Category: Philosophy

Several years ago I was on a pontoon boat on Lake St. Claire with my brother, John and a bunch of friends to open the bass fishing season. This annual event has marked the beginning of summer for John and me for about the past fifteen years. I’m not much of a fisherman so my role is that of official “hook baiter” and “fish remover”.

For me, it’s not about fishing; it’s really about spending time with my pals and listening to all their funny stories and just hanging out. John is simply one of the best and most generous people I have ever known. He and his wife live in Windsor and are avid hockey fans. They have season tickets the Red Wings and they also billet kids who play for the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. Occasionally, some of the aspiring young hockey stars join us… and I have as much fun listening to their tall tales as I do those of all the other “liars” on the boat. We have lots of laughs during the day and the evening is usually spent by a bonfire talking hockey.

On one excursion when the young hockey players joined us, our bonfire conversation turned to comparing the hockey played in ancient times to the hockey played today. I was amused that the budding hockey stars had very little understanding or appreciation for just how good the players were in the days of black and white television. I tried to explain to them just how great players like Bobby Hull, Gordie Howe and Jean Beliveau really were… sadly, some had never even heard of the great Jean Beliveau.

They listened patiently until I asserted that each of the aforementioned players, and many others of that era would be stars in today’s NHL. They countered with the all too familiar claim that today’s players are bigger, stronger and faster than those who graced the rinks decades ago and that today’s players are far superior. I conceded to one or possibly two of their assertions. Yes, it can be statistically proven that today’s players are, on average, bigger than those who played in the Bobby Hull, era… and I think they are correct in asserting that on average, today’s players are probably stronger. After all, they spend more time in the weight room than those of earlier vintage. However, I challenged the assumption that Jonathan Toews and Sidney Crosby are faster or better players than the stars of earlier generations..

Obviously, these “youngins” never saw Yvan Cournoyer, Maurice Richard, Bobby Hull or Guy Lafleur in full stride or in “High Definition”. However, this doesn’t mean that today’s NHL isn’t played at a more frantic pace. Today, teams usually run four lines and with shifts rarely exceeding forty-five seconds, it stands to reason that the tempo is a little quicker. On top of this, the two line pass has allowed for more speed in the neutral zone and because the “D” are no longer allowed to obstruct or “hold up” the fore-check, the attacking forwards go into the corners at full speed. Is there any wonder that despite having the most protective equipment possible there are more serious concussions than ever before? No… I don’t buy for a moment the argument that today’s players are one inch faster than those of yesteryear. Yes, the game itself is faster and played at a more frantic and even dangerous pace… but stride for stride I see little difference in player speed or skill.

So… having conceded that today’s players are, on average, bigger, stronger and at least as fast as in previous generations, does it not logically follow that they are better? That’s certainly an interesting argument and one that was quickly put forward by the young lads. I replied that two plus two doesn’t always make four. They looked at me as though I had two heads. I said… let me put it this way… Wayne Gretzky was never considered to be one of the fastest skaters in the league, nor was he anywhere near being one of the strongest. Yet, Gretzky is widely regarded as one of the greatest, if not THE GREATEST player of all time. (Personally, I’m even more convinced of this after seeing how the Bruins completely shut down Crosby in their recent playoff series. There isn’t a team in the world that could have done that to The Great One). Gretzky did things that can’t be measured with a stop watch or a bench press. He simply had the ability to seemingly disappear from view and then suddenly reappear with the puck glued to his stick. He would then make a pass from nowhere to somewhere and the puck would end up in the net. No matter what the opposition did, he was magical and dangerous for every second of every shift he ever played. You see, the greatness of the Great One had nothing to do with size, strength or speed.

My young friends wouldn’t buy a single word of my argument. They even went so far as to say that Gretzky played against inferior competition and that he would be little more than an average player in “today’s NHL” . This was one of the most incredulous statements I could possibly have imagined anyone making and it demonstrated just how limited their understanding of the game really is. I counseled that each generation of hockey players overlaps with the previous generation. For example, the Rocket Richard era overlapped with the Bobby Hull era, which in turn overlapped with the era of the incomparable Bobby Orr… and then came the Guy Lafleur era which overlapped the Gretzky generation to be followed by Lemieux and so on… and so on… until we come to the players of today. Each of the aforementioned players stood in awe of those already playing in the League when they arrived on the scene.

A great player like Guy Lafleur took several years to find his legs in the NHL of the early 1970s and he was still playing in the NHL in 1991 with the Quebec Nordiques, alongside newcomers Matts Sundin and Joe Sakic. Even my young friends had to admit that both Sundin and Sakic would be star players in today’s league while curiously they were reluctant to grant Lafleur that same status. Having seen all three of these players in their prime, there isn’t a doubt in my mind that Lafleur was easily as good as the other two. And if we were to throw Gretzky into the mix, there shouldn’t be a doubt in anyone’s mind as to which player was the best of the four.

Still, my young friends needed more persuading. So, I went on to tell them that the greatest team I ever saw in my over 55 years of watching hockey was the Canada Cup Team of 1987; precisely that era of hockey they claimed to be vastly inferior to the NHL of today. In that year, Team Canada boasted players like, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Doug Gilmour, Mark Messier, Mike Gartner, Dale Hawerchuk, Paul Coffey and the recently retired Raymond Bourque. It is also worth noting some of the great players who were actually cut from this dream team. These include Hall of Famers Steve Yzerman, Al MacInnis, Dino Ciccarelli, Scott Stevens, Patrick Roy, and Cam Neely. At this point, I began to win some of my younger friends over.

All of them had to admit that Yzerman, Stevens and Roy would be stars today…. but why is that? I think it’s because they saw these superb players when they were in their prime. They grew up watching them on colour televisions and on telecasts with a multitude of camera angles that accurately conveyed and perhaps even accentuated the speed of the game. The old technology that ancients like me grew up watching, captured the magic of hockey… but to appreciate the speed of the game one actually had to make a pilgrimage to one of the hockey cathedrals like the Detroit Olympia, the Montreal Forum or Maple Leaf Gardens.

As for today’s players, I marvel at their skills, their speed and the frantic pace at which they play this wonderful game that has become such an important part of the Canadian consciousness. Yet, I can only wonder what these great players of today would look like on the old black and white television that I watched Gordie Howe , Bobby Hull and Bobby Orr play on? I think they would look like the great players they truly are … but they would not be one inch better than the hockey heroes of yesteryear.

One of the most difficult situations you will encounter as a goalie occurs when the coach makes the decision to pull you from the game. When this happens, the goaltender is often filled with a sense of failure in having not lived up to his own personal expectations or those of the coach and team.

These are natural feelings and you might take some consolation in the knowledge that even the best goalies in the world have been pulled more than once. In fact, the higher you climb on the ladder of competitive hockey, the more demanding coaches become of their goaltenders. The fact that many coaches don’t understand the position very well doesn’t make things any easier.

After getting pulled, it is important to keep your emotions under control. Slamming the door or sulking on the bench won’t make things any better. On the way off the ice, give the incoming goalie a tap on the pads and when you get to the bench take some deep breaths.

In a few minutes, the anger will subside and you can then do the self-analysis that is required to make the most of the situation. The self-analysis should be the same as you would do after every game. Replay the goals you gave up and rate them as:

A) I simply should have had it.
B) I could have had it but it would have been a good save.
C) I didn’t have a chance.
D) Was there anything I could have done differently on any of the goals?

It is also important for you to understand that sometimes goalies are pulled for other reasons than poor play. Frequently coaches make this move because they have run out of options in their efforts to turn the game around. Unfortunately, the goalie becomes the scapegoat for the team’s indifferent play. I know this doesn’t always seem fair but life in hockey isn’t always fair and this in itself is an important lesson.

From the coaching standpoint, I think it is critical for the coach to give immediate reassurance to his goaltender by going down to the end of the bench and having a quick word with him. It could be something as simple as “keep your chin up… it’s just an off night… every goalie has them.” or “the team wasn’t playing for you… it’s not your fault.” I can tell you from personal experience, it will ease the goaltender’s sense of dejection and it will also keep the lines of communication open.

In terms of communication, it is surprising how many goaltenders get pulled from games without any understanding of why they were pulled. Their goal analysis didn’t reveal any goals that they should have had. To make matters worse, the coach didn’t offer any explanation to the goalie at the end of the game. Personally, I don’t think it’s the responsibility of the goaltender to approach the coach for answers. The coach should be the one to speak with the goalie after the game to offer his reasons for making the move and also offer his reassurance and bolster the goalie’s confidence.

Personally, I have very mixed feelings on whether or not coaches should pull their starting goalie during the regular season. I have spent almost fifty years in hockey as a goalie, goalie coach, goalie parent, high school coach and AAA coach with the York Simcoe Express … so I think it’s fair to say that I have had to look at this issue from almost every angle. I should begin by saying that I fully understand the myriad of reasons that coaches frequently use for pulling their starting goaltender. Each can be justified as being good for the team and also, in the long run, for the goalie involved. However, after over 30 years behind the bench as a Head Coach, I have only pulled my starting goalie once.

So why have I only removed my starting goaltender once in all those years behind the bench?

1. I think it’s important for the goalie to know that it’s his game no matter what. I don’t want my goalie looking over his shoulder for the hook after giving up a couple of bad goals. I have, on occasion, pulled the starting goalie for a couple of shifts to help him refocus. Naturally, there are pros and cons to this move.

2. It is important for me to know if my goalie can battle back from a bad start and finally find his game. This is an important piece of knowledge as the team moves into the playoffs.

3. The season should be used for giving every player the chance to develop. I don’t think pulling a goalie helps in the development of the goaltender. Playing time is essential and to deprive the goalie of playing time is counter- productive to the goalie and ultimately to the team.

4. It all depends on the importance one attaches to winning. As one moves into the playoffs where winning is of more importance, I would be more inclined to pull the goalie for the aforementioned traditional reasons. However, winning during the season is not nearly so important. I prefer to see these games as preparation for the playoffs. Therefore, my goalies should get as much playing time as possible.

So, when would I remove my starting goalie?

1. As always, it depends on the situation. I think it’s safe to say that I would remove the goalie if he needed to come out. I would ascertain this by his body language or by calling him to the bench for a quick chat, similar to those of the pitching coach going to the mound to talk to his pitcher. If I was convinced that it was in my goalies best interest to come out of the game then I would make that decision.

2. If it was a must win situation and my goalie got off to a bad start and had demonstrated throughout the season that he rarely turned it around as the game progressed, I would not hesitate to make that decision for the good of the team. I would define a must win situation as a playoff game or tournament final.

Finally, I think it’s important for the coach to sit down with his goalies and their parents at the beginning of the season to discuss his coaching philosophy. If everyone understands the expectations going into the season then it will make things much easier in the heat of competition.

Many years ago, as the Director of the Goalie Program at the Okanagan Hockey School in British Columbia, I had the opportunity to work with a number of NHL goalies. For the most part, they were celebrity guest instructors, hired to attract students, pose for pictures and sign autographs. Goalies like Pete Peters, Daniel Berthiaume, and current NHL commentator Kelly Hrudey were regulars. I should not have been surprised that each took their coaching duties seriously. I think they understood how much a word of advice from them meant to their awestruck students.

However, one coach in particular stands out in my memory for his quiet disposition and his sage advice. Andy Moog spent 18 years in the NHL, playing at various times with the Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars and the Montreal Canadiens. He is probably best known for his years with the Oilers where he won three Stanley Cups. Even by the size standards of the 1980s and 1990s, at about 5’8”, Andy Moog was an unimposing figure, but his diminutive stature was rarely an issue because he simply knew how to play the position. Moog played a quiet, positional game that allowed him to shrink the net, he had quick reflexes with great hands and feet… but above all of these… he knew how to wait out the shooter. In other words, he had learned the virtue of patience.

When working with Andy, I was always impressed at how he never shouted or raised his voice when working with the kids. In many ways, his approach to teaching the position mirrored his playing style. In this, he reminded me of the legendary Paul Titanic who coached one of the best groups of kids to ever play in the OMHA. His teams consisted of players like Steve Stamkos, Michael Del Zotto, Cody Hodgson and many others. Like Andy Moog, Paul never raised his voice, not so much because he had great players, but because he understood that the best way to communicate ideas is by speaking them to his players instead of shouting at them.

Often, after observing a young goalie who seemed too tightly strung, dropping on everything, lunging around the net and biting on the first deke, Andy would quietly glide up to him, place his hand on his shoulder and say, “Be patient… learn to wait… don’t make it easy for the shooter”. This simple message, coming from a player like Andy Moog, had instant credibility. It is a message that still applies today.

So… what does it mean to be patient?

I’m sure it can mean many things to different goalies. But I always took it in the most basic sense of not over-reacting to any situation on the ice. In other words, don’t bite or drop on the shooter’s first move. Dropping early often means that you give up the top of the net and lose the ability to follow the shooter if he holds onto the puck. Essentially, successful goaltending hinges on your ability to control three factors: time, net and ice. Playing a patient game will allow you to wait out the shooter because he will eventually run out of time, it will allow you to control more net by staying on your skates longer, and it will allow you greater control of the ice because once you are down and out, the ice (and everything else) belongs to the shooter.

Obviously, all of this is easier said than done… but as your skills develop so too will your ability to stay under control and resist the temptation to commit too early. Every great player, whether a forward or goaltender, knows the importance of applying the proper skill at the proper time, and sometimes the most important skill is that of waiting.

So, whenever I see young goalies playing the game on their knees and sliding around unnecessarily, I often think of what a three time Stanley Cup winner like Andy Moog would say. I have a feeling that he would quietly tell them that over-reacting is as bad as not reacting… and that sometimes the old adage of “less is more” is really true. However, I have been around this game long enough to know that wisdom is best gained through direct experience. Like any other skill or lesson in hockey, acquiring the wisdom of patience requires a great deal of patience.

I hope this helps some of you… May all your dreams come true.

sd

I have often heard it said that at the highest levels of athletic competition, the determining factor in winning or losing is not always superior skills. Of course, skill is very important and in many ways skill levels can be observed and measured. We have all seen competitions during the All Star break that attempt to break the game down into specific components. These competitions are entertaining but more often than not, they are rarely won by the athletes who are considered to be the best “players”. So, what is it that differentiates the best players from those who are simply very skillful?

There are many different answers to this question. Some will say that the best players have that indefinable quality called “heart” or the will to win. We have all seen the determination in the faces of players like Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic. Their eyes tell us and their opponents that they don’t know the meaning of the word quit; it is simply not part of their consciousness. This quality of character forces the athlete to demand the best of himself in the most difficult circumstances. This will to win is not only courageous but it is contagious; it can be caught by the entire team. When this happens, teams can achieve beyond all expectations except their own.

This will to win is absolutely critical for goaltenders; however, the focus on winning can sometimes become a distraction and be counter productive. Ultimately, the goalie must understand that winning is a byproduct of many factors that are beyond his control and relatively few that are under his control. Obviously, the goaltender cannot score goals or set up plays or call penalties. All a goalie can do is stop pucks and even this is sometimes determined by a lucky or unlucky break. Pucks can be deflected at the last instant or his defense might not pick up the open man and suddenly the puck is in the net. On the other side of the equation, goalies can be completely beaten on a play when the shooter misses the open net or a pass hits an ice chip and skips over the opponents stick. Often, the difference between a great game and getting pulled is how these random intangibles play out. The only thing a goalie can do is “stay in the moment” and focus on stopping pucks. This is easier said than done and it is the greatest goalies who consistently find their path to the moment when they are one with the game.

This lack of control over these game determining intangibles can sometimes be so overwhelming that the goalie freezes under pressure and loses touch with the moment. They can drain the goalie of the confidence needed to react with the play rather than after it. These intangibles plant seeds of doubt that can prevent the goalie from finding that level of consciousness that allow him to consistently make that “unconscious” save. Often, the attempt to exercise some control over these nagging factors is too much for a goaltender to handle alone. In an attempt to silence the “thinking mind” where these doubts reside, some goalies resort to superstitions and idiosyncratic behaviors. Perhaps the best known of these is Patrick Roy’s refusal to step on lines and his pre-game dialogue with his goalposts. These are not unlike the various religious rituals used by ancient communities to prevent natural disasters or achieve victory on the field of battle. More to the point, I suspect that these “superstitions” were used by Roy to maintain the level of concentration that was necessary for his considerable goaltending skills to emerge. Not to perform them would have contributed to the uncertainty of every play. Knowing that each ritual was performed properly contributed to his sense of confidence and this allowed him to play in the moment.

Just last night I watched the pre-game telecast of the game between the Flyers and the Canadians. The dressing room camera showed Martin Biron sitting in his stall staring down at his gloves and mask that were neatly aligned at his feet. His focus on them was steady and almost meditative. His attentive state was reminiscent of that achieved by students of Zen as they empty themselves of every unessential and enter the mental state called Satori or no-mind. Those who caught this moment were privileged to witness an almost sacred pre-game ritual; any deviation from it would disturb Biron’s journey to his optimal mental state. One can only speculate as to what other focusing techniques this outstanding goaltender uses throughout the day prior to arriving at the rink.

In closing, I don’t make any claims of expertise in the field of psychology. However, I vaguely remember what it was like to play the game and what it was like to find that empty moment when I and the opponent were one. I only wish I could have found it more consistently. What is it that they say about those who can’t end up teaching?