Striding Forward Inline

Striding forward inline
By Robby Glantz
Nov 6, 2001, 19:50

Summer training is a vital element in improving on-ice performance. I am a firm believer in the benefits of dry-land activities such as plyometrics (spring-coil exercises), sprints, slideboards, bungee cords and in-line skating. An off-season program incorporating these activities will allow you to strengthen the most important body parts involved in skating, your legs and lower body. Of these activities, in-line skating is perhaps the best method to cross-train for ice hockey. It is now also, of course, a sport unto its own. With that in mind, this column will focus on techniques and drills to improve your forward stride while on in-line skates. These tips and drills, if applied and practiced, will give you a great start towards reaching your potential, and becoming the best in-line skater and hockey player you can be.

Techniques

What’s great about in-line skating is that the techniques used are virtually the same as they are on the ice. The following is a checklist of techniques that you should follow (whether skating on in-line or ice hockey skates) in order to improve your skating posture, balance and speed.

l Remember first that all skating is “one foot at a time,” with 100% of your body weight centered directly over the pushing foot. One foot pushes while the other glides.

l To achieve the proper skating posture, lower your body so that your knees bend to a 90° angle. Your knee should end up about two inches out over the toe of your skate.

l Keep your back straight, with your chest even with your front knee, and turn your knees outward (in a bowlegged fashion) to form the letter “V” with your skates (heels together). Turning the knees outward will immediately get your skates in the right position to push directly against the inside edge.

l Roll the ankle of your pushing foot inward to an inside edge about halfway (45°) to the ground (or ice). This creates the strong “grip” from which to push.

l Thrust against that inside edge to the side, using 100% of your body weight, until the leg reaches full extension. Then “snap” the toe part of the skate (the forward wheel of an in-line skate) down and out to get a final burst of power and speed.

l Rapidly return the pushing leg to the center (“V”) position, keeping the skate very low to the ground (or ice), and repeat with the other leg.

Drills

The best drill for working on the forward stride is descriptively called “Drag the Toe and Touch the Heels,” and is something that should be constantly performed both on in-line and ice skates. To execute the drill follow the techniques outlined above, being sure to slow the tempo and exaggerate each maneuver.

The drill requires that you drag the inside part of the front two wheels of the in-line Skate (or toe part of the ice skate), with the foot facing outward, as you return it from its full extension point. Then, click your heels together (while standing on one foot only) to form the “V” position, and go again. Remember to keep your hips facing directly in the line you are traveling by making your pushes more to the side, and not to the back.

This exercise will allow you to “feel” your mistakes more clearly. For example, if you are unable to bring your heels together while on one foot, then you will know that you are having trouble centering all of your weight over every push. And if you are turning your knee downward rather than outward when attempting to drag the toe, then that tells you that you are having a problem finishing the push in the proper manner — and are therefore losing valuable speed and power on each subsequent stride.

Finally, mastering all of the techniques of the forward stride takes a lot of time and practice. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t perfect your stride overnight: no one else ever has. The most important tips to remember are to keep bending your knees lower than what might feel comfortable, or natural, and to put all of your energy into every single push. That alone will get you going faster and give you more confidence, no matter what you’re skating on.

This first appeared in the 08/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Overloading the Power Play

Overloading the power play
By By Fred Pletsch

Even though you can’t go much beyond the basics with kids, Clarkson University coach Mark Morris says that in youth hockey, just as in the NCAA and NHL, personnel and execution are critical factors in the success of the power play.

The first pass on the power play is the most important in allowing the attacking team to gain position and set up inside the offensive zone.

“The key for any good breakout is to create a little bit of width and depth,” says Morris, now in his seventh year with the Golden Knights. “You’ve got to make sure you’ve got the width of the ice covered with attacking players, and you also want to create some depth from your own goal line to the far blueline. (That way) you’ve got men ahead of the puck carrier, but not too far away, and anytime you’re coming out of your zone you want to make that first pass a hard, short one — preferably to a guy in motion.”

How you proceed across the offensive blueline will depend on the defense encountered.

“If they’re going to stand up on the blueline, then you want to dump it in — either around the boards or into the opposite corner,” advises the 1991 ECAC Coach of the Year. The players without the puck must be in full flight when it’s surrendered, and you should shoot to an area where your teammates can get to it first.

“If the other team tends to let you carry the puck into their zone, you want to make sure your puck carrier is driving hard and wide (in order) to make that defenseman respect your speed and try to get him to turn, which opens up a lane on the inside,” explains Morris.

How To Overload

The most basic power play formations in college hockey are variations of what is called the “overload system” and are easily adaptable to youth hockey. Here’s how it works:

“You want to have a guy somewhere down below the goal line, to one side of or behind the net,” chalk-talks Morris. “Then, preferably, you have a winger on the hash marks near the boards, a defenseman at the blueline near the boards, and the other defenseman directly in front of the net (but back at the blueline). The fifth player is a weak-side player, and is either in front of the net or off on top of the far circle.”

This “overload formation” creates manpower superiority on the strong side while leaving the threat of a trigger-man on the far side.

Energetic puck movement is an integral part of a smoothly functioning power play. Morris says a short, crisp pass with a lot on it is like electricity jumping from one player to another. “You can really feel the confidence and surehandedness when somebody gives you one with something on it. You want to beat people with good, short, solid passes and stay away from those high-risk attempts that wind up as dump-outs back into your zone where you have to start all over again.”

Once in formation, says Morris, “the guy below the goal line has the option of playing catch with the forward on the boards. He can step out from behind the net if that option is open, or he can rotate with the man on the boards — who would enter the defensive box and then continue the cycle (by going) below the goal line while the first guy is on the opposite side of that elliptical shape you’re trying to create.”

Use Your Best

You want these two players to be your best puck handlers, since their role is to create motion while maintaining possession. Morris says the player behind the goal line has several other options, too. “He can step out and look for the weak-side forward coming down to the goal mouth for a tap-in pass, or he can feed a defenseman who is trying to sneak in the back door.”

Clarkson also likes to work in a high rotation from the overload formation. “You send the (middle) defenseman down through the slot and have the trigger-man come back and fill his spot,” says Morris. “That’s the high rotation. You can usually collapse the defenders’ box by sending somebody down the middle. Then you send the puck immediately to his replacement up high. If you can feed him, and you’ve already collapsed the box and caused a defender to turn away, then you’ve got an opening down the middle to move in and exploit — possibly with a shot from a high percentage scoring area.”

The Clarkson Golden Knights devote a minimum of two hours of practice time every week to their power play. They tinker with countless variations of different systems, depending on the success they’re having and the opponent they’re preparing for. But because of limited ice time in youth hockey, Morris suggests a basic system with learning-progression components.

“Teach them one basic system, such as the overload, and once they can do it in their sleep you can experiment with new twists.”

A successful power play is an intimidating weapon at every level of hockey, and even youth hockey teams should be able to overload the scoreboard with power play goals. l

Fred Pletsch is a veteran OHL and AHL broadcaster who currently covers the Cornwall Aces for CJFS radio.

This first appeared in the 08/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®

© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Making Daydreams Come True

This first appeared in the 08/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®

Making daydreams come true
By Mitch Korn

Preparation, both mental and physical, is critical to a goaltender’s success. The physical preparation required is fairly obvious: drills, exercises, stretches and flexes can all be designed to fine-tune a goalie’s game. But since most goaltenders will tell you that a large part of their game is “mental,” how does one best prepare a goalie’s mindset?

Today, sports psychologists play a greater role than ever before in helping players develop routines to properly prepare themselves mentally for a game.

With the Buffalo Sabres, both of our Sports Psychologists, Dr. Dan Smith and Dr. Max Offenberger, spend a great deal of time helping players deal with the pressures of the game, the gaining and loss of confidence, and their overall mental preparation.

The mental-preparation buzzwords these days are “mental imagery” and “positive visualization.” These describe the process of thinking good thoughts and visualizing positive situations — like making big saves — and concentrating on how you feel while all this good stuff is happening.

In truth, this sophisticated 1990’s concept is nothing more than a fancy label for exactly what I did when I was a kid — daydream. Back in my youth, daydreaming was frowned upon because some believed it promoted a “loss of focus and preparation.” It’s funny how time changes things, because today mental imagery is encouraged in order to enhance focus and preparation.

In addition, this kind of mental exercise builds a player’s confidence — because they can “see” themselves succeeding in big situations, when it counts the most.

Picture This

By using mental imagery, a goaltender can literally practice “reading and reacting” to game situations, and physical-skill executions, in their minds.

Picture the other team’s best player (a right handed shot) coming at you on a breakaway. You come out five feet past the top of the crease and slowly back up. The gap between you closes. The player fakes to his forehand (your glove side) then cuts to his backhand on a deke. You make a quick transition from the small shuffle you took because of the fake, push with your left leg and make a great two-pad slide to your stick side (originating from the top of the crease, moving diagonally to just outside the post), and make a magnificent save. Naturally, the rebound goes harmlessly to the corner.

Wasn’t that fun and easy? By preparing for this situation in your mind’s eye, the next time it happens on the ice, you’ll be ready! The goaltender can do this kind of mental routine for as many situations as there are in a game.

If a goalie is giving up too many goals — either on the ice or in his mental imagery — there may be a confidence or self-esteem problem. But all those saves he visualizes himself making will go a long way toward enhancing a goaltender’s confidence and self-esteem. If a goalie feels prepared for success, the odds are better that he will experience it.

See, mom? Daydreaming isn’t so bad after all.

Mitch Korn is the goaltender coach for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. In addition, he is an administrator at Miami University (Ohio) and directs the 8-week Summer Hockey School. Miami has Division I ice hockey in the CCHA.

This first appeared in the 08/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Shots That Score

This first appeared in the 08/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®

Shots that score
By Wayne Anderson

Watching a roller hockey team practice at the local rink, I saw almost every player work on their slap shot while warming up the goaltender. Down at the other end there was one player practicing on an open net, trying from in close to score in the top corners. In the game that followed, guess who scored a couple of goals? … Continue Reading

You’ve Got a Friend: The Goalie Coach

You’ve got a friend: The goalie coach
By Sam Laskaris
Nov 6, 2001, 19:36

Hall-of-Famer Smith. © BBS

Not too long ago, all National Hockey League clubs had one coach, who obviously called all the shots. As the game became more technical, however, squads began hiring assistant coaches, some with specific duties, such as working with forwards or defensemen.

Netminders though, for the most part, continued to be ignored. Sure, they received some words of encouragement from their coaching staff. But it must have been difficult to pay attention to such advice, considering it was in all likelihood coming from someone who had never donned the pads and faced bullet-like slap shots between the pipes.

These days, however, many NHL teams help keep their goalies razor-sharp by offering them support and coaching from some very knowledgeable sources — former goalies. The list of former stoppers currently tutoring NHL goaltenders includes Rick Wamsley (Toronto Maple Leafs), Greg Millen (Dallas Stars), Mitch Korn (Buffalo Sabres) and Billy Smith (Florida Panthers).

Wamsley

Wamsley is one of the few NHL goalie coaches employed full-time. He joined the Toronto coaching staff in January 1993, bringing plenty of experience with him. His 12-year NHL playing career included stints with Montreal, St. Louis, Calgary and Toronto.

During his own playing days, Wamsley received some netminding advice from three eventual Hall of Famers: Ken Dryden, Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall. All three worked with Wamsley on a part-time basis.

“Back then, many didn’t think of it as a full-time position,” Wamsley says. “We were always considered a rare breed. And nobody could understand what we were all about. The position is still as demanding. But now more of the progressive organizations are finding the benefits of having a goalie coach.”

Though he has a full-time position, Wamsley doesn’t spend all of his time in Toronto. He also works with the franchise’s goalies in the minor leagues and junior ranks. Wamsley’s also involved in scouting, traveling across North America to inspect draft-eligible puckstoppers.

Wamsley couldn’t be happier with all his responsibilities. And he’s thrilled to work closely with Leafs’ president and general manager Cliff Fletcher, one of the most respected executives in the NHL.

“I’ve always wanted to stay in the game,” Wamsley says. “When I was traded to Toronto (in January 1992), Cliff offered it to me right away. He said if I wanted a position like this when I was done playing, it was there for me.”

Wamsley adds he’s eager to move up hockey’s administrative ladder. “I’m being a sponge and taking it all in now,” he says. “I have three elements working for me — having been a player, developing players through the coaching and the scouting work. Where it will all lead to, though, I don’t know.”

Millen

Like Wamsley, Millen also enjoyed a lengthy playing career in the NHL — 14 seasons, including stops in Pittsburgh, Hartford, St. Louis, Quebec, Chicago and Detroit.

Millen joined the Stars as a goalie consultant for the 1992-93 season, when the franchise was based in Minnesota and called the North Stars. Unlike Wamsley, though, he doesn’t do any scouting and is employed as a part-timer.

“Guys don’t want to have you around every day,” Millen says. “You’re not as effective that way. It’s much more effective to pop in and have a rap session once in a while. I don’t think it has to be much more than that.”

Millen, who also works 30 games a year as a television color commentator for the Ottawa Senators, monitors the play of the Stars’ netminders via a satellite dish. Then he’ll travel to Dallas every couple of weeks, hoping to provide a few pointers which might end up making a bit of a difference.

Millen says his trips to Dallas and Kalamazoo, where the Stars’ International Hockey League affiliate is based, provide goalies with a change of pace.

“When I broke in, you always did the same thing in practice,” Millen says. “You worked on three-on-twos and two-on-ones. And you didn’t do any fitness.”

Individual drills and/or chats might correct a few minor points, but major overhauls or adjustments are rare. “All the athletes in the NHL are like in the top of their class,” says Millen. “And with goaltenders, there’s little to be done. As far as going in and changing somebody’s style, that’s not going to happen.”

Korn

Though he’s also a former goaltender, Korn never played in the NHL. He reached the pinnacle of his playing career Ohio’s Kent State University in the late 1970s.

After taking up coaching at Kent State in 1979, Korn spent the past 13 years as a coach/administrator at the University of Miami (Ohio).

Korn’s lack of pro experience was a sticking point at first. Korn recalls that a couple of Buffalo players initially questioned his abilities after joining the Sabres organization three seasons ago. When forward Rick Vaive asked him about his background, Korn replied he had spent 15 years playing and working at the collegiate level.

“It took you 15 years to get out of university?” marveled Buffalo goalie Clint Malarchuk, who is known for his sarcastic sense of humor. “Then you must not be that good.”

Korn, though, insists he has earned his paycheck since joining the Sabres.

“I don’t ever want to overshadow the players,” says Korn, who also writes the In Goal column for Hockey Player. “But you like to feel, one way or another, you’ve contributed. And I feel I have. If I wasn’t making a contribution, I wouldn’t be here.”

Korn adds that goalie coaches are more effective if they come across more as a friend than a coach.

“You can’t be a hammer and you can’t be a bad guy,” he says. “You want to be overly positive. You have to want them talking to you.”

More importantly though, one wants to see their protégés experience success on the ice. “Winning is still the bottom line,” Korn says. “I’d rather have our goalie give up four goals and win than give up only one goal and lose.”

Smith

“Battling” Billy Smith, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year, racked up his share of victories during an 18-season NHL career that ended in 1989. In 680 regular-season appearances, he chalked up a record of 305-233-105 and boasted of a goals-against average of 3.17.

He was even more impressive during the playoffs, picking up 88 wins in 132 games, while registering a sparkling 2.73 GAA. Smith retired having earned four consecutive Stanley Cup rings with the New York Islanders, the last one coming in 1983.

When he hung up his pads, catching glove and blocker, Smith remained with the Islanders as their goalie coach. He held this post for four years before joining the expansion Panthers in the same capacity for their inaugural season.

Smith isn’t taking any bows over the splendid play of the Panthers No. 1 goalkeeper John Vanbiesbrouck,even though Beezer received his share of consideration for the Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL player deemed most valuable to his team.

“I’d love to take credit for it,” Smith says, “but with Johnny I haven’t done much work with him. I’ve just more or less talked to him. If things are going so well, you want to leave it at that.”

Smith also spends some time working with the goalies for the Cincinnati Cyclones, Florida’s IHL affiliate. And like Wamsley, he too earns plenty of frequent flier miles, checking in on junior players the Panthers have drafted or are considering drafting.

Smith believes this is the area in which he is probably most useful. “The league has gone to such young goalies,” says Smith, who was the first netminder to score an NHL goal (Nov. 28, 1979 against the Colorado Rockies). “The way the draft is going, you have to make quick decisions on players.”

And the way the science of coaching is evolving, you can bet that more and more teams in the NHL, as well as at other levels, will soon realize the value of having a goalie coach on staff.

Sam Laskaris is a Toronto-based freelance sportswriter.

This first appeared in the 08/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

1995: 10 Reasons the Rangers Won the Cup

1995: 10 reasons the Rangers won the cup
By Alex Carswell
Nov 6, 2001, 19:29

©BBS

The Curse is vanquished. 1940 is no more. The New York Rangers, after a 54-year drought, can once more call themselves Stanley Cup Champions. It was no easy ride, and at times — as when the Devils scored to tie it with 7.7 seconds remaining in Game 7 of the semi-finals — it looked like The Curse would win out yet again. But in the end the 1994 Rangers erased the ghosts of over a half-century of disappointment. What made this year so special, and this Rangers team the one to break the hex? Here are 10 reasons why.

1. Leadership

Basking in the afterglow of victory, Mike Keenan hailed Mark Messier as “the greatest leader in pro sports today.” It’s an accolade with which any knowledgeable sports fan would be hard-pressed to disagree. Coming to the Rangers with five Stanley Cup championships already in tow, Messier was determined to succeed where other team leaders — Jean Ratelle, Barry Beck, Phil Esposito — had failed. His intense desire to win, and unwillingness to accept defeat, was a beacon for a franchise whose history was studded with failure.

While perhaps not the most talented player in hockey, Messier’s ability to excel in clutch situations is unparalleled. His six championships outshine Joe Montana, Michael Jordan, even Wayne Gretzky. In fact, to better Messier’s post-season success you have to go back to the glory days of baseball’s Bronx Bombers or the Montreal Canadiens of the 50’s and 60’s — when the NHL was a six-team league. Messier “guaranteeing” a victory in Game 6 of the Devils series and then delivering a third-period hat trick will go down in sports history alongside Babe Ruth calling his shot and Broadway Joe Namath promising a Super Bowl win.

2. Coaching

While Mark Messier leads by example, Mike Keenan leads by decree. You do your job — and you do it his way — or you ride the pines. And while some of Iron Mike’s moves may seem curious, you can not question the scoreboard. With the Stanley Cup won, it hardly matters whether his playoff benchings of Leetch and Messier stemmed from injuries, as he said at the time, or emotion. Had they lost, it would have been a different story. The New York media may well have eaten Keenan alive for placing his ego above the best interests of the team. The oft-heard criticisms — that Keenan overcoached, that he was too hard on his players — would certainly have resurfaced more strongly than ever in the Gotham fishbowl.

But remember: Keenan was not hired because he is affable. He was hired because he has consistently put his teams in a position to win. And this time, in his fourth trip to the Finals, they did.

3. Goal-tending

No team has ever won the Stanley Cup without great goaltending, and these Rangers were no exception. Mike Richter won all 16 playoff games for the Rangers, and tied the NHL record with four playoff shutouts in the process. He rebounded from less than spectacular performances in Game 5 of the Devils series and Game 1 of the Finals to steady the team when it needed him most. He consistently made the big saves under pressure, was unconscious down the seventh-game stretch against Vancouver, and could easily have won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

4. Brian Leetch

The playoff MVP was instrumental in every Rangers win. During the regular season he unselfishly harnessed his offensive gifts, finishing second in team blueline scoring to Sergei Zubov. But during the playoffs, while not sacrificing the defensive play that so impressed his post-season foes, he consistently took control on offense. He led the Rangers out of the zone, quarterbacked the power play, killed penalties with aplomb, excelled in four-on-four situations and scored big goals.

On several occasions during the playoffs Leetch figured in all his team’s scoring, perhaps never more spectacularly than in Game 5 against the Capitals. In an eventual 4-3 win, Leetch was on the ice for all three goals against. He then atoned for what he described as a poor defensive performance by setting up three New York goals before finally delivering the series-clincher himself. His spinorama goal in Game 7 against the Devils — which almost held up as the series-clincher there — was reminiscent of Bobby Orr…truly one for the ages. And after being relentlessly pounded throughout the Vancouver series, he rebounded from sub-par performances in Games 5 and 6 to play a phenomenal two-way game in the finale, opening the scoring in the first period and playing clutch, game-saving defense in the third.

5. Home-Ice Advantage

Earning playoff home-ice advantage during their league-best regular season, the Rangers took advantage by winning two Game 7s in the friendly confines of Madison Square Garden. Yes, the Garden crowd can be fickle. But with everything on the line against the Devils and then against the Canucks, the New York faithful stood strong behind their Rangers and helped create an oppressive atmosphere for the opponents. In big games, it’s always better to have the New York crowd on your side.

6. Special Teams

The regular-season Rangers had the NHL’s best overall special teams, and their sparkling play continued during the playoffs. Even while suffering a power play dry spell against the defensively-skilled Devils, as well as during the first few games of the Finals, their penalty killing held the opposition at bay. Vancouver went just 3-for-35 against the Rangers, who gave up only nine power-play goals during the entire playoff tournament. And while man advantages grew ever more scarce as the Finals wore on, power-play markers by Adam Graves and Mark Messier provided the winning margin in Game 7. The Rangers also dominated every playoff opponent when skating four-on-four.

7. Focus

From Day One, this Rangers team had but a single goal: to win the Stanley Cup. Past Rangers teams, The Curse aside, seemed to lose their focus during the playoffs. Too often, beating the Islanders, or getting out of the Patrick Division, or merely making it to the Finals were considered acceptable measures of success. But this group knew, even after beating three divisional rivals — the Isles, the Caps and the Devils — that nothing had yet been accomplished. And even after beating the Devils, who had the second-best record in the league, in a series that many equated with the “real” Stanley Cup championship, the Rangers did not let down.

8. Balance

The Rangers roster reflected exactly the kind of balance needed to capture hockey’s ultimate prize. The team had veteran leadership in Messier, Kevin Lowe, Esa Tikkanen, Craig McTavish and the highly underrated Sergei Nemchinov. They had sensational offensive stars and youthful exuberance in Leetch, Sergei Zubov, Alexei Kovalev and Adam Graves. They had grinders and role players in Matteau, Noonan and Kocur. Their blueline paired offensive threats — Leetch and Zubov — with the steadying defensive influences of Jeff Beukeboom and Lowe.

But perhaps most important, in Leetch, Messier, Graves and Tikkanen, the Rangers had key players who excelled at both ends of the ice.

9. The GM

In fulfilling Mike Keenan’s entire wish list — Iron Mike admitted before the playoffs began that everyone he wanted on his post-season roster was there — Rangers General Manager Neil Smith made this championship possible. Despite widely-reported personality clashes with his coach, Smith gave Keenan the tools he requested then stepped back out of the limelight. The Gartner for Anderson swap was certainly questionable — especially given Anderson’s lackluster playoff performance, and Keenan’s resulting need to compensate by double-shifting Kovalev — but Smith was willing to take the heat for that, and all the moves which closet-GM Keenan requested. Neil Smith deserves as much credit as Messier, Leetch and Keenan for bringing the Stanley Cup to Broadway.

10. Luck

For the first time in recent memory the Rangers entered — and survived — the playoffs with no significant injuries. The litany of Curse-related injuries has been rehashed all too often, but suffice it to say that there were no broken ankles this year. Yes, Beukeboom was hurt early in Game 7 of the Finals, but by then the Rangers were playing with enough emotion to survive. And while it may come out that Brian Leetch was playing with a tender shoulder, or Messier with sore ribs, there were none of the psychologically devastating maladies that have plagued the Rangers in years past.

New York’s luck also included several strategically clanged goal posts, most notably as time wound down in the final game of their championship season. The pitcher Lefty Gomez once said he’d “rather be lucky than good,” but this bunch was both.

This first appeared in the 08/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Skating with the Ref

Skating with the Ref
By Alex Carswell
Nov 6, 2001, 19:24

Leary can poke check too. ©BBS

Hey, you. Yeah, you, with your nose in the magazine. Who do you think of when I say “in-your-face” hockey? Huh?

Cam Neely? Marty McSorley? Ulf Samuelsson?

Try Denis Leary.

You know, that guy in the Bruins jersey urging Wayne Gretzky to work on his passes in ESPN’s 1994 NHL playoff promos? The guy who bitterly calls #99 a puck-hog?

The Boston-born actor who pioneered the “in your face” brand of entertainment so popular today, first for MTV and then in a series of memorable Nike ads that changed the face of marketing to Generation X, is definitely into puck. Big time.

“I’ve been playing since I was four or five,” says Leary. “There are rinks in every neighborhood where I grew up. Our high school was about four blocks from my house, and the rink was like another four blocks after that. The high school team, my bantam team and even the spring and summer league teams all played in the same rink.

“Plus, we’d also do the rink-rat thing — picking up tape, cleaning up — and then skate at 2, 3 o’clock in the morning. You couldn’t get away from ice time when I was growing up.”

While Leary, now 37, proved better suited for a comedy and acting career than one in pro hockey, he did have his moments.

“I played high school hockey at St. Peter’s, in Worcester (MA), and at the end of the school year central Mass used to play eastern Mass. So we were the team that would win and come out of central Mass, then go play in Boston Garden and get our butts kicked by whoever made it from the east.

But it was still a great experience skating at the Garden.”

Plus, how many of those high schoolers who kicked Leary’s butt ever got to skate with The Great One?

“We had a blast shooting those promos,” says Leary, who now lives on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and had been off the ice for a few months before the shoot. “I hurt my back (the previous) November, and I hadn’t been skating with my team in New York. So I was trying to work my way back into shape when the ESPN thing all fell together. So I flew out to L.A. and we did three spots.

“We shot them all in one day, so I ended up skating for nine hours — Gretzky skated for five — and it was great. It was the first time in my life I ever got paid to skate, and that was great, but I didn’t do it for the money. I did it because I got the chance to skate with Gretzky.

“But nine hours on the ice is tough. After about six you just start going on pure adrenaline. There’s nothing else left.”

Where’s The Game?

When Leary’s not skating with Gretzky, he’s skating somewhere.

“It’s nuts, and it’s probably because of Gretzky, but it’s easier to find ice time in L.A. than in New York.”

Leary finds himself in L.A. more and more these days, now that his film career is taking off. “You can skate five times a week if you want, and not late at night, either. I’m talking morning skates, early evening skates…and quality games, too, because there are all these guys from the east coast and all these Canadians who’ve moved down there for business or whatever.

“Meanwhile, in New York, you’ve got to fight left and right just to get late night ice time. It’s not good for hockey.”

And, of course, the “regular guys” Leary plays with in New York are replaced by higher-profile sorts in Tinsel Town.

“There’s a Sunday night game that the producer Jerry Bruckheimer has, and it’s a good game. It has all different levels: the first line is guys who can really go, the second line is guys who can kind of go, and the third line is the old guys. Then there’s a game that Alan Thicke has on Tuesday and Thursday mornings that’s a terrific game, with a lot of ex-pros and guys just out of college.

“It’s a good, hard skate for me. And because I’m 37, it kind of puts it all in perspective.”

The lack of available ice time in New York, plus his four-year-old son’s newfound interest in skating, has also turned Leary on to in-line skates. “I’ve got a pair of Gretzky’s new in-line skates and Jack has a pair of Rollerblades, so I’m going to start taking him out to the park. I’ll try and teach him the game and maybe work on getting my legs back.”

Now that he’s getting lead roles, Leary has to worry about more than just his legs. He has to worry about his face, too.

“In high school, like everyone else, I just wore the old Butch Goring three-piece helmet, so that’s what I was used to and I couldn’t play with anything else. Later on, I tried the shield, and I didn’t like it because it kept fogging up, so I said ‘screw this.’

“Then, back in ‘88, I got hit with a stick and took three or four stitches — which had happened to me a million times before — but suddenly it occurred to me ‘Hey, I’m an actor.’ And I realized if somebody takes my eye out I’ll be stuck playing one-eyed bad guys the rest of my life. So I went to the cage, and eventually got used to it.”

At the moment, Leary is also considering trading up from the same pair of CCM Ultra Tacks he’s used since 1982. “I’m thinking of getting a pair of those new Bauer Supremes with the graphite reinforcement. They’re supposed to be terrific skates.”

Big Bad Role Models

Leary, a right-shot who plays either wing, says his style is “old school,” and considers Derek Sanderson his primary hockey role model. That seems fairly appropriate for a guy who first became famous for looking threatening and sucking on a butt.

“I grew up on the Big Bad Bruins, and in high school, because we had a pretty good team, I used to play third line. So I became enamored of Sanderson, who was a big hero to all the kids in Boston at the time — he taught us how to smoke, how to drink, and how to sweep check.”

The Turk also gave Leary one of his all-time hockey highlights. “In a meaningless game against Vancouver, Sanderson was forechecking this defenseman. The guy took the puck behind the net, waiting for his wings to set up. So Sanderson stood in front of the goalie, jostling side-to-side every time the defenseman did. Finally, the goaltender leaned up against his post and turned his head to see what the defenseman was doing, and Sanderson just grabbed the crossbar, jumped halfway over the net, swept the puck off the guy’s stick, pulled it out front and scored.

“Both the goalie and the defenseman argued that it shouldn’t be allowed, but the ref had this look on his face that said ‘I never saw anybody do that, so I guess it’s not against the rules. Goal.’ It was great.”

But the demanding physical Leary-as-Turk style of play eventually gave way to a less punishing approach to the game.

“I used to fly full-speed into guys and play the checking game, but watching Gretzky play I realized that you can still be in the middle of trouble and manage, by being smart, to avoid the physical punishment. Obviously, no one does it like Gretzky — he’s got some incredible genetic gift because he can see stuff coming that no one else can. But I’ve started to learn over the last 10 years how to make contact if you have to, but that if you stay in motion — especially in the offensive zone — you can see the contact coming, avoid it, and still be in position for a pass or a scoring chance.”

One has to wonder if Leary’s busy career — he’s currently working on two feature films, a one-man show, and is a contributing editor to Details magazine — will be cutting into his ice time.

“No way. It’s kind of a Jones thing at this point. I can’t not play hockey for too long a period of time or I go nuts. I’ve got a puck on my back.”

As for combining his two passions, acting and hockey, Leary is emphatic. “I’m desperate to do a hockey movie…if I could find a good script. It’s got to be a movie like Bull Durham, where it’s about the characters and hockey is part of what they do.

“All most people want to do is either take advantage of the violent aspect of hockey or, like with The Mighty Ducks, turn it into a kid’s movie. They’ve never made a truly great hockey story, and when they try they get these guys who can’t even skate, and they have to shoot everything from the waist up — which is ridiculous. There are enough guys now who can skate that they shouldn’t have to do that.”

Got anybody particular in mind, Denis?

“All I know is, I just want to get paid to go to work every day and skate. That’s my goal. Just get up every morning, strap ‘em on, and get paid for it.”

This first appeared in the 08/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

What Style Should You Play

What style should you play?
By Mitch Korn
Nov 6, 2001, 07:32

Over the years, goaltenders have always been classified by the style they play. In general, goalies are grouped by the “Stand-up Style” (Jacques Cloutier of Quebec), the “Butterfly Style”(Ed Belfour of Chicago and Curtis Joseph of St. Louis), and the “Scramble Style” (Kelly Hrudey of Los Angeles).

In reality, no goaltender is purely one style or another. They are a hybrid… a combination that depends on the way the goaltender plays different situations. Ideally, the goalie should take the pluses of each “style” and avoid the “minuses” in developing his or her own personal method or system of playing goal somewhere on the “Style Continuum.”

The Stand-up Method — One Extreme

This used to be the way most of the best goalies played. Coaches looked for goalies that stayed on their feet at all costs. They are extremely systematic, very positional, play the angles, use skate saves rather than pads, and rely on their defense to pick up the “backdoor” and rebounds. They fill a lot of net down the wings, but have trouble on screens, deflections and quick plays around the net and from the slot. When they make saves, they often open holes because they get “frozen” a lot by the shooters. Stand-up goalies are rather predictable, and are rarely out of initial position. They have trouble “scrambling” and while they make excellent saves (many look easy), they have had trouble in recent years winning the “big one” in the playoffs. The feeling, by some, is that the very fundamental stand-up goaltender has trouble raising his game a notch or two. The game has changed, and many question whether the extreme stand-up styles of the late Jacques Plante, Gilles Villemure and Bernie Parent would be as effective today.

Scramble Method — The Other Extreme

As predictable and controlled as the stand-up style may be, the scramble is just as unpredictable and uncontrollable.

This style is characterized by acrobatic, athletic goalies who make fantastic, incredible saves but can give up some very bad goals. They are very quick, end up in some bizarre positions, and are very competitive and thus literally “fight” for the puck. Unfortunately, this style is a “crap-shoot.” Performance is often a “roll of the dice.” The upside is a very big game, but the downside is a very bad one. Rarely is there an in-between. This goalie often does not make the same save, the same way, twice.

The “New” Butterfly Style — The Middle Ground

Let’s understand this from the start… There are many kinds of butterfly goalies. If “stand-up” is at one extreme, and “scramble” is at the other, all the space in-between is a “butterfly style” of one sort or another. From Felix Potvin and Patrick Roy, who butterfly on almost every shot to John Vanbiesbrouck and Kirk McLean who use the half-butterfly in a controlled, shot by shot, basis and everybody in-between, the premise is still the same… since nearly 70% of all shots are on or near the ice, their objective is to take away the bottom shelf and eliminate all pucks that may go in on the ice, under, around or through the goaltender. Whether it’s a clean shot or a deflection, the goalies use their pads in one of the many butterfly or half-butterfly save selections.

Don’t be fooled. These goalies still must play angles, they still must look “big” down the wings and they must have some ability to scramble… thus their own “Combination Style” falls somewhere inside the extremes on the “Goaltending Style Continuum.”

Mitch Korn is the goaltender coach for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. In addition, he is an administrator at Miami University (Ohio) and directs the 8-week summer hockey school. Miami has Division I ice hockey in the CCHA.

This first appeared in the 05/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Getting Your Team Sponsored

Getting your team sponsored
By Paul Chapey
Nov 6, 2001, 07:30

“Dude, I’ve got this roller hockey team, and we’re really good, man. There’s this one guy, he’s awesome. You wouldn’t want to sponsor us, would you?” asked the team captain.

“No I wouldn’t,” the Dude says.

The only thing right about this approach is that the captain asked the question. Obviously, he could have had a better script, but at least he asked someone. And maybe if he asks 50 more potential sponsors, he might make a sale.

Note the word sale. That’s what sponsor quest is all about, It’s salesmanship and marketing… real-world type stuff.

It’s tough to get sponsored. Here are some tips on how to do it.

Select your prospects

If you’re playing in a local house league, forget the major equipment manufacturers. They’ll only consider nationally recognized teams. Go after local merchants.

Be realistic

The auto repair shop isn’t going to come up with the bucks to finance a domed practice facility. But you might get jerseys if you print the name of the business on the front.

Think business

Don’t waste time thinking how great all the guys are going to look in those now uniforms. Instead, compile a list of benefits to a sponsor. Remember, the odds of finding a sponsor ready to hand over the cash because he likes you, are almost non existent. Sponsors want to know what’s in it for them. If you can convince a prospect that it’ll help his or her business, he’ll consider your offer much more seriously.

Play the numbers game

If you don’t shoot on net, you won’t score. Ask lots of prospects. Don’t take rejection personally. Remember, the next prospect you ask may be the one who says “YEAH, I’M ALL OVER IT.”

Marketing material

You should have something to leave a prospect who shows an interest. Maybe he or she has to ask a partner or he says he’ll think about it. But leave something. I suggest a letter-size manila folder with a team photo. The photo is important because the prospect now sees people. He’ll understand that he just won’t be helping you, but also all the other guys too. Also include some information on the team and each player.

Return later on

If a prospect seems interested but gives you “no” as the final word, go back later after a few months and ask again. Maybe that no simply meant, “NO, not now.” In other words, money might be tight, but business can change. So keep track of the near misses and try again.

Enter tournaments

If you’re an accomplished league team and you’re winning, consider entering a big-time tournament like the Koho California Cup. If you do well at that level, then you’re closer to being able to seriously approach hockey businesses. In fact, I know one Southern California wheel and stick rep who won’t even consider talking about sponsorship unless a team has played in the Cup.

If you start to get burned out after too many rejections, take a break and pass the responsibility to a teammate. Just keep going after it- It’s like hockey, you’ve got to stay in motion and want it.

Paul Chapey is on the Board of Directors of the International In-line Skating Association (IISA) and head coach of the San Diego Hosers, the current National Roller Hockey Champions.

This first appeared in the 05/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

2nd Annual Book of Lists (1994)

2nd Annual Book of Lists (1994)
By Stan Fischler
Nov 6, 2000, 07:26

Biggest dissapointment. ©BBS

The most exciting thing about watching — or playing — hockey is arguing about the ice sport.

NHL arguments take on an infinite variety of forms because hockey is such a contentious sport.

So, in the spirit of furthering solid disputes, we have decided to provide you with our 100% guaranteed Lists for 1993-94. If you have any objections, don’t hesitate to write.

Top Six Players Play-off Teams Can’t Afford to Lose

1. Mark Messier — Rangers: If Messier goes down, the Rangers’ goose is cooked. Messier is the Rangers’ only play-making center and undisputed leader of the team. Sure, Adam Graves and Kevin Lowe can step into the leadership role but a Messier-void in the middle can not be filled.

2. Patrick Roy — Canadiens: The Conn Smythe Trophy winner last year means more to his team then any other goaltender. The champs are only average without Patrick between the pipes. The acquisition of Ron Tugnutt strengthens the No. 2 spot considerably but if the Canadiens have to rely on Tugnutt the chances for a second straight are slim.

3. Curtis Joseph — Blues: If Roy is the most relied upon goalie then Cujo is a close second. Nobody faces more rubber then Joseph on the defense-weak Blues. Jim Hrivnak has only played in a handful of games this season and has not overly impressed. A Joseph-less Blues squad wouldn’t win a game in the playoffs, no matter how much Ron Caron pays his Peter’s, Nedved and Stastny.

4. Jeremy Roenick — Blackhawks: Even with Roenick, the Hawks won’t go far this post-season. Without him the closest Chicago would get to the playoffs is a bar-side stool at their favorite Rush Street pub. Roenick is the Hawks only threat on offense and if he doesn’t play spectacular, the Hawks don’t win.

5. Pavel Bure — Canucks: Bure is to the Canucks what Teemu Selanne was to the Jets. Maybe Vancouver wouldn’t fall quite as far as the the Jets did but they would be struggling for a play-off spot without him. Bure is the only gifted offensive player on the Canucks and they need his speed to take the pressure off a slow and immobile defense.

6. Dale Hawerchuk — Sabres: Ducky is playing his best hockey in years. Alex Mogilny may be wearing the captain’s “C” but don’t let that fool you, Hawerchuk is as much the leader as Mogilny. Without Pat LaFontaine, Hawerchuk assumed the top spot in the middle and has led the team to the top of the league.

Six Players Who Unexpectedly Will Contend for Post-Season Awards

1. John Vanbies-brouck — Pan-thers: Enough can-not be said about Florida’s savior. The erstwhile Ran-ger is having the best season of his career and if the Panthers make the playoffs, he should win the Hart (MVP) Trophy. Beezer has played in more one-goal pressure games than any goalie in the league and is in the top five in GAA and save percentage.

2. Martin Brodeur — Devils: The 21-year-old Frenchman has had a stellar rookie season. Little was expected of him entering training camp but Brodeur quickly progressed and has become one of the NHL’s top goalies. The Calder Trophy candidate has seemingly taken the No. 1 spot from Chris Terreri and looked good doing it, recording big wins in Montreal and Quebec this season.

3. Sergei Zubov — Rangers: The season started poorly for the second year Russian. He reported to camp overweight and almost played his way to Binghamton. Now he is the best defenseman on a team that sports former Norris Trophy-winner Brian Leetch. Zubov trails only Ray Bourque in defenseman scoring and ranks among the league leaders in assists.

4. Jason Arnott — Oilers: Nobody expected this 18-year-old to make the team much less lead it. In a draft that saw such potential superstars as Alexandre Daigle, Chris Pronger, Chris Gratton, and Paul Kariya, Arnott has made the biggest splash, improving as the season has worn on and may prove to be the steal of last year’s draft He certainly should get plenty of Calder votes.

5. Dominik Hasek — Sabres: When all hope seemed lost for Buffalo — in stepped the Dominator. When Grant Fuhr went down, Hasek stepped up. He recorded four shutouts in two-and-a-half weeks, he was twice named player-of-the-week, and once player-of-the-month. His GAA has been at or below 2.00 all season and he single -handedly saved the Sabres sinking ship. Hasek is also among the league leaders in wins and save percentage and should be a finalist for the Vezina.

6. Sergei Fedorov — Red Wings: At the beginning of the 1993-94 season if somebody told you that a Red Wings’ center would be second in the league in scoring how fast would you have said Steve Yzerman? Fedorov has proved he is one of the best two-way players in the NHL. We knew he could check and now we know he can score, maybe all the way to an Art Ross Trophy.

Five Biggest Disappointments

1. Alexei Kovalev — Rangers: The nifty Russian winger was supposed to become a star this year. After netting 20 goals last season, 40 was not out of the question for this campaign. Kovalev started slow and has regressed to a point where he was the subject of trade rumors. To reach 20 this year Kovalev must get hot.

2. Mike Ricci — Nordiques: The Nordiques have been desperate for leadership and Ricci was supposed to be the leader. Last season Mike played a tough game and netted 78 points to boot, but ‘93-94 has been anything but productive for the Scarborough, Ontario native. His unhappiness in Quebec affected his play both physically and on the score sheet.

3. Markus Naslund — Penguins: The former No. 1 pick was given a fat salary and a spot on the No. 2 line but failed to produce even adequate. He scored two goals before being demoted to Cleveland. He hasn’t put up the kind of numbers Craig Patrick would like to see so he still toils in the minors.

4. Kevin Hatcher — Capitals: Last season he led all defensemen with 34 goals. This season he has struggled offensively amid trade rumors, which have followed him for years. When Alain Cote began playing the best hockey of his career Hatcher became expendable

5. Ron Hextall — Islanders: When Don Maloney acquired Hexy last Spring experts thought it was a brilliant move. Actually Hextall has played inadequately — with the exception of one strong mid-season stretch — and was benched in favor of rookie Jamie McLennan for big March contests.

Top Five Power Forwards

1. Cam Neely — Bruins: Neely is having the best season of his career just when it was questionable whether he would even be able to play. He is a tree in front of the net and nobody takes more abuse in that spot. Neely is impossible to knock off the puck when it’s on his stick and has a soft touch around the crease.

2. Brendan Shanahan — Blues: Last year was a breakthrough season for Brendan and he has done little to disappoint this year. He doesn’t fight as much as past years but don’t dare ruffle his feathers. Shanahan is on pace for a 50 goal, 50 assist, 200 penalty minute season.

3. Adam Graves — Rangers: Graves has emerged from his role as Mark Messier’s bodyguard to the complete hockey player. He’s one of the best NHL hitters and plays in all situations (power play and penalty killing). When he breaks the Ranger record of 50 goals by Vic Hadfield, expect the roar from the Garden faithful to raise the roof.

4. Kevin Stevens — Penguins: Coming off the terrifying facial injury in Game Seven of the 1993 Patrick Division Finals Stevens resumed his intimidating style. He’s back to where he was in seasons past and should come close to the 50-goal mark for the third straight time in his career.

5. Keith Tkachuk — Jets: The 21-year-old Winnipeg captain has quickly become one of the NHL’s most feared hitters. Hitting was never in doubt with Tkachuk. What came as a surprise to NHL observers was his ability to put points on the board. In only his second full season with the Jets, Keith will finish with 40 goals, 40 assists, and close to 200 penalty minutes.

Five Players Teams Miss Most

1. Owen Nolan — Nordiques: All season the Nords have been lacking toughness and leadership. Those are elements that the brawny, fiery Nolan could provide them. His 40 something goals wouldn’t have hurt either.

2. Teemu Selanne — Jets: Winnipeg was a play-off team and a borderline Cup contender with him. Without him they are not much better than the Ottawa Senators.

3. Brian Mullen — Islanders: Early in the season the Isles lacked unity and heart. While Mullen lacks superior skills he is a team player in every sense of the word and would have kept the Isles together.

4. Petr Nedved — Canucks: His demands may have been outrageous off the ice but there is no denying his skill on it The Canucks have lacked a play-making center all season and Nedved would have fit the bill to a tee.

5. Marty McSorley — Kings: Could Marty McSorley been the reason the Kings went from finalists to flops? He was one of the more popular Kings and The Great One’s Guardian. He never reached the Penguins’ lofty expectations and may have been reclaimed by Bruce McNall after too much damage had been done.

Five Best Coaching Jobs

1. Roger Neilson — Panthers: Captain Video has made hockey fashionable in South Florida. His defense-first style might not be exciting to watch but you can’t argue with success. If the Panthers make the playoffs, he is a lock for Coach-of-the-Year.

2. Kevin Constantine — Sharks: The fiery coach of the Sharks took over a team that tied Ottawa for worst in the league with 24 points. This season the Sharks stand to make the greatest point improvement of any team this year. Constantine has his Sharks playing disciplined, smart hockey and headed towards their first play-off berth in franchise history. If the coach of the year isn’t Neilson, it has to be Constantine.

3. Ron Wilson — Ducks: Fans laughed when they heard the name “Mighty Ducks”, but they laugh no longer. The Ducks have gone into New York, Montreal, and Toronto and won. Wilson has a good hockey mind and is one of the brightest young coaches to come into the league in a long time. The Ducks have less talent than any of the other expansion teams but no coach has gotten more out of his players than Wilson.

4. Jacques Lemaire — Devils: Lemaire has guaranteed the Devils their best regular season in franchise history and should lead them to a 100 point season. He has done so without a bona fide superstar and a team first attitude. Players respect Lemaire who is teaching them what it takes to become winners.

5. John Muckler — Sabres: First Pat LaFontaine went down, then Grant Fuhr. Everyone expected the Sabres to go down as well. Early in the season Buffalo was in last place going nowhere fast. Muckler sold the Sabres on the team-first concept and they bought it. With a little help from Dominic Hasek and Dale Hawerchuk, Muckler has the Sabres challenging for first place in the Northeast division when they should be challenging Hartford for the cellar. (Ottawa doesn’t count)

Franchise Players at Each Position

1. C — Eric Lindros — Flyers: A no-brainer. Eric has it all: size, speed, and skill. His critics tend to forget this hulking superstar is only 21-years-old and when he matures he will be a combination of Mario Lemieux and Cam Neely.

2. G — Felix Potvin — Maple Leafs: Every great team needs a top notch goalie. and Felix the Cat is the best young netminder in the game. At 22, Potvin is ready to take the torch from Patrick Roy and become the next French super goalie.

3. D — Brian Leetch — Rangers: The 26 year-old Leetch has still not yet reached his prime and already has a 100-point season and a Norris Trophy under his belt. Leetch has improved his defensive play this season under Mike Keenan and still is the most skilled offensive defenseman in the league.

4. RW — Jaromir Jagr — Penguins: The Czech sensation was drafted fifth overall in 1990. If it was done over again there is no doubt JJ would be first. When Jagr gets the puck, fans sit on the edge of their seats and goalies shake in their skates. Jagr came into his own when Mario went down in the ‘91-92 Playoffs and is on pace for his first 100-point season.

5. D — Chris Pronger — Whalers: More then one NHL general manager was overheard at last summer’s draft saying that Pronger was either better than Alexandre Daigle, or, the best defenseman drafted in the last 10 years. The next Larry Robinson is only 18 and will lead the Whalers into the next century.

6. LW — Adam Graves — Rangers: The captain of the team. Graves is a 30-goal scorer who will get 50 on hard work The oldest forward on the list at 26, Graves would be the leader of this team on the ice, but more importantly in the dressing room.

Stan Fischler writes regularly for several major sporting publications.

This first appeared in the 05/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®