ALCAN HOCKEY BLOG

March 25, 2013 Hockey Goal Scoring Training: Use of the Ice

It is a beautiful thing to score goal, and we take our dedication to Goal Scoring to the next level at ALCAN. Our ALCAN Main Camp focuses a great deal of time on skills towards Goal Scoring and acts as a pre-cursor for the Goal Scoring Program. There are a number of topics we will discuss about Goal Scoring and our approach at ALCAN. The areas we will discuss include the following:

Playing the percentages
Repetitions with guidance
Proper Angles to the net

Today we will talk about the advantage of actually using ice. We want to encourage players of all ages to practice shooting pucks from a Stationary area in the Backyard, at the Park, or at a facility. This sort of stationary rep training should focus on improvements for a hard and accurate shot. Where the advantage of using the ice is evident is when we focus on the following areas:

Shooting off the pass or the moving puck
Shooting with your feet moving
Changing the angle of your body and stick when Shooting
Stopping at the Net for Rebounds

These particular skills can be focus points for on ice training. At ALCAN we strive to use as much ice as possible, and with as many as 8 nets on the ice we are able to accomplish just that. While conventional practice drills see players take a turn for 10 seconds and then wait a minute to get their turn again, we focus on constantly having a "Puck on Stick" for every player, with our 8 net - 4 player system. Since the players will work in their own section, they will also get comfortable to play close to the net, and always be in a position for a second chance opportunity, since this is where 85% of the goals are scored. Within the small group the skill level of the players can vary as well. For example, a Nanook college player could easily participate with a Pee Wee player as the focus is on the movement of the puck and the progressof the individual player, and not the age or skill level of the players. In a game the puck is seldom 100% on the mark, and players should train for the movement of the puck, not for the perfect pass in a stationary position.

We will continue to address aspects of Goal Scoring and the ALCAN methods of training. Goal Scoring is a science within sport, and can be learned by anyone willing to put in the time for preparation and repetitions.

TO REGISTER FOR ALCAN GOAL SCORING CAMP CLICK HERE

March 4 - Ovechkin: Once in a Lifetime in Latvia

Growing up as a youngster in Winnipeg, the hearts of locals were of course aligned with the Hometown Jets, but when it came to the NHL, the team to watch was the Edmonton Oilers. When Wayne Gretzky and Company would come to town, loaded with Hall of fame players, the event was everywhere; on TV, on the radio; it was what people were talking about regardless of their level of hockey interest. The Oilers were so good that when we played street hockey and chose players to emulate in the pre-game ritual they had so many to choose from, there were few arguments.

As in every Canadian city, the Oilers game was a hot ticket. I was one of the lucky ones who actually got to go to an Oilers game as my Dad as was able to secure Company tickets. It was truly amazing, as we sat 4 rows behind the Jets bench and could hear the action at ice level.   I was intently watching every shift of Mark Messier, while my Dad marveled at the majestic Skating ability of Paul Coffey.

Then there was the Great One. Every time he touched the puck there was the sight of every spectator sitting up in their seat to make sure they do not miss a magic pass or other exceptional play that will be seen on the highlights later that evening. Even though you were not cheering for him, you were not cheering against him either. It was more of a “Wow” factor and the wondering of what he would do next.   This is how the crowd reacted and I have never seen anything like it……. well until this season in Latvia, when Alexander Ovechkin, arguably one of Russia’s most popular athletes came to town.

Now we need to take a small history lesson about Latvia. A small Baltic country of 5 million people, they have a long history of Scandinavian and Baltic traditions, and a more recent history of Russian occupation. This is what they call it. When you read the literature, look at monuments, or talk to a taxi driver, it is simply referred to the occupation. This occupation also fueled relocation as many Latvians were relocated to other parts of Russia and “replaced” with Russians. The Latvians were required to learn a new alphabet, new language and a new way of life. It is safe to say there is some historical and present day tension towards the Russians despite the fact there are a generation of Latvian Russians in society today.

The influence also spread to sport and for Latvians specifically hockey. The Main Club in Riga, the Capital of Latvia was simply named Dinamo Riga very similar to one of the dominant clubs of Russia, Dynamo Moscow. In fact when you look at both logos they look very similar in design.   So to set the Atmosphere we have Dinamo Riga of Latvian Pride and Independence vs. Dynamo Moscow of Russian Dominance and Occupation. From our quick wiki-history lesson this alone could make this a great atmosphere, but add the fact Moscow is the defending KHL League Champion, is the first place team this season, and have the services of Alexander Ovechkin during the NHL work stoppage, this is A Once in a Lifetime Game in Latvia.

Without this prior knowledge, I am Iucky to be former teammates and good friends with the Head Coach in Riga, so it was no problem securing a ticket for the game for this monumental game. At many arenas NHL Personnel will sit in the Press box, but in Riga they provide a general game ticket. I was seated in the area of friends and Family of the players who are generally well looked after and have comfortable seating, where they can show up just in time for the drop off the puck. Not on this night. This was a free-for- all, and people did not care anything about the rules, actual seat allocation, or even tickets. I saw several people who were sitting in other peoples seats, ask the actual seat occupant to show their ticket before they would move, as proof they were not pulling a sneak on a sneak.   The ushers were of little help and generally stood by to watch, and as long as there were no fisticuffs they did not intervene. As the seating Chaos ensued I watched the pre-game event of musical chairs, I knew there would be no washroom breaks, as I was not leaving my sent in this game, or I would never get it back! When the puck dropped to start the game all the people who did not have seats, well they simply sat on the stairs between rows, and again the ushers looked on, probably planning the best scenario as I am quite sure there must have been a fire Code Violation or two in progress.

The Great 8 did not disappoint the crowd. Every time he touched the puck noise came over the crowd with anticipation of what he might do next.   When he crossed the blue line with the puck, the crowd rose to their feet, Russian Fans with Cheer, Latvians with Fear.   Ovechkin provided the big hit, a number of rushes info the Offensive Zone, and several shots on goal including one that found the back of the net. The game was exciting, the atmosphere electric and in the end the rookie Moscow goalie playing in his first KHL game stole the show with several great saves to earn the 3-1 Victory.

Once Upon a time ago, I saw firsthand the reaction of people to the magic and influence of The Great Gretzky. 30 years later I shared a Once in Lifetime Experience with a Nation of people, another hockey world away, with their history and version of Greatness.
- Ta ir liela diena hokeja (It’s a Great Day for Hockey in Latvian)

March 1, 2013 - American Development Model is Right on Track

Thank you for your feedback on the blog. We had a few emails about the ADM (American Development Model) in reference to the blog post about the ALCAN Athletic Development Philosophy, and thank you for the kind words and encouragement.

I can tell you this model of inclusion and development has come a long way in the USA Hockey community. I was at the American Hockey Coaches convention when they unveiled the program. The reps from USA Hockey made a great presentation, and I felt like I was constantly nodding and agreeing with what they said. I felt affirmed that yes we are doing things the right way at ALCAN.

The reps from USA Hockey then boldly requested that as leaders in your hockey community we must go back and let the organizations know there must be change. Well most people in the room just sighed and said there is no way that is going to work.

But as small steps were taken in recent years, and more people got on board, including some of the “old school” hockey guys, the small steps were worth it.   Hockey organizations are making things right for the children in terms of development. I think the Fairbanks community should be commended for their efforts and the great strides made through the efforts of many caring individuals.

From our perspective we are really looking to focus on certain skills and attitudes this summer!   We will get back to the ALCAN roots with the majority of focus on skating and offensive skills.

We have always been firm believers that the summer should be a time for individual skills and development. If some players and parents think they need some skating improvement or development in a specific skill, this is the time to do it, because during the season it becomes much more difficult as many of the coaches have only enough time to focus on team drills and systems.

Summer camps and programs should refrain from more practice drills where the kids utilize a small area of ice, wait in line for 60 seconds and then take their turn for 10 seconds before waiting again.

The kids should be in smaller groups to use the whole ice surface.   They should have a puck on the stick as much as possible with many repetitions with guidance from the coaches. The focus on teaching and learning. The skill level of the players within the group is irrelevant.   An “A” player can benefit alongside a “C” player because each individual is focused on their own development and actually do not interact with each other. They are a group in the dressing room, and in team-building off-ice leadership activities, but the reality is on the ice they are independently engaged and challenging themselves to improve.

With this in mind, a Midget player could be on the same ice as a Pee Wee working on puck control along the wall in a small group and would have no direct interaction except that they are working on developing the same skill.

Some parents feel that their child needs to be challenged more, or the other players are quite weak so they choose to enter an “Elite Camp". This is a shame.

The child loses valuable personal development time on the ice, and if they are ahead of the others in their age level from a talent perspective, what a wonderful opportunity to take a leadership role and learn off-ice qualities that will act as life lessons for years to come. Instead they end up doing more drills with "puck on stick" time for 3 minutes or less in a training session, snd no time devoted to the most important aspect, Skating. Elite camps are necessary when a player will be going for a tryout at the Midget or Junior level and will then enter a wide range of drills that they should be prepared for at the tryout.

I know the trend in the recent past was to join Summer All Star teams that would travel to big tournaments, or participate in Showcase Camps. As mentioned these players would continue to do Team Drills all summer and not spend time on the individual skills. We have had many discussions and requests to put together a Summer Team, practice for 6 weeks and head to a summer tournament. It sounds like fun, and probably a good way to promote ALCAN, but we have resisted because it does not have the kids best interests as far as personal development.

Trust me, you cannot hide anymore. If you are a good player when it comes time to play Midget or Junior hockey: they will find you. If you do feel you need some exposure at this point, there are many showcase events to attend. Do you think that it is better to attend a showcase at 16 years old and make a great first impression with serious speed and puck skills? Or to face judgment based on your abilities at age 12?

I am happy to see the ADM stresses the fact that hockey training in the summer should be about personal development on one's shortcomings. Give the children opportunities to play other sports, and participate in other activities as well, without feeling that if they do not join the summer hockey team they may not make it in the Fall. This tactic that has been used for some time in hockey communities around North America. That is a big reason we developed the ALCAN Adventure programs, a collection of non-sports activities as well. I am happy to see that leaders within the hockey community have embraced the ADM and that the future looks bright for the youngsters here in Interior Alaska.

Feb 15, 2013 Olympic Qualification – Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark

I knew that one day all the reading from my English classes would make sense, be clear and justify all the number of hours spent, trying to interpret the words of this dude Will Shakespeare. Of all the reading, my most unforgettable line was, ‘something is rotten in the State of Denmark’. I have no ideas why, and since I cannot seem to locate my Grade 12 English scribbler, as there were no computers, ipads, or otherwise I will do what the kids do nowadays and Wiki-it. From this I scribe the following interpretation: “Something is not right, rife with errors from top to bottom, leading to suspicion of motive.”   For example, If the administration knew about the problems and chose not to prevent them, then clearly something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

So let’s review the World Hockey Situation from this past weekend. As some of you may be aware there were three groups of teams assembled from across the Globe playing for the right to represent their country at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. The tournament consists of 4 teams, you play each team once and whoever has the most points from wins-loss-ties qualifies for the Olympics, one weekend for the invite to the big dance. The big countries are auto qualifiers, and the other ones need to qualify in these preliminary tournaments. In every other league across the world, except in North America, there is a break for one week so that the National teams of each country can participate in tournaments at every age level, including the professional or senior ranks. These National Team breaks are in mid-November, mid-December, and mid-February on an annual basis.

In other words the International Ice Hockey Federation has decided the teams will play the qualifying tournament in mid Feb 2013, for the opportunity to participate next February in the 2014 Olympics in Russia. Why mid-February? This makes no sense, as the IIHF continues to negotiate with the NHL on the players participation in the Olympics, and the NHL continues to hold its trump card, despite acknowledging this is the greatest showcase of the NHL and its players on the planet.

Except of course, if you are from Denmark, where there is certainly something rotten. No doubt about it.

Denmark did not qualify for the2010 Olympic games in Vancouver, as they entered into a 2-2 tie going into the third period against Norway in the final qualifier game. Norway had all their players available as their key National team stars either play in the Swedish Elite League or the KHL (Russian League), and Denmark with several NHL players had to play with the players they had available since the NHL players are not available to play in mid-February to represent their country. In this game, Norway’s best player, a sniper still today in KHL, scored two goals in the third to punch their ticket to Vancouver while the Danes could only wonder if the outcome would have been more favorable with their pros on the roster.

This was 4 years ago, and it seems the IIHF never got the memo, that the NHL would like to showcase their players to the world. The NHL for their part can play any card they want with the IIHF as without the NHL players they cannot sell the lucrative TV rights for as many euro or dollars. The NHL should insist that every 4 years, not every year, the qualifier be played in September, so they too can accomplish their goal to market the NHL to the world. The players in Europe start training camp as early as late July, most around August 1, and the NHL players often train with their former European clubs anyway before the start of NHL training camp in early September, so this is common place. It is also a surprise the NHLPA does not act on behalf of their players and make this request, but as we saw this past year, the NHLPA really represents the mighty few.

So let’s get back to last weekend, the same rotten scenario ensued for the Danes. There are 6 full time Danish NHL players, who are offensive type players, of which two may be among the fastest players in the NHL. There are also 3 full time AHL players, bringing a total of 9 Danish players playing in North America. This may seem like a small number but when you consider Denmark has only 1500 total hockey players registered, and the total population of the country is 5 million people, it is quite remarkable. The Anaheim Ducks permitted their Danish Goalie to return from the AHL to participate in the qualifier, so at least that was a boost. At this pace Denmark may have their team permitted to play in the 2048 Olympics in Anchorage.
Imagine a team without their best 8 players available.

If you figure you play with 3 lines, so 15 players, in this case 5 forwards and 3 Dmen. That is almost 2 full lines of players missing! Could you imagine the Pittsburgh Penguins without their best 5 forwards, no Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Kunitz, and no Letang, Orpik just to name a few, and would Pittsburgh stand a chance against any team in the NHL? Well no.
As we have seen it only takes 2 or 3 injuries to any team in any sport for the entire season to unravel. So for the Danes they miss 5 of their best forwards, and 3 of their best D are not available to play, and a goalie who has to travel across the world to play 3 games in 3 days, and it no wonder that Denmark fails to qualify for the Olympics. In these games Denmark lost to Belarus 3-2 and Slovenia 2-1, in other words, (2) one-goal games.

From a purely statistical point of view of goal scoring and how they translate into wins, we will assume the 5 Danish forwards will each score one goal over a 3 game period. This would mean the Danes might have scored 5 additional goals in the tournament, and increased the chances of victory in at least one if not both of the one goal games that they lost. No guarantees of course, but the chance of victory would have been drastically increased in favor of the Danes.
Maybe, you ask, what about the other teams? This must happen to them too? Not so fast my friend.

Slovenia who did qualify for the Olympics have two NHL players, but the advantage for the Slovenian team is that they also have a Team in the Austrian Elite League and most members of the team play together as a regular team all season long. This is the same for Belarus with two NHL players, half of the Belarus Team plays together in the KHL team from Belarus located in the Capital Minsk. Ukraine, with 2 NHL players, are still a little behind these countries but with a new team in KHL this year, they could be setting up for a similar plan in 2018.
The success of the Danish players is also their downfall, because if the players were just a little bit worse, just not quite good enough to play in NHL, they would play in European leagues and be available for the qualifier, much like you see from Norway, who are now in a position where they do not even need to qualify for the Olympics, with these extra countries despite having no NHL players.

As hockey enthusiasts we are told the Olympics is supposed to be the best the World has to offer. We trust the powers that be (IIHF, NHL, NHLPA) will make sure that all areas are covered and decisions made to give each nation the best opportunity to qualify for the Olympics with their best athletes available to participate. If the administration knew about the problems and chose not to prevent them, then clearly something is rotten in the state of Denmark – Well said Will Shakespeare, well said.

Feb 13, 2013 - Athletic Development in Children – When Should it Start?

This is the question we get from parents, and if we asked 100 people the question we may get a wide range of answers. From our experience and education we have the following philosophy at ALCAN.

To be honest the development has already started when little junior or Betsy-Sue started running from sofa to sofa and around the coffee table. Their motor development was in motion, some motoring faster than others. There are many reasons for this including the reality of genetics. Some youngsters are going to be blessed with speed, strength, an ear for music, a correlation to math, the gift for reading and writing, processing foreign languages quickly, or the ability to build. Some kids bloom later than others as well, in many cultures this is encouraged. In many European countries children are NOT encouraged to start reading until 7 years old. In other cultures this may be seen as a travesty. This is all good and no cause for concern. The great thing about all these aspects of development, but especially in regards to Athletic Development, it can all be developed with good habits, techniques, and repetitions in a fun atmosphere.

One area that we like to focus on at ALCAN is the area of Speed and Strength, which is the foundation of our little athlete in the future. In most sports these two factors alone will be a criteria and influence on future success, so the best thing to do is give the children a good foundation and correct habits and techniques in this area. In our Rookies Program, the 6 & 7 year old kids develop these habits, just yell out at any time “hip pocket – eye socket” and you will see a breakout of kids whirling their open hands in perfect motion from the lower part of body in unison with their upper body. This is a great habit, and they will have it forever as part of their development. Now throw in the Hilarious King Julian from Madagascar Movie and a “We’ve got to move it – move it” (add accent at your own discretion) and you will see flawless Push Ups, and other body weight resistance exercises that provide the developing athlete with a solid foundation for the next stage of development.

The group of athletes at the next stage, well we just call it ALCAN Developmental, because that is what it is from the ages of 8-13. With reference to the Speed Training program, the focus is that they will have a foundation at this age for greater balance, core stability, strength, and fluidity, and it will lead to overall speed, agility, and quickness. If you are wondering if the kids feel challenged just watch as we pull out the stopwatches and the kids try to beat their personal times. “Coach just one more!” this goes on at least 10 times, as we delay our snack time, day after day.

The foundation of strength development compliments the speed development.   At ALCAN, our youngsters are able to focus more on strength exercises and again build a foundation of great technique and baseline strength for the next phase of their development as they prepare to go through the natural teenage physiological and emotional development; puberty. Just as important as the foundation, the young athletes are now at an age to learn about that wonderful machine they have to work with, namely their body, and how to best prepare it for the future athletic endeavors.   As mentioned the kids are blooming at their own individual rate. Strength training for this age group utilizes the child's own body weight, along with medicine balls and resistance bands to promote balanced development and growth.

At this point it is great to expose the kids to a variety of sports, and utilize their speed and strength techniques in various sports.   Of course there are always going to be a few youngsters who are so passionate about one sport, they cannot get enough, and we can respect and cultivate that.   However, experience and statistics tell us that this can sometimes lead to premature retirement from that sport, and sports all together. At ALCAN we encourage the idea of choosing multiple sports to learn correct fundamentals and engage in repetitions, but we are flexible and respect the passions of others as well.

ALCAN Prospects are the group of young athletes between the ages of 14 – 17. These athletes are now at an age where there will be more individual attention placed on their specific aspirations and goals. Different body types, levels of athletic development, natural development, etc are all factors on how the process and program to be established for each athlete. That does not mean that every family needs to go out and hire a personal trainer for their kid. However, there is a now a focus on some sort of success and one determining factor will be speed and strength. The young athlete applies these habits and skills to pursue their chosen sports at a higher level. For the ones that built a great foundation on habits and techniques during the developmental stage they will close the gap over the “naturals” that simply got away with being bigger or faster in earlier years due to a natural advantage.   We see this all too often that kids who scored all the goals, hit all the homers, made all the baskets, is no longer way above and better than everyone else. Sometimes adults are even flabbergasted by this, “what happened to so and so” even though we are talking about a 14 year old kid. Usually the main factor is the rest simply caught up in speed and strength as they entered into the teenage years. If that child only focuses on the end result during the development years, whilst the others focused on their athletic foundation, they may be bypassed in their mid-teens because they lost the advantage they had at a young age. Unfortunately this also results in a number of kids of who have talent in a sport, then become frustrated, and stop the sport altogether, when there is still a possibility to develop the speed and strength going forward.

As we can see there is a balance in development and a path of progression to follow. This is another reason why having selections and All Stars at such a young age is sometimes counterproductive as we have no idea what will happen to these kids as they enter their mid-teens in their natural development. Somehow in sports we have an idea that we need to separate the kids at a young age. The better ones will get 5 days of training, with better equipped coaches, and have more resources provided. In contrast, the others will get 2 days of training, and limited resources. The gap between these two groups will start to emerge simply on the basis of hours of participation alone.   In other areas, such as school when a youngster has a shortcoming in a subject we want to close that gap to get that youngster caught up, or right up there with the others. Maybe that means more attention to other styles of teaching, more reps of math pages, etc. With that in mind, let’s give all kids the foundation for athletic development through fun applications of speed and strength. Let’s expose kids to a number of different sports and see what direction their internal passion goes. When we do this as adults, educators, coaches and parents, we clearly have the child’s best interest at heart, and now it is their trail to blaze.

Feb 11, 2013 – Pacioretty – Gloves On – Hands Off and Think about your Teammates

The new controversy in the NHL from this past weekend is the incident between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs. This already heated rivalry from two legendary clubs took a turn for the worse when it was alleged that Grabovsky bit the arm of Pacioretty. People are so passionate for both clubs it is difficult to get an objective view in this regard, but here are a few items to consider from a learning aspect for our young junior aged players.

First of all the Maple Leafs were pounding the Canadiens 5-0 and really pushed them around during the game. With the score out of hand the game became chippy and player’s emotions got the best of them. There is great deal to be learned from this incident for all involved, and especially our young junior players where this part of the game will become a reality at some point in their careers.

Let’s review a few items.

#1. Brandon Prust, with 20 fights to lead the NHL last season, is a fighter, well trained, and because he is not a heavy weight he is instead very smart. Prust was pursuing Leo Komarov from one face off dot to the other side of the ice. Komarov, the best pest in the world, has spent the past few years playing in the KHL and Finnish National team and has never had a fight in his career according to the hockey fights registry (a bold signing by Toronto this summer!) Prust has to know Komarov is not going to fight especially since he has already done his job and directed Prust’s attention away from the game. Prust is simply trying to incite a riot at this point of the game, which is not necessary, and proves his own frustration.

He has to know from looking at his lineup and the lineup from Toronto, this is not a wise decision either.

Lesson: kids you need to know that if you engage in this type of behavior, you have to be aware that there will be payback at some time in the game, especially in a game which is already decided on the scoreboard and few extra penalties will not matter. It is understood that the coach will not object to this “Taking Care of Business” situation. In this case the other team has some tough guys and they will get their turn. When they do, they will target your top players as well, and you will not only have to answer to the other teams players, you will need to answer to your own team wondering why you would do that and get some of your own guys beat up. Be aware of the situation before you act.

#2. Mikhail Grabovsky has 1 career fight in 300+ games, against heavy weight Chris Neil, and it was only a reaction to what was a sucker punch to the back of a Maple Leaf rookie. Apparently he was on autopilot before he realized “What am I doing? This is Chris Neil!”
Grobovsky hung on and lived to play another game...

In last weekend’s game it was a similar situation where he cuts off Prust as Komarov has his back turned.

Lesson: kids do not turn your back when you know it’s coming, it’s like crossing the street with your bike, and NOT looking at the car and then getting hit by the car. Yes you are right, you are the pedestrian and you have the right to walk, but you still got hit by the car, and are now hurt. Take a look and keep your head up if you know it is coming, so you do not get hurt!

#3. Max Pacioretty with 3 career fights in 200+ games is certainly not a pugilist either. As the scrum ensues, I am not surprised he grabs Grabovsky from behind, this sort of I-grab-you-grab-we-all-grab thing happens all the time. Then suddenly when you get separated from a dance partner; it is a roll of the dice of who you end up with next. Hopefully you do not get stuck with a guy who is out of your league!

Lesson: kids, be aware of who you grab, and immediate drift away from the scrum and keep your eyes on your dance partner and not the actual scrum, because you are one sucker punch away from waking up watching the Flintstones in the morning. Be aware of the situation at all times.

What surprises me is that Pacioretty already has his gloves off when he grabs Grabovksy, and then decides he is going to give him the WWF sleeper move with the arm over the face; mouth and nose and all. From the video below you can see Grabovksy gets panicked and tries to rip the arm away from his face.

Then Pacioretty has a flip out scene where he feels he was chewed on by the Maple Leaf.

First of all Max, Gravo wears a mouthguard.   It is always hanging from his lips and he prefers to chew it, (hmmm interesting motive for the file…….), so if he was bit it must have been with the bottom row only.

Second, I have now stuck my own arm over my wide open mouth a dozen times, and yep, the arm is up against the teeth every time, and if Grabovsky moved, tried to ask politely to remove the arm, or otherwise, there is a good chance that the teeth were on the arm at some point in this struggle. I have no idea if he was bit or not; intentionally or otherwise.

Lesson: kids, if something like this happens do not act like Pacioretty who made this decision to jump a player from behind with his gloves off, give him the WWF armbar across the face, and then make a fool of himself by crying to the ref and throwing his helmet across the runway on live TV (and now you tube). Then further humiliating himself by having his whole team cry to the media after the game about something that had no affect or injury. Best to simply control your emotions, and save it for next game if you really feel something was unjust. Then challenge him face to face like a player with honor, and have it out, and then the situation is over.

Here is the incident started with Prust and Pacioretty

But it does not end here, remember what we discussed earlier? Awareness of who is on your roster and who is on the opposition bench, and the Maple Leafs are loaded with tough players and with 5 minutes left in the game isn’t it surprising several of them just happen to be on the ice at the same time?

Who do they target? Montreal’s top players.

Thanks to Prust and Pacioretty, who are already in the showers, their own teammates are now at risk, and as you can see from the video this could have turned out real bad for the Canadiens as they could have players injured in the retaliation by the Maple Leafs.

Lesson: kids, you alone are not accountable for your actions, hockey is the ultimate team sport, and the only one in which fighting is allowed.   YOUR WHOLE TEAM is accountable for your actions, so learn to control your emotions and make good decisions on behalf of your team.

Here is the Reply from the Maple Leafs

In the end the question has been whether a biting incident took place. Whether or not this happened is irrelevant in my mind. The lack of control and poor decisions of a few players put their own teammates at risk. This is the only thing that should be discussed behind the closed doors of the dressing room, while the media and bloggers decide on the who bit who.

Feb 10, 2013 - What does a Professional Hockey Scout Do?

This question has been asked the most over the past several months so we will answer this one first.

I see anywhere from 15 – 20 games a month live, and another 15 – 30 on Video or TV. This season my travels have taken me to Sweden – Finland – Latvia – Czech – Slovakia – Switzerland- Germany – Austria.

I have made reports on over a thousand players so far this season, and it is always a learning experience to see different styles of play and tactics. I find myself constantly making notes on items I would like to implement into our summer training camps in Alaska. This season has been interesting as well, as many of the world’s best players returned to Europe to wait for the NHL labor strike to conclude. Ovechkin and Datsyuk starred in Russia, while many North Americans found a place to play in the run and gun style of Switzerland.

The NHL teams have a variety of formats for their scouting procedure, including a separation of the Pro and Amateur scouts, or a crossover according to region, or in some cases both. There are several factors that go into the decision of ownership and management in this regard.

The Winnipeg Jets have separated the European Scouting procedure in the following manner: We have a total of 3 European Scouts.   One scout that is located in Sweden whose responsibility is Amateur players and will travel throughout Europe. Another is located in Russia and will spend 90% of his time on Amateur duties throughout Europe. My responsibilities are the Professional leagues in Europe. Located in Sweden my allocation of time would be something similar to following:

50% Sweden Pro Leagues
25% National Team Tournaments and World Championships
10% Finland Pro League
10% KHL – Russia League
5% German – Swiss – Czech – Other

Preparation is done before each game to have an idea of which players are to be identified for each team. Reports will be generated for each player and entered into a database for management to track and view. The actual scouting of players falls into several categories:

Free Agents: here we look at the younger players around 21 – 25 years old that may still be considered developmental, and also another group from 26-30 years old that would be good enough to play in the NHL immediately. The free agent player has no affiliation to an NHL team so there would be no compensation required to obtain their rights.

NHL Property Players: these are players that are under contract or under the protection of a previous contract (Restricted Free Agents), and they may require some compensation if acquired. This area also includes the NHL drafted players of all the other NHL teams, where we need to have a good record of these players of which we may be interested to acquire in the future.

Draft Eligible Players: this has changed in recent years because of the large number of players that are now playing in the KHL in Europe. Many young players who might have otherwise been playing Junior hockey are now filling pro team roster spots. Despite a difference in reporting system and criteria, a report will be provided on any of these players that are viewed in a pro game. The difference is the report will be more focused on how the player plays at the pro level against men, rather than a prospectus on how the player may develop over a 4 year period.

In addition to the individual game reports, a Monthly report and ranking will be provided, and we will conduct a conference call to discuss players and recommendations. When the management team decides that there is cause to take the next step with a player, we will then proceed with contact with the player or agent and get more background information on character and other important items.

Most of the Regular season games conclude in Late February and early March, and then playoffs commence. March and April will see players play for their league championships, and the players that have their season end in the playoffs will be invited to train with the National Teams, and there will be many exhibition games to view. This all culminates with the conclusion of the NHL regular season, and the players that do not make the playoffs join their respective National teams. This takes us to the World Championships which are played in early May and take place for 2 weeks or so.

When this is complete the European season is over, final reports are completed on all the players we should target immediately, and others we should keep a close eye on for next season. Then it is off to Alaska to bring all this information, ideas, and innovation to the hockey players in our community.