” Brodie said softly in a quiet moment on the road with the Calgary Flames. “Obviously, it’s still important that I play well every day and come to work every day. Even though I’ve been here three or four months, know I can still be sent down at any time.

“I guess that’s a good thing to keep me going. I know I have to come out and play good every night.”

Rookie defencemen generally don’t play well every night in the NHL. Growing pains — and embarrassing moments — just come with the job, especially for offensive-minded blue-liners.

The smooth-skating Brodie is one of them.

“He has come a long way,” head coach Brent Sutter said in advance of Wednesday night’s clash with the San Jose Sharks. “When we first brought him up, he was obviously really excited. And yet he was a rookie. Raw.

“He was very exuberant when he first came in. A lot of excitement and that kind of stuff. I think that works for a period of time. But then after a while you have to play against some top-end players, and you have to make some adjustments in your game.”

Those adjustments include the installation of an internal traffic light. Green is go. Red is stop. Amber is caution.

And sometimes, life in the NHL is more like driving in rush hour than cruising in the middle of the night.

“On every rush, you don’t just take off with the puck,” Sutter said. “You might be able to do that against certain players. But against certain players, you can’t.

“The one thing we’ve never done as coaching staff — and I wouldn’t want us to do — is to hold him back. He’s got to continue to let the offensive side of his game grow.”

As a second-year pro, Brodie, 21, has a much better handle on creating that fine balance.

A fourth-round entry draft pick of the Flames in 2008, Brodie shocked onlookers in his first professional training camp by cracking the 2010-11 opening-day roster. He played in three games for Calgary before former general manager Darryl Sutter sent him to Abbotsford for seasoning under former Heat head coach Jim Playfair.

By January, acting general manager Jay Feaster publicly chastised the youngster for not respecting the level of play in the AHL. To that end, Playfair banished the youngster to the press box for one game as a healthy scratch.

“I had coaches who had been hard on me before,” Brodie said of his time working for Playfair. “It’s not anything personal. It’s just the way they coach and the way they get their point across. Once you figure out the message that they’re trying to send, it makes it a lot easier. You just have to know that it’s not that he doesn’t like you or anything. “

At the beginning of this season, Brodie failed to impress in training camp and went back to Abbotsford for more development. He played 12 games for the Heat before receiving the call from Calgary on Nov. 9.

In 39 games with the Flames, Brodie has collected two goals and 11 points. Defensively, he sits at minus-1.

“He’s really smart guy,” said his blue-line partner, Cory Sarich.”He skates well. In today’s game, that’s an absolute asset.

“He seems confident with the puck. He’s not afraid to make plays. That’s a great thing to have when you’re young. That’s kind of the way you need to approach the game. You need to go out there and try to make a difference.

“He’s not just trying to survive games without making mistakes.”

Just last week. Brodie’s dad Jay took a break from his two full-time jobs (farmer and compression operator for Union Gas) to drive his son’s truck to Calgary from Abbotsford.

But Brodie realizes he can’t assume there won’t be a return trip through the Rocky Mountains on Highway 1.

“Each game, I get a little bit more comfortable,” he said. “Each game, I learn something new to help me out. I’m just trying to improve and get better each day, and with that comes confidence.

“You know what you can do out there. You know your limits.”

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Ilya Bryzgalov all business

James Mirtle, Globe and Mail, Feb. 08, 2012

This was not the Ilya Bryzgalov audiences saw on HBO.

There were no funny quips about the size of the universe, no anecdotes about endangered tigers on liquor bottles, or goofy grins for no apparent reason at all.

Just one sullen, 31-year-old goaltender faced with another day of questions – this time about his inability to stop much of anything in shootouts – after the Philadelphia Flyers’ 1-0 loss to the lowly New York Islanders a night earlier.

“Fire your questions guys,” Bryzgalov said softly, as the throng gathered around for an uncomfortable 3 1/2-minute session after Wednesday’s practice.

This was question No. 2, which set the tone: Given his past success with the Phoenix Coyotes and struggles in Philadelphia, is success in a shootout simply about having confidence?

“Yeah probably,” he offered. “I don’t know. Maybe there’s better shooters. I don’t know.”

Life hasn’t been particularly sunny in Philadelphia for either the Flyers or their goalie since they made their high-profile appearance on 24/7 as part of the annual Winter Classic spotlight.

After all, they were 15-7-3 before HBO’s cameras invaded the dressing room and then won five games in a row immediately thereafter, standing first in the Eastern Conference.

But since an ugly 6-0 loss at home to the Boston Bruins midway through the run of the series, the Flyers are only 10-9-4 and have fallen much closer to a pack of teams fighting to make the playoffs.

One of those is the Toronto Maple Leafs, their opponent on Thursday, who can move to within three points of the Flyers with a regulation win.

Now, to pin all of that subtle slide on Bryzgalov wouldn’t be fair. This is a team missing its captain, Chris Pronger, for the rest of the season with a concussion and one where the turnover has been considerable throughout the roster.

Then again, Bryzgalov is Philadelphia’s $51-million (U.S.) man, playing under a behemoth contract that includes $10-million this season alone. And seven months in, that nine-year deal has become a bit of a humbling millstone for the eccentric Russian.

The press in Philadelphia aren’t known for being all that forgiving. Not in a town with a reputation as a goalie graveyard and not when Bryzgalov’s arrival came just as high-profile stars Mike Richards and Jeff Carter were shipped out.

Bryzgalov’s quirky antics during his team’s skid, meanwhile, didn’t sit all that well with the team. It came to a head after his infamous rant before the Winter Classic, when he spilled the beans he wouldn’t be starting and called the decision “good news” because his team would “have a chance to win the game.”

Soon after, it’s believed the struggling goalie had a quiet heart-to-heart with his no-nonsense head coach, Peter Laviolette, and some ground rules were laid.

Bryzgalov’s meetings with the media have since been uncharacteristically mild, with the goalie avoiding the type of oddball conversations he’s been known for.

The “good news” these days, however, is this all-business Bryzgalov has been remarkably better than the other version, posting a 5-3-3 record, 2.29 goals-against average and .921 save percentage since the Winter Classic on Jan. 1.

Even so, tough recent outings against the Bruins and New York Rangers have given the critics more fodder. Bryzgalov allowing the only two shots he faced in a shootout against the Islanders didn’t help, either, especially with Evgeni Nabokov stealing a win at the other end while earning 17.5-times less in salary than his countryman.

Bryzgalov has now made just two saves in shootouts all season, giving him an 0-4 record and league-worst .200 save percentage – and another opportunity for nitpicking by the press corps Wednesday.

“You know, like, to be honest, I feel right now doing the shootout, it’s like a soccer net behind me,” Bryzgalov said. “Everything I do goes slower or they’re faster or … I don’t know.

“It’s not [playing in] the East or West; it’s here in the head. Fix the shootout part in my head, and it’s going to be fine.”

Maybe so. But just don’t expect the old Bryzgalov to come out any time soon.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Bruins looks less threatening after getting trounced by the underdogs

Sean Gordon, Globe and Mail, Feb. 09, 2012

This one’s for all the pigeon-chested, four-eyed weaklings who ever had a “what I really should have done” moment.

It’s for everyone who’s ever had the town bully steal their pizza money and experienced a revenge fantasy worthy of a Quentin Tarantino movie.

That’s right, Ryan Miller and the 12th-placed Buffalo Sabres laid a bare-bum spanking on the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

Everyone remembers the original incident, where Milan Lucic steamrolled Miller. The Sabres responded to that night by going deep into the tank (9-18-5) and blowing any chance they had at a playoff run.

But that will matter a tiny bit less now.

So you want to run our goalie, Milan? Here’s a little 6-0 action for your face – oh, and sorry about the disallowed goal that was perfectly fine.

Karma’s a drag, eh?

Now, it would have been a better lesson for all you kids out there if the Sabres had been able to exact revenge for the incident that sent them into a three-month tailspin (Lucic steamrolling Ryan Miller in November) in more Gandhi-esque fashion.

That’s to say without the tomfoolery of cartoonish winger Patrick Kaleta, as disagreeable and repugnant a character as there is in the NHL.

Kaleta ran around all night, shoving Zdeno Chara into goalie Tim Thomas (who came on in relief of Tuukka Rask), creating a huge scrum at the end of the game (during which Lucic cross-checked him in the melon), and even engaging in fisticuffs with Miller’s tormentor – which is still as pointless an exercise as it’s ever been.

On the plus side, he also scored a goal, always the preferred method for seeking retribution.

So bully for the Sabres, even if they had to resort to bully tactics, at least in part, to get theirs.

The broader point, of course, is that the Bruins, who looked as scary as they ever have in November, December and a chunk of January, are clearly running out of steam.

Boston is a Habs-esque 5-6-1 in its last 12 games, and hasn’t won two straight games in a month.

It’s really, really hard to have a great season after going to the Stanley Cup finals, what with all the psychic energy expended and the 100-plus games that are required to get there.

While Boston’s playoff spot isn’t threatened, they clearly don’t intimidate the pencil-necked geeks in the rest of the league quite as much anymore.

And maybe that’s the real revelation from Wednesday’s game.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[Curt Joonas]

I appreciate all of the information on the site. After reading Tom's post yesterday about having others contribute more I decided to jump in.

Here is an interesting read and video about the day in the life of a basketball player.

http://developyourbballiq.com/jeremy-lin-and-putting-in-work/

I deal with many kids that want to move to the next level in hockey whether it be college, junior,AAA or NHL. I watch these kids say the right things and most of the time work very hard. Videos like this show kids the work that must go in to becoming an elite level player. Jeremy Lin is an Asian- American who went to Harvard. Not the typical route to the NBA. He was an undrafted player who has shown through hard work, skills and believing in yourself anything can happen.

———————————
Pioneer, thanks for the contribution. Good stuff. Great to send just the link so we don't trample on any copyrights.
Tom

[Kai K]

Rugby Game Sense

Rugby coaching tips for instilling game sense

Coaching your players so they have a better understanding of rugby is not just about playing games at rugby training sessions. There are four fundamental principles you need to adopt in order to make sure your players learn "game sense" as they practise and play.

Game sense

•Your players need to be clear what aspect of the game you are focusing on.

•You need to condition the rugby training game to give the players the maximum opportunity to practise the rugby skill you are focusing on in your coaching session.

•You need to observe players carefully. Again, focusing on the rugby skill you've chosen to practise.

•The majority of the time must be spent playing the game but you must have breaks to talk to the players.
Games into practice: a case study

Let's say you want to focus the rugby coaching session on ball retention in contact, specifically ball presentation in the tackle.

•Play a six-a-side full contact game in a 10m wide channel. The limited space should mean lots of tackles, and lots of opportunities for you to observe your players performing the rugby skill being practised.

•Let the teams play for around two minutes at a time, spending only about 30 seconds speaking to them between each section of play.

•When you do talk to your players, focus only on improving their ball presentation. Don't worry about the tackler or the support players unless their actions have affected the ball presentation.

•The game should be quite intense, due to the high number of contact situations, so you might find shorter bursts of play and more rests are necessary.

•If you have enough players, rotate the teams for each section of play. This will give all your players the chance to have a rest.

•The resting players can observe and feedback on what they see.
To receive more rugby coaching advice, games and drills, subscribe to Rugby Coach Weekly, a journal aimed at new coaches and coaches of new and inexperienced players. Click here to find out more.

To read more about coaching your support players to develop game intelligence, so they can make the right decisions in a game, click here.

Kai

[Kai K]

Invasion Sports & Game Sense' – Their relevance to young footballers
By Mark Neeld, Head Coach Western Jets FC (TAC Cup) and Coordinator of Health & Physical Education Geelong College Preparatory School

Background to Invasion Sports
Simply put, an invasion sport is a game between two opponents, one an attacker and one a defender, where the space of one team is ‘invaded’ by the other. Common sports that fall into this category include; Australian Rules, soccer, basketball, hockey and netball.

In their basic form the strategies of all these sports are quite similar. The role of the defending team is to slow up the ball movement of the attackers and attempt to get the ball back. The attackers’ job is to maintain possession of the ball and get it into a position where a score can be attempted.

With ‘decision making’ and ‘execution of skills under pressure’ at the top of every AFL recruiters’ checklist it is vital that all young footballers be given exposure to a variety of invasion sports. If time is not available to join other sporting clubs or codes it is possible within a football club to provide such experiences.

Training 'Game Sense' in Training Sessions
In essence what the ‘Game Sense’ philosophy is trying to achieve is to provide opportunities for players to become more tactically aware and be educated in how a game is actually played. It also provides a realistic environment where players are able to practise and improve their skills under game-like conditions.

Yes skill technique is extremely important however, it is best taught in isolation, perhaps through the use of ‘skill cards’. Traditional ‘skill only’ football training does not take into account factors that effect skill execution such as; selection of what type of pass to use, deception of a defender or being tackled or chased.

The use of correct skill is not ignored in game sense training rather it is incorporated into the activities planned by the coaching staff. Players have a far better chance of making good decisions and displaying good skills in a game if they have previously practised them in a similar environment.

Game Sense v Practice Match
It is naive to think that playing practice matches at training is following the game sense philosophy. Game sense is also about practicing parts of the game in isolation. For example a simple 4 v 4 stoppage activity or a 5 v 3 activity to practice outnumbering the opposition at the contest will serve a far greater purpose than an 18 v 18 game with one ball where the mid fielders dominate.

True game sense activities need to be played in confined space with small-sided teams. It is suggested that the teams be no greater than 6. This is to ensure that all players are given the chance to participate and therefore improve. The activities should go for no more than 7-10mins (remember it is practicing components of the game).

The rules of each individual activity are the domain of the coach. They can be adapted to suit the team’s game style and to practice areas that need improvement. The key is that the coach becomes the facilitator in that, once the situation has been created let the players solve the problems and make the decisions. As new skills are attempted, or need refining, it is here that skill instruction can take place.

The Questioning Technique
To produce educated young footballers it is vital that the coach employ very good questioning techniques. Game Sense Invasion Games provide an excellent opportunity to provide immediate meaningful feedback. The coach must move away from ‘the barracking’ feedback and towards the ‘instructional feedback’. It is not the role of the coach to solve all problems. Remember that the players are out there and you are on the sidelines.

Open-ended questions should be used to compliment this approach. This promotes thinking among the players and this will also result in learning. Some examples of appropriate questions are: How can you make it more difficult for your opponent to score? Is it better to run and carry the ball in that situation or deliver the ball immediately? Where can you position yourself to be of benefit to the team? Where can you run to assist your team in scoring a goal?

Coaching the Modern Student
It is worth remembering that the young footballers of today have had a completely different educational experience than that of many coaches. Young people have been educated in an environment where many things are negotiated, discussed and left to them to make choices. They are encouraged to explore, experiment and it is explained to them that mistakes will certainly occur and that is fine provided you learn something from them.

Game Sense is a training technique that embraces the modern society that we currently live in. Some young people find it difficult to adapt to sporting environments where everything is given to them, someone else sets all the rules and they have had no input. Game sense empowers players and helps them take more responsibility for their own football development.

Kai

[Tom Molloy]

Kai, I think the statement about today's athlete is really important. Schools have changed from the 'Command Style' of 'Drill and Practice' to 'Wholistic Learning' which is much more collaborative. Schools are no longer places where the information is 'poured in' and the students memorize and regurgitate.

The Educational Systems in most countries changed to this style in the late 1960's but most coaches are NOT educators and use the 'command style' of drill and practice that their coaches used.

This style of teaching is foreign to the athletes they are coaching and they are not used to simply being Told what to do. They want to understand Why they are doing what the the coach is asking and want to be involved in the decision making.
TomM

Very good posting.
Coaching the Modern Student
It is worth remembering that the young footballers of today have had a completely different educational experience than that of many coaches. Young people have been educated in an environment where many things are negotiated, discussed and left to them to make choices. They are encouraged to explore, experiment and it is explained to them that mistakes will certainly occur and that is fine provided you learn something from them.

Game Sense is a training technique that embraces the modern society that we currently live in. Some young people find it difficult to adapt to sporting environments where everything is given to them, someone else sets all the rules and they have had no input. Game sense empowers players and helps them take more responsibility for their own football development.

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

[hockeygod]

White Towel: Nolan Baumgartner's years as pro player ‘gone so fast’

Jim Jamieson, The Province, February 20, 2012

It might not be the life Nolan Baumgartner envisioned for himself when he started his professional hockey career, but it’s turned out pretty well.

Really well, actually. You could call it Baumer’s Excellent Adventure.

Drafted in the first round by Washington in 1994, Baumgartner could never quite stick in the NHL, but he’s had a remarkable career at the minor league level and on Friday in Chicago as a member of the Canucks’ AHL farm club will be recognized for playing his 1,000th pro game.

It’s a journey that includes 143 NHL games — 70 of which were with the Canucks in his only full year in the NHL — 16 seasons, 10 cities and countless memories. Most of them, by the way, are good.

“It’s gone so fast,” said the player most everyone knows as ‘Baumer.’ “To think it’s 16 years already that I’ve been playing and it’s gone so fast. You hear every guy say that, but it’s true.

“The way I look at it, pretty much everything I have in my life right now I owe to the game of hockey. I met my wife because I was playing hockey, I own a house, I have a child. It’s not just a pretty good life, it’s a really good life. You get paid to go out there and play a game. Not too many people can say they have a job like that.”

Baumgartner, who turns 36 on March 23, is captain of the Chicago Wolves.

He was also captain of the Kamloops Blazers, where he won back-to-back Memorial Cups in junior, Canada’s world junior team with whom he won back-to-back gold medals, at Norfolk and twice for the Manitoba Moose in the AHL.

Just about anybody he’s played with or been coached by talks about the leadership and work ethic that Baumgartner brings.

Those are traits that coaches love, because they rub off all through the lineup.

“The best compliment I can give Nolan is that he was born to be a hockey player,” said Mike Keane, who played three seasons with Baumgartner on the Moose at the end of a long, distinguished NHL career.

“Obviously, everyone dreams about the big picture, playing in the NHL, but he absolutely loves the game. He cares about his teammates, he cares about wins and losses, he’ll play hurt. It’s all those things I learned from Larry Robinson, Bob Gainey, Guy Carbonneau, players who know all about the way the game should be played.”

Vancouver Giants head coach Don Hay coached Baumgartner with the WHL Kamloops Blazers in the mid-1990s.He said the youngster oozed leadership from the moment he showed up in Kamloops as a 16-year-old.

Canucks defenceman Kevin ­Bieksa who broke in as a pro in 2004-5 with the Moose in Manitoba said Baumgartner helped him make the ­transition from college hockey.

“Just watching him — and he was our captain and our best D-man that year — and he was a guy that I looked up to,” said Bieksa.

“He was a great leader on the ice, he said the right things in the dressing room, he blocked shots in a 5-0 game.

“For me, coming from college and not really knowing much about the pro game, to watch him, how professional he was, always on time, always working his butt off, respectful of everybody, he was great role model for me.”

Baumgartner credits his parents, Dennis and Brenda, for a no-nonsense upbringing in Calgary.

“They were hard-working people and I’m an only child and I grew up with them teaching me the values of hard work, that nothing is ever given to you,” he says.

“If I wanted a new hockey stick I had to work for it.”

Baumgartner knows he hasn’t been a prospect for a while and embraces the mentor role. But don’t think he’s given up on his NHL dream, even now.

“I think you always have to have the belief in yourself and in your skill set that you can still play the game at the highest level,” said Baumgartner.

“I still believe that if I were to get called up today that I could step into the lineup tomorrow and I’d be OK. You’re a competitor and you compete to be at the highest level so if you’re not doing that then why are you playing the game?”

Baumgartner had a rough start to his pro career, missing all but eight games in the 1996-97 season, with surgery on both shoulders.

His time in the Washington organization was up after four seasons and just 18 NHL games.

But the time there was notable in a much larger way. It was where he met his wife, currently of nine years, Elizabeth.

“I met her in Annapolis when a couple of us got called up for the playoffs in 1998, the year Washington went to the final,” said Baumgartner.

It’s hard to know what was more interesting for Baumgartner — that Elizabeth’s family had no familiarity with hockey or that her father, Philip Anselmo was a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral who once was commander of the iconic USS Constellation.

“It’s kind of funny going into that situation where somebody doesn’t really know much about the game,” said Baumgartner.

What did the Admiral think about his daughter dating a hockey player?

“I don’t think he was sure about me at first, but I think I won him over after a couple of days,” laughed Baumgartner.

Baumgartner and Elizabeth, along with their 21-month-old son Jake, now make their permanent off-season home in Winnipeg, where he played seven seasons in three separate stints with the Canucks’ AHL farm club. They own a house and have put down roots in the community.

“We’ve got a lot of friends outside of hockey there,” he said.

“It’s a great place to raise a family.”

How long will he keep playing? Hay called Baumgartner in the summer and offered him a job as an assistant coach with the Giants. Baumgartner politely declined.

He’s still got some hockey to play.

“It was very surprising and nice to know he thought of me, but I’m just not ready for that side of it yet,” said Baumgartner.

“I feel great. I really think I’ve got a few more years. You always hear that you shouldn’t stop playing until you have to because you’ll miss it when it’s gone. I’m having way too much fun being a player.”

—–

I coached against Nolan when he was a minor bantam. The next year, he played Midget AAA as an underage. He was an awesome skater and had a great skill set. His dad still works at a local rink and I run into Dennis once in a while. Nice to see Nolan is still doing well!

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Jeff Schultz: Before I Made It

With Kevin Kennedy, Then Hockey News, 2012-02-18

Near where I grew up in Calgary, Alberta there was a lake that froze over in the winter right in the city. I remember pushing the chair around the ice and I guess that’s where it all got started for me. My mom played field hockey and my dad was always my coach growing up so I guess they both got me into hockey. They were really active and it was something that we could do as a family, which was really good. Having dad as your coach could’ve put added pressure on me, but I always felt lucky to have my father behind the bench. On the way home in the car my dad would give me advice. As the coach, he saw everything that happened, he was a positive criticism kind of guy which was good because I’d rather hear it from him than from a stranger.

As a kid I liked Al MacInnis because of his big slap shot and because he was on the Flames. I always tried to have the best slap shot and I always wore No. 2 in minor hockey. My best memory from playing hockey when I was young was when I played on a summer hockey team and we went to Minnesota for a tournament. I remember loading up the car and driving down and you’re in the hotel with all the guys fooling around. You get to play all these different teams you’ve never played before, which was awesome.

I’d say Kraft dinner was my standard pre-game meal when I was a kid. I’d maybe even throw in a few chicken nuggets for some protein. You know, you always think of pasta for a pre-game meal and the first thing that came to my mind was Kraft dinner.

The most prized possession I had when I was a kid was when I got the first Easton Synergy that came out. It was so expensive and I didn’t want it to break, so I remember there would be some nicks and scratches on it and I’d get the super glue out to make it last a couple more games. I babied that thing.

I always wanted to be a professional golfer when I was younger. I used to practice and play golf a lot. There was a time when I had to make a decision on whether to play hockey or golf and I was a little bit better at hockey and being from Canada it seemed like hockey was the way to go and here I am.

—–

Jeff is another local kid who I watched come up through the local MHA. He was tall for his age and played for the WHL Hitmen.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Vokoun's agent upset with Hunter

John ShannonSportsnet.ca, February 23, 2012

As if the Washington Capitals didn't have enough problems.

Now, the agent of starting goaltender Tomas Vokoun isn't happy with Capitals head coach Dale Hunter.

Following the team's disappointing 5-2 loss in Ottawa Wednesday, Hunter singled out the poor performance of Vokoun as the key reason for the team's recent skid.

"They jumped on us, (Tomas) would like a few of them back," Hunter told the local media after Vokoun allowed four goals on his first 11 shots.. "He wasn't as sharp as he should have been, and it's in the back of our net. We need some big stops early, that's part of the game.

"Tonight we played a good, solid road game and we lose," Hunter said. "Goaltending is a big part of the game and we need good goaltending."

In response, Vokoun's agent Allan Walsh released the following statement:

"I'm not going to comment directly on what someone may have said after a game. I will point out though that hockey's great coaches throughout history never resorted to publicly singling out a particular player, blaming him for a loss. Where I come from, you win as a team and lose as a team. The oldest, most tired excuse in the book is to blame the goalie."

Vokoun was signed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal in the summer to help stabilize Washington's goalie situation.

It was a relationship that didn't start well in October after the veteran goaltender brought his whole family up from Florida to watch him start opening night, only to be told the day of the game by then coach Bruce Boudreau that he wouldn't be starting.

This is nothing new for Walsh. He has come to the defence of his clients in the past, such as Minnesota Wild winger Pierre Marc Bouchard, and Columbus Blue Jackets centre Derek Brassard.

The Capitals currently sit 10th place in the Eastern Conference and are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.

—–

Hmmmm… and minor hockey coaches thought dealing with parents was hard… CHL and NCAA and NHL coaches have to deal with 'surrogate parents'!

As my grandpa used to say, "Nothin' goes right when your underwear is too tight". Losing amplifies problems; winning smoothes things over…

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Leafs not responding to goalie guru Francois Allaire

Michael Traikos, National Post, Feb 23, 2012

In his third season as the goaltending consultant for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the team once again one of the worst at preventing goals, is Francois Allaire’s reputation in danger?

Of his impact on the game, there is no debate. He is credited for being the NHL’s first goalie coach, for furthering the development of the butterfly style and for helping Patrick Roy become a Hall of Fame goaltender.

Brian Burke calls him a guru. His students call him the “best goalie coach in the world.” But in his third season as the goaltending consultant for the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the team once again one of the worst at preventing goals, is François Allaire’s reputation in danger?

After all, if Jonas Gustavsson (16-12-2, .905 save percentage) and James Reimer (11-8-4, .903 save percentage) are struggling to stop the puck, then surely their coach and his methodology also share in the blame.

“Not in my mind he doesn’t,” Reimer said. “If you look at his track record and the goalies he’s coached, the proof is in the pudding. I think it’s more on the goalies, not the coach.”

Allaire’s résumé would seem to back up that assertion. From Roy and Jean-Sébastien Giguère, to Ilya Bryzgalov and Jonas Hiller, Allaire has helped shaped the careers of several of the league’s top goaltenders and has the Stanley Cup rings to prove it. But since he arrived in Toronto in 2009, the man with the Midas touch has been rendered powerless.

Seven different Leafs goaltenders have studied under Allaire. And not one of them has been able to find consistency in net. Maybe, as head coach Ron Wilson suggested the other day, this is a Toronto thing. Or maybe it is a time for the team to go in a different direction.

“I don’t know if it’s something with Frankie,” Gustavsson said. “I’ve been working with François [since] before I came over here and I tried to play that kind of game back home too, the Swedish version of it.”

Allaire’s system is universal. He preaches on playing the percentages. He wants his goalies to block the puck — rather than make a highlight-reel save — by being in the right position at the right time.

When it is working to its fullest effect, Allaire’s goalies appear calm and Zen-like. When it is not working, they appear stiff and non-athletic.

That was certainly how Gustavsson looked the other night, when he allowed four goals on 32 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to New Jersey. Two goals snuck through his legs. The overtime winner was a point shot that was headed wide before bouncing past Gustavsson like a stone being skipped on rough waters.

Sitting up in the press box, all Allaire could do was watch. At some point, the goaltender has to make the save. And unfortunately for Allaire, that has not happened with much regularity since he arrived to Toronto.

When asked if he was frustrated by the progress of his goaltenders, Allaire shook his head. He knew there were going to be challenges when he was hired by the Leafs. The team he inherited did not have a clear-cut No. 1 or much in the way of blue-chip prospects, and had been ranked last in goals-against average and save percentage.

Still, he was confident that he would be able to turn an average goaltender into a great one by now.

“I think if everybody pushes in the same direction, it’s going to be easy,” Allaire told the National Post when he was hired. “If everyone wants to be better, it’s going to be easy.”

So far, it has been anything but. In the last three seasons, the Leafs have ranked in the bottom five in save percentage and goals-against average.

Some suggest Allaire’s style is outdated, or not compatible to how Reimer or Gustavsson play. But New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who is coached by Allaire’s brother Benoit, plays a similar butterfly style with success. And even before Reimer and Gustavsson arrived in the NHL, they were playing a derivative of Allaire’s system.

“Some goalies aren’t born to play a butterfly or blocking style,” Reimer said. “But it works perfectly for me … I’ve said it many times, if it wasn’t for Frankie I definitely wouldn’t be having the success that I’ve had.”

That success is relative. But with one of the younger goaltending tandems in the league, Allaire is asking fans to be patient. Both Gustavsson and Reimer have shown promise. The challenge is getting them to play with consistency.

“The good news is right now we’ve got two guys who have played over .500 and their save percentage is over .900 and we’re still in the playoffs,” Allaire said. “So we have something going on. We know we need somebody to take the lead and after that everyone will follow. But we’re not at that point right now …

“We’re coming. But we’re not at that point.”

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

BlackBerry scores with NHL player ‘home movies’

The Canadian Press, Feb. 24, 2012

Their first efforts look a little old home movies, but the NHL Players Association has teamed with BlackBerry to let fans get up close and personal with some hockey stars.

“We created this partnership with BlackBerry to allow the players to film themselves away from the ice, in way that fans couldn't really see before,” said Colin Campbell, director of corporate partnerships for the players' union. “It is an opportunity to show a different side of professional hockey players.”

Five players have been given PlayBooks and are turning into budding directors as they use the built-in HD cameras to record moments in their lives.

The first five videos they produced, with the help of editors at the NHLPA, are already up on playbook.nhlpa.com.

“I think the fans are absolutely going to love it,” says New York Rangers' goaltender Martin Biron, one of the five players given a PlayBook. “It's good to see the everyday life, where the players are.”

Mr. Biron's first effort shows off his new mask.

“You press the screen, you point and shoot and you try to get as much as you can,” he said.

Scott Hartnell of the Philadelphia Flyers has lunch with his brother, Dennis, and family while Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks is shown snowmobiling, Joffrey Lupul of the Toronto Maple Leafs teaches skating while Michael Grabner of the New York Islanders attended a charity casino.

“I'm a huge electronic geek,” said Mr. Biron. “I love all that new stuff coming out.

“When Colin came into New York with the BlackBerry people and we got to sit down after a game and play around with the tablet, I was having so much fun.”

Mr. Biron also likes the games.

“We got a green light to do whatever we want and we submit as much as we can,” Mr. Biron said, adding he wasn't hot on a suggestion he keep it rolling next week when the trade deadline hits.

“We're playing that day so I don't know I would put the guys in that position,” he said with a chuckle.

Mr. Campbell said the plan is to update the site weekly with new videos until the end of the season.

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Washington Capitals’ empire crumbles around them

Bruce Arthur, National Post, Feb 23, 2012

Different teams melt down in different ways. Columbus, long a lonely outpost in the National Hockey League, simply dug its way into an obscurity so deep that the only way out has been to put its finest shovels on the auction block. Montreal has descended into an operatic wreck, in one and sometimes two languages. Tampa Bay has practically vanished into the Florida air, Steven Stamkos notwithstanding.

And then there is Washington, which is imploding like modern American governance, filled with rancor and idiocy and sulking. The Capitals were the best team in the NHL’s Eastern Conference last season; the year before that they won the President’s Trophy with the best record in the league; the year before that they came within a game of toppling the eventual Stanley Cup champions from Pittsburgh.

And today the Capitals are imploding like an old Vegas casino. Their best player is concussed, and more, their best player is not Alexander Ovechkin, who is also struggling with a lower-body injury. The coach they hired out of junior to replace the coach they fired has benched players for their plus-minus, or for taking penalties, and gotten the goaltender’s agent to fire back at him over criticism of the goalie. Oh, and the coach they fired has his Anaheim Ducks on a fine little 15-3-4 run. Not bad.

It’s a stunning sort of collapse, made all the more astounding by the fact that Washington remains on the fringes of the playoff picture, and could even win the demolition derby that is their division. The Capitals are falling, and seem poised to keep falling, but they haven’t dropped yet.

Still, they’re trying. They are 4-7-2 in their last 13, 1-4-1 in their last six, and have stayed two points behind the imploding Toronto Maple Leafs for the eighth spot in the East. The Leafs lost to Montreal; Washington lost to the Rangers. The Leafs lost to Calgary; Washington lost to Tampa Bay. Toronto was drilled by Vancouver and fell to New Jersey; Washington was drilled by East-worst Carolina, and again by Ottawa.

And now the finger-pointing is in full effect, which always helps. Coach Dale Hunter made Roman Hamrlik a healthy scratch because of penalties, and Thursday the veteran defenceman told Washington reporters, “You should ask him about the penalties because when he played I think he make lots of penalties himself. He should know better.” This came on the heels of Hunter’s criticism of goaltender Tomas Vokoun, which prompted agent Allan Walsh to get involved via Twitter, as he is wont to do.

And all of this, of course, paled in comparison to the criticism of Alexander Ovechkin by associate goaltending coach Olaf Kolzig, who told The Washington Post earlier this month that, “He just has to get back to being the way he was in his younger days, and maybe not get wrapped up too much in the rock-star status that comes with being Alex Ovechkin.” Ovechkin tried to blow it off, but general manager George McPhee weighed in by saying, “I don’t disagree with anything that Olie said.”

And with that, the crack at the heart of all this was revealed. That the criticism of Ovechkin came from within the organization seems like a turning point; when he ran short of options then-coach Bruce Boudreau tried benching Ovechkin for a critical shift towards the end of his tenure, but it was too little, too late. Now a McPhee-sanctioned slap on his star player’s attitude, and perhaps even his lifestyle … well, that sounds a lot like an emergency brake being pulled to try to keep the train on the tracks.

But if the emergency brake is being pulled, it may already be too late. At its brief best this was a thrilling outfit — when they won the President’s Trophy they recorded the second-highest scoring season by any team since 1995-96, one goal behind the post-lockout freedom enjoyed by the 2005-06 Ottawa Senators. Ovechkin was the engine, and a joy to watch; Mike Green briefly became one of the finest offensive defencemen in memory; Alex Semin was a 40-goal man. The Capitals were fun.

They are currently 13th in the league in scoring, and tied for 19th in the NHL in standings points garnered per game. The seven-game loss to Pittsburgh was the high water mark, as it turned out. The Capitals were hornswoggled by Jaroslav Halak and the Montreal Canadiens in the first round the very next year, and that was the beginning of the end. Boudreau tried to rein in the firewagon — you could see in the playoffs that Green, who was normally titled forward at all times, was particularly lost somewhere between his natural inclination and the notion of responsibility — and all it produced was a second-round sweep at the hands of Tampa Bay. With their offensive stars and defensive system, the Lightning were already what Washington was trying to become.

After Game 3, when it was clear the end was in sight, the Capitals were a mental mess. Jason Arnott was lamenting giving up too many chances; goalie Michael Neuvirth was lamenting bad luck. Defenceman Karl Alzner was saying “You can’t play too safe, everybody knows that.” Down the hall, Boudreau was saying, “We weren’t supposed to play safe.” There was talk of panic on the ice, which was about right.

Within two months of a new season Ovechkin was a shadow, and Green was hurt, and Boudreau was relieved of his duties. Now Hunter seems to be losing control of a team besieged by injuries — Nicklas Backstrom’s concussion remains a serious concern — and they’re joining the Wizards and the Redskins as Washington laughingstocks.

So while the Capitals may yet make the playoffs, even win their barren division, this feels like the end of a brief empire. After blowing a third-period lead to lose Game 3 against Tampa last year, Backstrom looked forlorn. “We had everything in our hands,” he said, “and then we just gave it away.” It’s not an epitaph for an era yet, but we’re getting there.

—–

Interesting to see how Dale Hunter, Olaf Kolzig, George McPhee and even Bruce Boudreau (old school / different era) are handling the pressures of coaching / managing in 'today's' NHL. Compare that to Jay Feaster, who just about lost his mind last night during a second intermission interview; threatening to start trading a bunch of vets if they didn't play harder in the third period and again in the last game before the trade deadline! (Not that anybody would trade too much for any of the veteran Flames aside from Iginla and Kipper!) The pressure and pervasive media scrutiny these people – including the players – are under is immense. Glad I am not in it. Times have certainly changed from when the league / teams had all the cards and guys like Gordie Howe only received a team jacket as a signing bonus!

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Backchecking: Ron Duguay
Ron Duguay scored 274 goals and 620 points in 860 career NHL games.

David Salter, The Hockey News, 2012-02-25

Standing outside a tiny dressing room at a dingy arena in Sackville, N.S., Ron Duguay looks a little out of place.

With long, feathered hair, tanned skin and a bright smile, he could easily pass for movie star or at the very least an understudy for Jon Bon Jovi.

Dressed in his hockey gear from the waist down with a powder-blue, long-sleeve undershirt covering his upper torso, the former New York Ranger appears fit enough to still play in the NHL. But tonight, the 54-year-old is skating with a team of NHL oldtimers touring the Maritimes.

Those who remember Duguay from his days as a Ranger (or from New York City gossip columns, iconic Sasson jeans ads or Studio 54) would likely say, aside from some lines around his eyes, he hasn’t aged.

Handsome doesn’t do him justice. Ron Duguay is pretty. Still pretty. In fact, Duguay is known as much for his hair – permed through the early stages of his career – as he is for his 12-year NHL career, which is unfair. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound winger was an excellent skater and a tenacious forechecker with offensive flair.

In his sophomore season with the Rangers in 1978-79, Duguay played a key role in leading the Blueshirts to an appearance in the Stanley Cup final. Two years later the Sudbury, Ont., native was good enough to crack Team Canada’s roster (which featured 12 future Hall of Famers) as a checker at the 1981 Canada Cup. Duguay calls the latter experience the highlight of his career.

“The Cup run in ’79 was really exciting as an early pro, to get a feel what it’s like to win,” said Duguay, who lives in Florida after a recent stint back in New York. “A lot of it is experiencing it with a good group of guys. I’ve enjoyed playing with some good groups of guys in New York.

“At different times I felt like 1979 was a highlight for me, but really it was making Team Canada, just making that team. Just look at the lineup. Having experienced that was unbelievable.”

Duguay also listed scoring 40 goals as a Ranger and having some good seasons in Detroit alongside Steve Yzerman among his favorite moments.

After Motown, Duguay also had stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings, as well as a second tour of duty with the Rangers – all the while helmetless. He contends vanity was not the reason he eschewed headgear, but that helmets were hot, confining and, at the time, unnecessary.

Duguay would be mandated to don a helmet in today’s NHL and suggested he’d even go a step further.

“The way players are reckless, the way they play now and because of the equipment – the elbow pads and shoulder pads being so hard – whenever you get hit it’s like getting hit in the face with a hammer,” said Duguay, who works as a TV analyst for Rangers games. “If I was wearing a helmet, I would go ahead and wear a visor because you want to protect your eyes.”

It’s hard to imagine a helmeted Duguay would have had the same impact on the New York social scene, where he was linked romantically with everyone from Cher to Bianca Jagger. In a 1984 People magazine article, Duguay recounted phone calls from Cheryl Tiegs and Farrah Fawcett the day he was dealt away by New York in 1983.

However, Duguay said the likes of Tiegs are no longer on his speed dial. He’s been married almost 20 years to former model Kim Alexis, with whom he has a son. (He also has two daughters from previous marriages.)

The only celebrity he still sees from his New York glory days is former Studio 54 buddy John McEnroe.

“That’s all behind me,” Duguay said of his playboy lifestyle. “I’ll write a book someday and we can bring it up then.”

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

[hockeygod]

Sutter loudly gets message across to Flames

Scott Cruickshank, Postmedia News February 24, 2012

CALGARY — Brent Sutter's answer is starting to peter out, typically a sign for someone to ask another question.

Which is exactly what happens Friday afternoon at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

But before the inquisitor can croak out the fresh query, the Calgary Flames coach suddenly raises his voice.

Apparently, he’s got more to say.

“You just can’t come to the rink and let it happen — you’ve got to grab it,” Sutter says loudly. “The position we’re in, we’ve got to grab it. We’ve got to go out and go after it. It’s not something like, ‘Well, let’s see what the five other teams did tonight. Did they lose or win? We had a so-so game. We just got a point. Let’s see what they did.’ No. Let’s go after this.

“Let’s be the team to dictate how we’re going to play. Let’s be the team to dictate what the outcome of the standings are going to be in April.”

Right arm starting to pump, Sutter continues with uncharacteristic verve.

“It’s not something that’s just handed to you. I’ve played on teams that have gone out and grabbed it. And I’ve played on teams that had a hesitancy to do that. Because it’s extra. And that’s what we’re trying to get our group to understand. They have to be mentally, physically, emotionally, totally engaged every night — all out — to get it done.

“At the end of the night if it doesn’t work out, at least we went out fighting.”

Which would be in stark contrast to the eggs laid recently by the Flames — six periods at home so far this week, only one of which could be called decent. All that, after earning possession of a playoff spot in the Western Conference for the first time in 342 days.

Explain that.

“I don’t want to see it get away from us,” says Sutter, whose beleaguered boys face the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night. “The last couple games haven’t been at the standards I want to see. You’ve got 21 big hockey games left. We just have to recognize it, deal with it, get back on track. We’re right in the mix, right in the thick of things. It’s not like it’s gotten away on us . . . but I don’t want to see it slip away.

“That’s why I’ve been the way I’ve been the last few days.”

Which is to say somewhat surly.

Sutter did his ranting Friday in front of an uncommonly large gathering. Many of the media members had been waiting for the main event — access to general manager Jay Feaster the day after he criticized his club during Thursday’s broadcast of the 4-3 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.

But the undercard packed plenty of punch.

“Hey, we’re in Canada, we’re in Calgary,” Sutter is saying. “I mean, there wouldn’t be this many people standing around if we were talking in Florida right now.”

Perhaps because of his team’s downward trend, the coach was more outwardly passionate than usual.

And the depth of his disappointment went well beyond the previous night, well beyond the previous season.

“It’s something that’s been here for a while,” says Sutter. “The franchise, there’s been some good things happen. But the fact of it, it’s gotten past the first round once in the past how many years?”

The answer — 22.

For the current lot to get there, more is required from its core.

While Sutter didn’t name names, he did wonder about players who hadn’t ever experienced the post-season, about players who had experienced only a few playoff tilts.

Jay Bouwmeester has 696 regular-season dates to his credit — and not a single one in the spring. And Olli Jokinen, with 1,021 games, has played only a single playoff series.

Further, Jarome Iginla has been no snarling heck for the last week or so. Alex Tanguay, too.

“Through it all, they’re not getting younger,” Sutter says of the team’s veterans. “It’s them not understanding what is 100 per cent. What is that full engagement? That full amount that it takes?”

Given the recent shortfall, it was not surprising to see Feaster — with the regular season starting to wind down, with the NHL’s trade deadline looming — chew into his listless troops on live television.

“The message is the message,” says Sutter when asked about his boss’s comments. “I did talk to (the players) about it. It’s a situation (for them) where you don’t control what’s being thought, what may or may not happen upstairs.

“Let’s just keep our focus where it needs to be.”

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."

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