Respect Your Officials

Respect your officials
By Fred Pletsch
Nov 6, 2001, 20:37

This first appeared in the 12/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®

Terry Gregson. ©BBS

The perfect hockey referee should have the speed of a sprinter, the endurance of a marathon runner, the mind of a professor, and the tact of a diplomat. And it helps if they’re stone deaf and have 20/20 vision, too.

Terry Gregson always gets a laugh from the last part of that description. But the one-time president of the NHL Officials Association is striped-shirt serious when he says he has some real concerns about the state of officiating today at the youth hockey level.

Gregson, 1994’s Number One ranked official according to the NHL rating system, and the man chosen to work Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals that year, watched a lot of youth-level games during last season’s NHL lockout.

“The USA Hockey referee development program and the Canadian Level Six program are producing qualified officials for elite levels, but you’ve got to see people through the formative years to get them to that point,” says Gregson. And I’m not sure that’s being done.”

Five years is the average amount of time a person serves as a hockey official and, according to Gregson, shattered confidence is the main reason they give it up.

No slack for the ref

“If a 14-year-old defenseman makes a bad pass or a bad play in a game, everybody says, ‘That’s okay, he’s just learning.’ But if a 16-year-old referee, who’s basing everything he’s doing on personal judgment, makes a slight error in judgment, everybody is all over him.”

People will always have an emotional interest in the outcome of a game, but Gregson does encourage youth hockey organizations to hold open meetings for parents, coaches and team personnel—mandatory attendance once a season would be his ideal—to give them some insight into what officiating is all about.

Officials are on the ice to keep the playing field level, and apply the rule book in the interests of fairness and justice. Coaches, players and fans, on the other hand, judge the outcome in terms of a win or a loss—and it is the vested interest in victory that colors their emotions toward officials. Gregson says it’s amazing how perspective changes when the “win/lose” factor is removed from the equation.

“I’ve been involved in heated Stanley Cup games and been visited between periods by personnel already eliminated from the playoffs. They’ll say things like, ‘There have been some tough calls to make out there, but you guys are doing a great job.’” Meanwhile, two weeks earlier in a series involving their team, those same people were prepared to nominate Gregson for the title of worst referee in the history of hockey!

Gregson strongly believes that all coaches should be made to work a few games as a referee or linesman.

“It’s easy to criticize when you haven’t walked in their shoes, but maybe (they) should try it and see what it’s like, because I don’t think for a minute we are going to get people to watch hockey from a neutral standpoint. But I think they should watch it from a more respectful position.”

The 42-year-old Gregson feels that young players can be encouraged to serve as officials because it’s going to get them more of that precious ice time. “When you serve as an official,” Gregson notes, “the hockey-playing skill that’s bound to improve is your skating, because you do so much of it.”

Do the hustle

And if youngsters are going to try the zebra’s life, they should remember that effort is critical. “First impressions are important, and I think it’s important for young referees and linesmen to show lots of hustle—because if you look the part, and are a good skater, people will probably accept your judgment and point of view a little better.”

Visual awareness is an acquired talent that Gregson believes can help be developed through officiating, thereby enhancing a player’s skill level. “You can’t have tunnel vision and be a good official. You have to learn to see the whole ice,” says Gregson. “You’re able to watch breakouts develop and forechecking systems. It’s going to give you a better understanding of the game if you pay attention. An experienced official knows how the game is going to develop, and the ‘hot spots’ on the ice to watch for. Officiating can help improve a youngster’s field of vision on the ice.”

It’s imperative that youth hockey organizations start treating their officials as they would another member team. “There should be ice time available for clinics for officials to get out there with their head official and do some practicing,” stresses Gregson. “Teams get time to practice and coaches get time to get together and discuss drills and techniques. But how often do officials get together during the season—in a non-threatening environment—to work on positioning, maybe get a refresher course on new rules, and be critiques by an experienced peer?”

Officials, likewise, should consider themselves another “team” in the community. A sense of teamwork can be instilled through pizza party video analysis or hot-stove nights, hockey social outings, and charity fund-raising projects.

“You might think I’m talking from an idealistic perspective,” says Gregson, “but I strongly feel (officials) should form (their) little association and make it feel like another team in the community.”

The person in charge of assignments in a hockey association must realize the enormous power they wield in shaping the development of impressionable young linespeople and refs. Gregson advises that assignments be done in a very thoughtful manner, and recommends that a young official be teamed with an experienced one at all times.

On an individual basis, Gregson tells officials to just be themselves: quietly confident but never cocky, arrogant or stand-offish.

He says the difference between the best officials and the rest is how one handles confrontations. You’ll get a lot further by communicating, Gregson points out, than by coming on in an aggressive manner.

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

This first appeared in the 12/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Get in Gear and Stay Fit

Get in gear and stay fit
By Wayne Anderson

They’re some of the oldest questions in hockey—especially roller hockey: How do I know if my son/daughter’s skates fit right? Is my stick too long or too short? The answer to these and other fitting equipment questions will be explained below. Just keep on reading, and learn how to size yourself up.

There are some general guidelines to properly fitting your equipment, but personal preference is also a factor once the player wearing the equipment becomes slightly advanced. Some of the basic do’s and don’ts of fitting equipment are listed below.

… Continue Reading

The Pro Schedule

The pro schedule
By Mitch Korn
Dec 27, 2007, 08:32

After spending the past four seasons as the goaltending coach for the Buffalo Sabres organization, I thought I’d share some things that seem to separate the pros from the rest. Here’s what makes them so special.

While being an NHLer appears to be very glamorous (and at times it is), it is an enormous commitment, and a very demanding life. If you are like Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur or Trevor Kidd, among others, you play almost every game—and with just two goalies on most squads, you can’t miss practice.

A demanding schedule

The schedule is unbelievable. The players simply do not stop for eight months. There are no days off, no weekends, and certainly no vacations. The players are either traveling, or on the ice every day. On game days, they skate twice! Those who cannot handle it run out of gas, either physically or mentally.

Heck, the schedule is tough for me—and I do not have to face the rigors of actually playing!

Here’s a typical week:

On Tuesday, players begin arriving at 9 AM for treatment from the trainers (most everyone has some injury that needs attention). From 10:30-Noon there’s practice. At 3 PM, a flight to, say, Hartford (normally a charter). And of course there’s a midnight curfew.

On Wednesday, players begin arriving at the rink at 10 AM to prepare, watch (opposition) Hartford practice and receive treatments. At 11:30, we practice. At 1 PM, the team meal. From 4:30 on, the locker room is open for medical treatment, rubdowns, and equipment (sticks, etc.) preparation.

Puck drop is at 7:30, then a midnight flight back to Buffalo that gets in around 1:15.

Thursday starts with an 11 AM practice. Most players begin arriving at 9:30, however, for medical treatments, physical therapy, etc. Often, players make personal appearances in the early afternoon or evening—from hospitals to card signing, they are very active in the community.

Friday, players begin arriving at the rink early for treatments. Practice runs from 10:30-Noon. At 3 PM, the charter flight departs for Montreal, where the midnight curfew is in effect.

On Saturday, players begin arriving at the Montreal Forum around 10 AM. At 11:30, practice starts. The team meal is at 1:15. At 5 PM, the locker room opens, and at 8 o’clock it’s gametime versus the Canadiens.

Bed down after the game? Not quite.

The midnight flight to Buffalo arrives at 1:30 in the morning, and then the following day a morning media conference is required. Media interviews, often quite a distraction for the players, are also required before games. Is Sunday a day of rest? Well, no. But the 10:30 AM practice is optional. Those needing treatment take it as required. Those who were not in the line-up or who played very little the prior night hit the ice. Options are over at 11:45, when the team meeting is held. At 4 PM the locker room opens in preparation for a 7 o’clock home game against Boston.

Monday and Tuesday, it’s more of the same: 11 AM practice, medical treatments, strength training and rehabilitation that’s done before and after practice. Those who were not in the line-up or who played very little stay on the ice for “extra work,” and do extra off ice—in the weight room, etc.—too.

Wednesday, practice is early, 10 AM. The team meeting is at 11:45, and the game starts at 7:30.

And so it goes.

Between traveling to and from arenas, airports and their homes—along with taking the time to eat very nutritious, excellent meals (fuel in is fuel out!)—along with doing personal appearances, meeting with the media, working out with the strength coach, etc., there is very little time left for much of anything else.

Yet a home life has to fit in somewhere! Most players also have a wife and children.

Other demands

A tolerance for pain is also a player’s prerequisite.

NHL goalies are tough. They have bruises everywhere, even with the best of equipment. They play hurt and with pain. They have to, if they want to keep their job. And yes, it is a job. If you can’t play, someone else will. While they are team oriented, players are always concerned about keeping their job—and about how they might do on their next contract.

Mental toughness is also required. It’s not easy “getting up” for every practice and all 84 games. The best goalies in the NHL do. They are able to keep that demanding schedule and “come to play” almost every night. And when things don’t go right, they are able to bounce back immediately. They have great confidence levels. They believe in themselves and back it up with their performance.

Naturally, a strong work ethic is vital to success.

There is no “floating.” Too many others want your job. While some do float, they often don’t excel over the long run. They come and they go. The best players are on the ice early, and stay on late.

In Buffalo, I can always count on Dominik Hasek to display those work habits. In the past, I have been most impressed with Bill Ranford’s work ethic, seeing him practice as many as four times on off days. Even on game days, he’s the last off the ice!

True big-leaguers take responsibility. It’s easy to blame the defense, or the centerman, etc., when a goal is scored, but the best NHLers take full responsibility for each goal. It’s their job, regardless of any mistakes in front of them, to stop the puck. They have fire—a great desire to make the difference and never be content to give up goals that should go in. They want to be amazing. The best don’t dwell on goals. They don’t let the goals upset them, but rather use them to get fired up and not give up another. They respond to coaching, and never have an excuse.

The amazing thing?

These NHL players may be the best at what they do now—thoroughbreds, with exceptional physical and mental skills and great athleticism. But don’t be scared! They started just like every other youngster, playing house league, travel team, getting up at 5 AM on a Saturday morning.

They started out like you.

The difference? They took advantage of their opportunities, improved their game by mastering all of the above.

Work hard, everyone, and you can too!!

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 12/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Ready… Set… Stop!

Ready… Set… Stop!
By Robby Glantz
Nov 6, 2001, 20:29

Yzerman: A skilled stopper. ©BBS

If you are a frequent reader of this column, you are no doubt aware that I am constantly striving to teach you what it takes to attain more speed while skating. And hopefully, by now, you are beginning to master some of these techniques for speed. With that in mind, the question we’ll address here is: ‘“Now that I’m getting all this speed, how about helping me learn to stop?”

That’s a very logical question, so let’s examine some methods that will improve your ability to perform the so-called “hockey stop.”

Forward Stop

In ice hockey, as you are surely aware, the change of direction using the quick stop—both forward and backward—is a vital fundamental. You must consistently work on and practice this very difficult skill, no matter what your level of play, in order to see marked improvement. And as with any other skating skill—because you are pushing yourself to get better—you are going to need to do your share of falling down while practicing. But do not look on this as a failure. In fact it’s just the opposite; it means that you are getting closer to stopping properly now that you are breaking out of your comfort zone.

Here are some tips to keep in mind while working on your forward stop:

• Bend your knees so deep that it feels like your going to sit your butt back on the ice.

• Keep your eyes forward, your chin up and your back straight.

• Be sure to turn your hips 90° (a 1/4-turn) from the direction you were traveling, with both skates turning at the same time.

• In making the stop, the outside skate should slide along the top of the ice on an inside edge, with the snow coming off the middle-front part of the skate (the ball of your foot).

• The inside skate should trail the outside one and also slides on top of the ice, but on an outside edge. Again, the snow should be coming off the middle-front part of the edge.

• Your feet should be staggered at this point (not heel-to-toe even), with the inside foot in front of the outside foot by almost a full skate length.

• Body weight should be distributed with the greater percentage to the outside skate (inside edge). If not, and you have too much weight over the inside foot (outside edge), then the skates will slide out from under you causing you to fall or lose your balance.

• Be sure to counterbalance the stop with your upper body, by keeping your shoulders parallel to the ice, rather than leaning or dropping the inside shoulder down towards the ice.

Skating Imagery: When performing the hockey stop, it is important that you think of it more as a hockey “slide” first, and a hockey “stop” second. In other words, do not put the cart before the horse. Too many players think they can come to a screeching stop as if, for example, they are changing directions on a basketball court. However, when you watch the most skilled stoppers in the NHL, such as Wayne Gretzky or Steve Yzerman, in slow-motion, you will realize that they actually slide their skates along the top of the ice before they come to a stop.

An “off” side?

Finally, when teaching the art of the hockey stop, inevitably someone asks the question about why one stopping side is stronger than the other. And it should be noted that every pro player I have ever worked with has a weaker side, not only when stopping, but when turning and performing other maneuvers as well.

The only way we have found to make your bad side stronger is to work harder on it, and not to ignore it just because it becomes frustrating. But to take that one step further, really try to focus and concentrate on exactly what it is you do on your good side that allows you to perform the maneuver well. Once you have the steps sorted out in your head, it should then be easier for you to transfer those same techniques to your weaker side.

Robby Glantz, power skating coach for the Los Angeles Kings, Swedish champions Malmö, and the German National Teams, conducts skating programs throughout North America and Europe.

This first appeared in the 12/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

On Defense with Jeff Brown

On Defense with Jeff Brown
By Bob Cunningham
Nov 6, 2001, 20:26

©BBS

With the abundance of offensive talent on the Vancouver Canucks this season, you’d think that Jeff Brown might be tempted to sacrifice his defensive play in an effort to get the puck to Pavel Bure, Alexander Mogilny and Russ Courtnall.

Well, Brown will certainly be attempting to get the puck into the capable sticks of those three offensive juggernauts, but not at the expense of risky ventures that can result in easy goals for the opposition.

“I can’t change my style now,” says Brown. “It’s worked too well for me during my career.”

Blessed with good, but not outstanding, physical skills, the Canucks veteran has made a pretty decent NHL career for himself by utilizing his natural hockey instincts to their best advantage.

Neither big nor exceptionally fast, Brown has established himself as one of the league’s most fundamentally sound defensemen. His savvy for his craft nullifies any raw ability he may lack.

And, really, the guy’s pretty talented anyway—at both ends of the ice.

“My job is to do as good of a job defensively as everyone else and get involved in the offense when the opportunities are there,” he says.

And while offense is second on the list for Brown, it’s a close second.

“I’ve worked hard to be a solid defensive defenseman and I can also chip in with some points,” he notes. “I enjoy being part of the offense. The way I see it is that I’m not really helping my team if I’m not getting points.”

Brown was Vancouver’s top scorer among defensemen in the short 1995 season, notching 31 points (including 23 assists) in 33 games of an injury-abbreviated campaign.

But he doesn’t get into the offensive flow by taking chances. Instead, he creates his opportunities through his knowledge of situations before they completely develop. His on-ice anticipation allows him a much better chance of being in the proper position to capitalize on opportunities. The results are usually favorable, with Brown either snuffing out an opposing scoring chance or creating a turnover that starts the puck moving the other way.

“I think I do well anticipating the plays, and that’s really important,” he says. “I’m not a big bruiser. I’m not going to hammer guys into the boards. For me, it’s more (a matter) of positioning. I’m kind of a read-and-react type of defenseman, you could say.

“If I see a play developing, I try to anticipate what’s next. If that can end up with me intercepting a pass and getting us going the other way, then I’ve done my job.”

Teamwork is critical

Brown admits he relies heavily on his teammates to fulfill their obligations so that he can successfully accomplish his.

“You rely a lot on your partner back there,” Brown says of the other defenseman on the ice. “Confidence in your teammates; knowing your goalie will kick out the shot, and where it will likely end up—that’s all important.”

Brown’s co-existence with teammates also hinders on anticipation.

“Instincts are huge. I’m very lucky to be blessed with hockey sense,” he admits. “Reading your partner. Knowing the time of the game. Knowledge of the clock is also important. Nothing is worse than allowing a goal late in the period and going into intermission with that fresh on your mind.”

Brown notes that stopping the opposing offense is always the priority, “no matter who you are or how many points you score.” But he acknowledges that he’s looking forward to the challenge of helping make sure that Bure, Mogilny and company get an ample number of scoring chances.

“It will be fun getting a rush started with a long lead pass when the opportunity comes,” he says. “And it’ll be my job as well as our other defensemen to do that. When we get possession, those guys are going to want the puck. We have to get it to them.”

In terms of his own style of play, Brown contrasts it to the stay-at-home enforcers who spend most of their time clogging the middle, even when the puck is being contested for in a corner, or otherwise away from the goal.

“Some guys have had pretty good careers chopping and sticking,” says Brown, referring to defensemen that are responsible for maintaining control of the area surrounding the crease. “You learn as a kid to clear your man from the front of the net. But sometimes, it makes no sense to me to take a stupid penalty if the guy (being cleared) isn’t a threat.

“I think when you get in those situations and you turn your back on the play to worry about the man with you, you become a liability.”

Brown not only avoids stupid penalties, he’s also adept at avoiding penalties altogether. In 1995, he spent just 16 minutes in the penalty box.

He is certainly an asset on the Vancouver blueline. He’s not afraid to assert that he’s a good NHL player—but he’s quick to point out why.

“I’ve worked very hard on every aspect of my game throughout my career,” says Brown, who is in his 11th season. “If I do my job, and my teammates do theirs, we’re usually successful.

“And that’s all that matters.”

— Bob Cunningham

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

positioning drills wanted

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Ulf Samuelsson: It’s all about winning

Ulf Samuelsson: It’s all about winning
By Stan Fischler
Nov 6, 2001, 20:24

If a vote were taken today for the title of “Most Hated NHL Player,” Ulf Samuelsson would be one of the top three finalists, if not the actual winner. The 31-year-old Swede has terrorized NHL opponents for a decade by employing an assortment of hooks, elbows, and spears—among other delicacies—to stop his foes. That he has succeeded is evident in many ways. Ulfie also happens to be one of the leagues premiere all-around backliners. And, for another thing, he is one of the NHL’s highest-paid defensemen. Some might say that it is all in the genes. But Ulfie is not so sure.

“It just kind of happened,” Samuelsson says. “You know, when I started, I was nine years old. But maybe I was already a little bit more competitive (than other kids).”

A native of Fagersta, Sweden (Pop. 10,000), he grew up with the equally feisty Tomas Sandstrom.

“Ulf was always a tough player,” says Christer Rockstrom, the New York Rangers Swedish-based scout. “When I saw him as a junior in Fagersta, he played the same style. He was fearless. He was hitting and running people. You could see the instinct. He wasn’t as mean as he was today. He also wasn’t as good. He wasn’t as controlled.”

When Swedish players first came to the NHL, they were considered “soft” by North American standards, but Samuelsson changed that.

“He’s the type of guy you hate to play against but you love to have on your team,” admits Rangers captain Mark Messier. “We’ve crossed paths a few times in my career.

“One thing I think gets overlooked because of Ulf’s reputation is the fact that he has very good skills. He’s a good all around hockey player.”

Ulfie has been around long enough to have heard the charges that he is downright filthy on the ice. He dismisses them with a straight face and counters that hockey is a rough game, and he happens to play it physically.

“I’ve never tried to put a player out for the season,” he says. “But it wouldn’t bother me if I put a player out for a game.”

How much Samuelsson, at his advanced age, will help the Rangers this year is debatable, although there is no doubt in coach Colin Campbell’s mind that he has got a winner.

“I know what I can do best, and I’ll find a way to do that here,” Samuelsson vows. “I like to play against the other team’s best line, and hopefully, I’ll get to earn that spot on this team.”

In an interview at Madison Square Garden, Samuelsson examined his game and the NHL.

What makes Ulf Samuelsson, the player one of your former Penguins teammates described as the best all-around defenseman in hockey, tick?

I love to compete. I think that desire to compete day after day, night after night whether we are in first place or last place says a lot about my game. I may not have as many natural skills as some of the other defensemen in the league, but I try to make up for that with my big desire to win. It drives me.”

How many sticks do you go through in an average game and how many during a season?

Today it was two. Sometimes it’s more, sometimes it’s less. As far as the season goes, gosh, I don’t know, maybe two or three times 84 games. I also give away a lot of sticks to fans and charities.

Taping of one’s stick is essentially a personal science. How do tape your sticks?

I just use a small strip of tape (holds up two fingers about seven inches apart). No big deal. Some guys load their sticks with tape but I don’t.

What do you go through to make your sticks game-ready?

Well, that depends on how they come. Wood sticks are not as consistent as aluminum sticks. With wood ones, you have to sometimes put a lot of work into them. (But) most of the time you have to just tape them up and go.

So do you have a preference, wood or aluminum?

I like wood.

You are one of the most intense players in the game today. How do stay within the fine line of rational play and going completely off the deep end?

Well, you must always try to stay mentally calm. Often it is difficult—especially after getting a stick across the face. But I try to set a game plan for myself and stick to it. I try not to let anyone get me off my game plan. If someone is able to get me off my plan then I wind up hurting my team if I get too excited and lose it.

I just called your style “intense.” Others say you’re downright dirty. How do you address that?

Sometimes I’m dirty. But sometimes this is a dirty game. I try to keep the lumber down because that is usually a penalty and that will hurt the team. There is a fine line you have to stay within.

What do you consider to have been your best season personally? That does not have to necessarily include the Penguins championship seasons.

I had some good seasons in Hartford, but it is impossible to judge one’s career without looking at the overall picture—which must include how the team did. Like I said, I had some good years in Hartford, but the bottom line is we were not a very good team.

In Pittsburgh it was the opposite. We were a great team and the two championships proved it. The old cliché that “if the team does well you will do well” is such a true statement. If you personally get two goals a game for the whole season and your team gives up six a game and you lose each game six to two and finish in last place, is that a good season? Some may say yes and some will say no. I say no. The only thing that drives me is the desire to win each and every game I play. Winning is the only thing I can judge by.

How about those Penguins championships in 1991 and 1992?

Those were the best years of my life so far. Hopefully we can make another couple of runs here (in New York).

How will the newly instituted obstruction rules affect your punishing style of play?

I don’t believe it will have too much effect on my style personally, because that is not really my angle towards the game. I kind of hit and run a little more. But it will affect everyone to some extent in the beginning, until they can get used to it.

What three elements do you feel are essential for a young hockey player to be able to grow and eventually hope to become a top-rated defenseman like yourself?

Well, without a doubt he must have the talent to be able to play at this level. Not many have that God-given talent. He must also possess a tremendous amount of patience to be able to learn. It is not easy to become a good defensemen in this league. He must also have a fire inside of him.

What do you mean by a fire inside him?

A fire to win. A fire to contribute to your team any way you can. Go out and get the job done on the ice, on the bench, in the dressing room, at practice, on the road. It all comes down to winning.

What are your thoughts on the trade that brought you to New York?

Oh I was excited. I knew I was going somewhere, and to be able to come to one of the biggest cities in the world and to a team with such a history dating back to the Original Six is definitely exciting and I am proud to be a part of it.

What did you do with your Penguins Stanley Cup rings?

I still have them. I don’t wear any jewelry. I don’t even wear my wedding band. It has to be a very special occasion for me to put them on. 

You are now living up by suburban Rye, NY. How is life in Rye compared to living in Hartford or Pittsburgh?

I like the Rye area. It is a nice area from what I have seen so far. Living in Hartford was also nice. (But) as far as I’m concerned, Pittsburgh has too many red necks.

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

Jacques Laperriere: Secretary of Defense

Jacques Laperriere: Secretary of defense
By James Baxter
Nov 6, 2001, 20:12

©BBS

David Wilkie, one of the top blueline prospects for the Montreal Canadiens, watched anxiously and looked for hints as the rest of the team’s defense corps went through its paces. Sidelined early in training camp by ligament damage to his right knee, Wilkie was doing his best to learn whatever he could before he was sent back to Montreal’s minor-league affiliate in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Standing in a doorway leading out to the ice at the Montreal Forum, his leg encased in a massive hip-to-ankle knee brace, the 21-year-old listened and learned as Jacques Laperriere, the Hall-Of-Fame defenseman and now-assistant coach, strove to teach the relatively new crop of Canadiens defensemen all he knows.

“He is an unbelievable teacher,” says Wilkie, who bases much of his assessment on the simple fact that Canadiens defensemen can be found all over the NHL. “It may sound like common sense, but Jacques knows how to harness your strengths and teach you how to play in your own end.”

Laperriere’s success and knowledge has its roots in his own stellar playing career. Tall and skinny, Laperriere anchored the Canadiens defense for most of his 12 seasons in the league, during which he won six Stanley Cups. He also won the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie in 1964 and the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 1966. While still a brilliant player, his career was ended at 33 after he suffered a badly broken leg in 1974. But Laperriere never forgot the lessons he learned in the days of the Original Six, and in 1983 he joined the Canadiens coaching staff as an assistant. Since then, there have been five head coaches of the Canadiens, and all have seen fit to keep Laperriere as their unassuming deputy.

Consistency pays off

It must be said, however, that his role as deputy is very much self-styled. Laperriere would certainly have entered the head coaching ranks long ago were it not for his intense dislike of dealing with the media. For while he is delighted to share the wisdom of his experience with his defensive charges, he is loathe to put himself in the public spotlight. And that’s a philosophy one can see in his teaching: if you don’t notice the defensemen at work, they’re probably doing a good, Laperriere-like job.

At any rate, Montreal’s confidence in Laperriere and the consistency he has provided have paid off. Thanks to Laperriere, the team has an unparalleled record in developing young defensemen. Over the past 10 years, the Canadiens have produced more than a dozen top-notch defensemen, many of whom have gone onto be stars on other teams. Some of the notables include Chris Chelios, Craig Ludwig, Tom Kurvers, Sylvain Lefebvre, Petr Svoboda, Mathieu Schneider, Eric Desjardins, Kevin Haller, Mike Lalor, Jyrki Lumme, and Donald Dufresne.

The young Wilkie says he hopes to be in the Canadiens organization for many years to come, but no matter what happens in Montreal, he knows his best chance of having a long career in the NHL is to listen to “Dr. Defense.” Laperriere has made a science out of the art of playing defense, and he spends countless hours per week in the Canadiens video room studying the traits of his own defense, and opposition forwards. His theory: if he can keep one more shot from being fired on the net, that is one less chance for the other team to win the game.

“He makes the game very easy to play,” says Jean-Jacques Daigneault, who has been one of Laperriere’s regulars for the past six years. “It is really a matter of knowing your own limits and playing within them all of the time.”

Daigneault, an offensive star at the Junior hockey level and a first-round draft pick (10th overall) of the Vancouver Canucks in 1984, landed with the Canadiens in 1988 after disappointing stints in Vancouver and Philadelphia. Daigneault’s offensive output was too low for him to be considered an offensive threat, but his defense was inadequate to keep him in the NHL. Physically similar to Daigneault, in that they were both undersized defensemen, Laperriere harnessed Daigneault’s exceptional skating ability and taught him the intricacies of defending his own end of the ice.

Positioning is everything

“The trend in the league is toward big and strong defensemen,” says the 5’10”, 185-pound Daigneault, “but a guy my size can still be effective if I play my position well. Jacques knows how to teach that.”

“Jacques takes the view that defensemen are like quarterbacks in football: sometimes you have to make the pass; if there’s no pass available, then you have to run with it; and if that is not possible, you just have to get rid of the ball and make sure you don’t make a mistake.”

“Lappy doesn’t talk much about what you do once you are across center,” says Daigneault, who denies that Laperriere’s style can stifle offensive-minded defensemen. “The only rule is that good defense should never be sacrificed for the sake of an offensive chance.”

While goaltender Patrick Roy has had much to do with the Canadiens’ success over the past 10 years—during which he has posted an amazing 2.72 goals-against average in 529 games—much of the overall team stinginess relates to Laperriere’s ability to craft three solid defensive pairings for every game—usually with one or more capable defensemen in reserve.

The Canadiens current blueline crop, while relatively new to Montreal, boasts a veteran corps which, after some time under Laperriere’s tutelage, is expected to come together as one of the league’s stronger units. Veterans Vladimir Malakhov and Stephane Quintal, both recently acquired in trades, are quickly learning “Laperriere’s Way,” and are expected to anchor the defense. The rest of the squad consists of Lyle Odelein, Peter Popovic, Patrice Brisebois and Daigneault, along with rookie Marko Kiprusoff—all of whom developed in Laperriere’s classroom. NHL veteran Yves Racine, who has been slower to learn Laperriere’s simplified defense, is also available when called on. For Wilkie, his only hope of cracking the Canadiens lineup this season is to become Laperriere’s best student and render one of his above-mentioned teammates expendable.

That is exactly what has repeated itself a dozen times over the past decade, with Schneider replacing Chelios, Odelein replacing Ludwig, Desjardins replacing Svoboda, and Brisebois replacing Haller. And when they go—wherever they go—the former Canadiens often find themselves earning more game time with their new clubs.

“Lappy had a great affect on me,” admits Haller, who now mans the Flyers blueline after a four-year stint with the Canadiens. “When I came here (to Montreal, via a trade from Buffalo), I really hadn’t learned much about playing defense in the NHL. Lappy taught me a solid, no-nonsense approach to defense and taught me how to play with confidence in my own end.

“He is really helpful during games,” Haller continues. “He studies the other teams so much and will give you pointers on the bench that, because he does it right at that time, make total sense. If he waited to tell you the next day at practice, I don’t know if you would remember the circumstances the same way with the same detail.”

Calm and controlled

For Haller, Laperriere’s strength lies in his professorial approach. “He never yells or gets upset during games. If you make a mistake, he knows it and will talk with you about it when you come off the ice. It’s nice to know that you are not going to come off the ice and be screamed at.”

Desjardins, Haller’s teammate on both Montreal and Philadelphia, is another former Canadiens defenseman who learned the art of defense from the master.

“He took defense very seriously,” says Desjardins, who, like all of the others, admits that being coached by a Canadiens Hall-Of-Famer is an intimidating prospect—at least at first. In 1988, when Desjardins arrived with the Canadiens, speaking only French, he sat under Laperriere’s picture and only a few feet from Larry Robinson, who was still a team leader at the time. “When you see (Laperriere’s) picture (on the wall of the Canadiens dressing room, along with the Canadiens 39 other Hall of Fame players), it immediately gives him respect and credibility. He never asks for it; he has earned it already, both as a great player and a great coach.

“Montreal is a great place to learn to play defense,” Desjardins says. “There is a lot of pressure here not to make big mistakes. The fans know it, and so do the coaches. Jacques did an excellent job of explaining defense to all of us. He would stay after practice and work with me for as long as I wanted. We would work on 1-on-1’s, 2-on-2’s; always studying the right approach to every situation in your zone.”

“You have to learn quickly in Montreal, but the faster you learn the more he will teach you,” says Desjardins, who admits he still hears Laperriere’s lessons in his head as he plays in Philadelphia. While some have said that Desjardins is enjoying a newfound offensive freedom with the Flyers, Desjardins disagrees. “For certain, I have more chances to join the offense, but that is only because we have a better offensive team that makes more chances. (Fundamentally) I still play the same way I was taught to in Montreal.”

With Serge Savard, another Hall-Of-Fame defenseman, in the boss’s chair, the Canadiens will continue to build their future on solid defense. Though the current crop is a little raw for Canadiens fans to be comfortable going into this season, there is a sense that with prospects like Kiprusoff, Wilkie, Brad Brown and Rory Fitzpatrick, the future for the club is bright.

Below the pictures of the Canadiens legends in the Montreal dressing room are written the famous lines from John McCrae’s poem, In Flander’s Field: “To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high.”

In that sense, Laperriere is the keeper of the flame.

This first appeared in the 12/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Stay Sharp: Getting the Most from Your Skates

Stay Sharp: Getting the most from your skates
By Robert Hineline and Andrew A. Turnbull
Dec 27, 2007, 08:05

Illustration #1: Shallow hollow for goaltenders Deeper hollow for defensesmen. Normal hollow for forwards.

With your skates sharpened correctly, you’ll skate better and get more enjoyment from your time on the ice. Whether you’re an NHL professional, an amateur player, or you just enjoy a good workout on your hockey skates during public sessions, knowing what to ask for from your local skate sharpener should help you get the most out of your skates.

There is a great deal of science and technology associated with skating, including skate design and skate sharpening; the field is known as “skateology.” While you don’t need to be a skateologist to get the most out of your skates, it helps to understand some of the terminology, to know how sharpening can affect the performance of your skates, and what questions you should ask.

There are some skate sharpening definitions that you’ll want in your hockey vocabulary. These include the parts of the blade, like the “rocker” and the “hollow,” and terms for blades that are flawed like “out of square” or “high edge.” Since the material used to make your blade influences how long it will keep an edge, you’ll want to know about blade material. You’ll want to know how often to get your skates sharpened, and some hints for problems that may result from incorrectly sharpened blades.

The Rocker

No, not Tommy Lee or Eddie Van Halen. The “rocker” refers to the curved profile of the blade running along its length. Whereas skates of former generations used to be flat, forwards and defensemen of today skate on curved blades, which are said to have a “rocker” (netminder’s blades are flat, and have no rocker). Along the curve of the blade, or rocker—which runs front-to-back—there is a balance point which affects the center of gravity for the skater.

When skates are first purchased, this balance point (or pivot point) is in the center of the rocker. Many skaters will be satisfied with the rocker left alone with the balance point in the center. However, if you are a defensemen, you may want that balance point moved forward along the curve of your blade in order to set your center of gravity back, providing an advantage for backward skating. Meanwhile, the forward may want the balance point moved to the rear of center in order to shift his center of gravity forward, providing an advantage for forward skating.

The skater who thinks that his skates make him feel like he is falling forward or falling backward may have the balance point in the wrong location. His problem might be solved by requesting that his skate sharpener move the balance point of the rocker either forward or back along the curve to correct the center of balance.

The Hollow

The “hollow,” also known as the radius of hollow, refers to the depth of the groove ground into the running surface of a blade during sharpening. If you turn over your skates and look at the groove between the two edges of the skate blade, you’ll see the hollow. The depth of that hollow can influence your skating, and different skaters will select different hollows for their skates. Decisions regarding the hollow will often depend on what position one plays and also on the hardness or softness of the ice surface.

When the hollow is shallow, making the bottom of your blade relatively flat, you are more likely to hydroplane along the ice. Forwards and most recreational skaters who want to get speed out of their skates will demand a relatively shallow hollow. However, when the hollow is deeper, the blade will cut deeper into the ice, providing for more control.

Defensemen, who need to be able to turn quickly and make quick starts and stops, will prefer a deeper hollow. Goaltenders choose much flatter hollows than the skaters in front of them, especially the “sliders” and “butterfly” style goaltenders who tend to stay in the crease. But the skating goaltenders who come out of their crease often use a deeper hollow than their stay-at-home counterparts, for better turning and more bite into the ice.

The hardness of the ice surface you usually skate on may also influence your choice in depth of hollow. If the ice is soft (for instance, it’s slushy and has lots of ruts in it), you may want a shallower hollow to help you hydroplane over the ice. When you skate on harder ice (which doesn’t get very chewed up, even during public sessions) you may choose a deeper hollow to permit more of a bite into that hard ice.

The unit of measurement for the depth of the hollow is based upon the radius of a circle on which the hollow would accurately fit. In illustration No. 1, three different skate blades are shown positioned on top of circles, each with a different radius. The top blade was cut for a goaltender, using a 1” radius, so it has a very shallow hollow and is relatively flat. For the middle blade, the skate sharpener made the radius of hollow 1/2”, which is the hollow of choice for most forwards and recreational skaters. In the bottom example, the defenseman’s blade can fit accurately upon a circle with a 7/16” radius, which means its hollow is deeper.

Have skates, will travel

Players from the Southwest who are taking a trip to play in Canada should keep in mind that the Canadian ice tends to be much harder than Sunbelt ice. Some northbound skaters use a 3/8” radius for a much deeper hollow during the trip. However, upon returning home they go back to the shallower hollow.

Your local skate sharpening expert will likely have a radius of hollow gauge which he can use to set the grinding equipment to your desired hollow. This gauge has numerous cutouts of portions of circles of various radius lengths. At some skate shops, the sharpeners may use other lingo to identify different depths of the hollow. It’s best to spend a few minutes with your sharpening expert to let him know your preferences for the rocker and hollow, and to understand how he identifies the various settings.

Hip to be “square”

A skate that is out of square, or has a high edge, has one edge that is higher than the other. This can lead to a skate turning much more easily in one direction than the other. This is analogous to driving a car that needs a front-end alignment.

The way to determine if your skate has its two edges square to the side of the blade is to turn the skate upside down, hold it up to where you can look across the length of the blade, and place a quarter over the two edges. If the side of the quarter and the side of your blade comprise a “T”, then your skates are correctly in square. But if one side of the quarter sits higher than the other, you have a high edge, and your skates are out of square. See illustration No. 2.

Blades of steel

Modern hockey skate blades are made from either “high-speed steel,” “stainless steel,” or they may be “titanium-coated” (these are the gold colored blades). High-speed steel is less expensive than stainless steel, but unlike stainless, high-speed steel can rust. If you find rust spots on your stainless steel blades, its because you’ve come in contact with someone wearing high speed steel.

Titanium coats may be put over either high-speed steel or stainless steel when the blade is made. A titanium-coated blade does not rust, keeps its edge longer, and does not get dinged as deep when coming in contact with other objects. Titanium-coated blades, naturally, are more expensive than the other types.

If you use the hard plastic walking guards, use them only for protecting and transporting your skates, but not for storage. Since the plastic walking guards get damp, they can rust your blades if left on the skates for long periods. For storage, the best thing to do is take the walking guards off, wipe your blades dry and put them in cloth blade guards.

When should I sharpen my skates?

A rule of thumb for beginners and recreational skaters is to sharpen the skates every 10-to-15 hours on the ice. For example, after skating at fa handful two-hour public sessions, it’s time to get your skates sharpened. This is especially important for beginners because they need consistency in their edges while climbing the learning curve of skating ability. Some hockey players may choose to get their skates sharpened before every game, even though it can be rather expensive.

Out of square (above); correct (below).

Do your skates need to be sharpened? Here’s how to tell: Hold the skate upside down with the toe in one hand and the heel in the other. Holding the skate up to the bright lights inside the rink, pivot the skate toward you the same way you would turn a thermometer toward you when you’re trying to read it. If there are dull spots on the skate, they will show up as little spots and lines of reflected light, and it’s time to sharpen.

The “tilt-and-look” method is superior to, and safer than, the old method of running the back of your fingernail across the blade to see if you leave shavings on the blade. Injuries are reported about once a month by people who use this rather inaccurate method. Neverthe-less, some people use the fingernail method to test consistency of the sharpness of each edge of the skate.

Can skates be too sharp?

Yes. Beginners can run into deep trouble if their skates are too sharp. For most skaters who have skated less than two or three years, some amount of “tuning down” (dulling of the blades) will be required. If the blades are too sharp for the skater, he may find himself stopping too fast—the skates stop, but the body keeps going.

Some skaters will take their freshly-sharpened skates and run them along a piece of wood to tune them down. This is a less accurate method than having your skate sharpening professional use a consistent method of tuning down your skates to your ability and your desire. Goaltenders usually request that their skates be tuned down more than skaters.

Was the sharpening done correctly?

Here’s how to tell: First, take a look at the bottom of the blade and observe the “grain of the sharpening” along the length of the hollow. Do the lines run straight along the length of the blade, or are they crooked and run crossways between the edges? Straight lines indicate that the skate was ground correctly. Crooked lines will lead to friction and slow you down. Another test is to carefully run a pen along the length of the hollow and check to see if the line you have drawn runs straight and smooth.

Incorrect handling during a sharpening may lead to a skate blade getting “burned.” If the blade is discolored after sharpening, the skate may have been overheated from being held to the grinder either too tightly or for too long. This means the “temper” (or hardness of the metal) may be lost, which leads to edges wearing off faster.

Diagnostics

If you find that at certain speeds your skates wobble back and forth and become difficult to control, this probably isn’t due to your skating ability. It’s probably due to one or both of your skates being out of square (having a high edge). Try the method described above for determining if your skates are out of square, then take your skates along with a description of the problem to your skate sharpening professional.

A skater who finds his skates slip too much may need a deeper hollow. As mentioned above, the deeper hollow will permit the skate to bite into the ice better.

If your skates seem “sluggish” after a sharpening, and you’re used to getting more speed, you may be used to a shallower hollow. Going to a shallower hollow will provide you more speed, but—in the trade-off—you may give up some of your cornering abilities. l

Robert Hineline is a veteran skate sharpener. Andrew A. Turnbull is a freelance writer.

This first appeared in the 12/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Living on the Road

Living on the road
By Sam Laskaris
Nov 6, 2001, 20:00

Daniel Cleary, Greg Smyth and Rick Vaive probably don’t have a lot in common. Cleary is a highly-touted teenage hockey prospect, Smyth is a journeyman pro defenseman, while Vaive—a former NHL star—is now in charge of a minor pro franchise in South Carolina.

All three, however, are willing to make plenty of sacrifices to continue their hockey careers. These sacrifices include leaving home and loved ones behind to frequently spend a good chunk of their time on the road.

Cleary, a native of Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, left home at age 14 to further his career. He played one year of Tier II Junior A hockey in Kingston, Ontario, before moving up to the higher-caliber Ontario Hockey League. Cleary, who’s now in his second year with the Belleville Bulls, is projected to be one of the top picks at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.

Cleary, who turns 17 on December 18, felt he didn’t have much of a choice but to leave Newfoundland, Canada’s easternmost province, in order to get noticed.

“You just don’t get much publicity in Newfoundland,” he says. “I always played just for fun, nothing serious. But then I decided there’s really no way I can lose out. I’ll just go somewhere where the competition is better and see what I can do. People were telling me I’ve got a chance to do something, and why not take the chance and see what happens?”

Cleary more than held his own during his first year in the Junior ranks. He collected 46 points, including 18 goals, in 41 contests with the Kingston Voyag-eurs. Those stats aren’t too shabby considering he was playing in a league which had an age limit of 20.

Dirty nose and big bills

“I wasn’t afraid to get my nose dirty,” Cleary says. “But when you sit down and look at it, there were players (in my league) up to six years older. That’s a big difference.”

It was also a huge adjustment for Cleary having to live with billets instead of his parents, older brother and younger sister. His current billet is a single mother who has a 15-year-old son. But it’s not as if he doesn’t keep in touch with his family and friends back home.

“I’ve got a phone bill big enough to knock you down,” notes Cleary, who racked up $750 in calls during a recent two-month stretch.

Even now, his third season away from home, Cleary, a 6’, 200-pound left winger, admits he occasionally still gets homesick. This season’s yearning for home has been further fueled by the fact that he now has a girlfriend back in Newfoundland.

But having a certain amount of freedom while pursuing a hockey dream also has its advantages. “I love it, man,” Cleary says of life away from home. “You need a break once in a while. It makes going home more enjoyable.

”And he probably would have just as much fun if he had the same competition closer to home.“Sometimes I wonder why there can’t be a league like this in Newfoundland,” says Cleary, who had 81 points (26 goals, 55 assists) in 62 games with the Bulls last season. “If most of the other guys on the team want to go home for a little while, they just have a one- or two-hour drive. But for me, it’s a four-hour plane ride. I realize, though, it’s just part of the game. This is just one sacrifice of many I’ll have to make.”

Other Newfoundlanders who left home and made it in pro hockey include John Slaney and Dwayne Norris, both of whom are in the Colorado Avalanche organization. Cleary believes many other players from his home province could be making the jump but simply aren’t.

“There’s a lot of talent going to waste down there,” he says. “Not everybody can do it. But if you go to the right town and play for the right team, you never know how far you can make it.”

Spell “journeyman” S-M-Y-T-H

Smyth, who began this season with the Chicago Wolves of the International Hockey League, is one player who has logged his share of miles—and that’s just moving from team to team. Since turning pro in 1986, Smyth, who is nicknamed “Suitcase,” has had stints in the NHL with Philadelphia, Quebec, Calgary, Florida, Toronto and Chicago. He’s also toiled in the American Hockey League with Hershey and Halifax and in the IHL with Salt Lake City and Indianapolis.

“I’ve been all over North America,” he says. “I’ve been able to travel from the east coast to the west coast and meet a bunch of neat people, and also play with some of the best hockey players in the world.”

His nomadic lifestyle does create obvious problems. “Having to move all my furniture and change my address so much is something that is a pain in the butt,” admits Smyth, who was born in Oakville, Ontario, located 20 miles west of Toronto.

During his pro career, Smyth has never spent a full season with just one team. Though he’s lost official track, he believes he’s spent five full seasons living in a hotel. He’s doing the same thing in the Windy City this year, living in a hotel, which is conveniently located (a two-minute walk) from the Wolves home rink.

“Living in a hotel is not something everybody can do,” Smyth says.

“It’s really hard for some people. But I don’t mind it.”

Though his phone number and zip code have changed as often as some people cut their hair, Smyth, 29, prefers to look on the positive side of things. Being single, he doesn’t have to worry about whether his comings and goings will cause inconveniences for others.

“It would be nice to settle down,” he said. “But it would be hard to settle down when you know your life is so erratic. To move a family is hard. I can tell that just by watching and learning what teammates have done.”

Smyth believes even some teammates who have stayed in the same place for lengthy periods have disrupted family lives because of their hockey careers. “Being on the road a lot can be tough,” he points out. “When you go over to different guys’ houses for dinner, you can see what’s going on.”

Smyth added he has not purposely avoided marriage because he’s a hockey player who always seems to be on the go. “Right now I’m having a lot of fun being single,” said the 6’ 3”, 215-pounder who is hoping to play pro for another six years. “I just haven’t met the girl I want to marry yet. Hopefully, it’s in the plans some day.”

Smyth’s many moves have also enabled him to become a bit of a geography buff. “Any city you stay in, you learn a little something about it,” he notes. “I don’t think it’s ever been glamorous for me. But the travel has been fun. And being a single guy, like I said before, I get to do what I want.”

Even executives travel

Vaive, who was born in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, has also been on the go since he was 17. That’s when he left his family, who by that point were living in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, to go play Junior A hockey in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

After two years at the Junior level, Vaive turned pro with the Birmingham Bulls of the defunct World Hockey Association. He then spent 13 seasons in the NHL, having stints in Vancouver, Toronto, Chicago and Buffalo. After spending the 1992/93 campaign as a player/assistant coach with the Hamilton Canucks of the AHL, Vaive then took over the coaching duties with the South Carolina Stingrays of the East Coast Hockey League.

“I love hockey,” says Vaive, who, now in his third season with the Stingrays, is also the club’s director of hockey operations. “I couldn’t see myself doing anything but being involved with it. I’ve been in hockey my whole adult life.”

Though he’s no longer involved with the NHL, Vaive—who in the ECHL has to face clubs such as the Jacksonville Lizard Kings, Louisville Riverfrogs and Louisiana Icegators—is hoping for a return to the world’s premier league.

“Ultimately the goal is to get to the NHL,” he says of his coaching/managing career. “But much along the lines of players, sometimes you have to start at the bottom and work your way up.”

Before any moves are made though, Vaive said he’d first have to consult some people; Joyce, his wife of 14 years, and their two sons, Jeffrey, 10, and Justin, 6.

“When you’re a player, you don’t have much of a choice,” Vaive notes. “Now (discussing it) is something I’d do before moving to a higher league or a different city. Now my family has to be a huge consideration when there’s a move. It’s something I’d definitely sit down and talk with them about.”

Vaive admits that when he was jetting from city to city in the NHL, and even now that he’s bussing around ECHL centers, he doesn’t really mind life on the road.

“I enjoy the travel,” he says. “But that’s not to say I don’t enjoy being at home. The thing is, you’re never away more than eight or nine days. It’s not as if you go away for 2-to-3 weeks.”

Vaive adds, however, that his constant travels are not conducive to a perfect family life.

“I’m sure (Joyce) didn’t enjoy me being away and (her) being the only one to take care of the kids and a dog,” he admits. “But no matter what line of work you’re in, when it comes to professional sports, there’s going to be travel involved and your life is going to revolve around that. It just becomes second nature no matter what you do. It’s part of my life and I just have to get adjusted to it.”

Now that he’s coaching, Vaive said there’s really not that much spare time he has to kill; he’s usually busily preparing strategies for his next game.

As for his players, they often have some time to burn, especially on the bus trips that can last as long as 16 hours.

“Some guys sleep, watch movies or play cards,” Vaive says. “And for the most part buses are now equipped with gadgets so guys can play things like SEGA golf. It’s almost like taking a bunch of kids out. Though all of us are over 20, we still act like kids at times.”

Cleary, Smyth and Vaive. All kids at heart who have plenty of roads to travel in pursuit of their pro hockey careers.

This first appeared in the 12/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®