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®

Easton Stealth RS Review

Patrick takes his first look at the Easton Stealth RS stick. He’s loving it so far and will have another … Continue Reading

Ron Francis: Unsung MVP

Ron Francis: Unsung MVP
By Stan Fischler
Nov 6, 2001, 19:33

©BBS

If the NHL had an award called “The Unsung Most Valuable Player,” a sure winner would be Pittsburgh’s handsome, unassuming center Ron Francis.

Overshadowed by the incomparable Mario Lemieux, Francis nevertheless has been an integral aspect of the Penguins renaissance.

Who could forget how the native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario stepped into the breach after Lemieux’s hand injury in 1992 to help defeat the favored Rangers in the Patrick Division Finals. Francis not only re-established himself as the league’s premier defensive center, but also contributed mightily offensively. His 65-foot goal against Mike Richter in Game Four turned the tide in that series.

Not surprisingly, Francis starred in the Penguins’ second Stanley Cup Championship, against Chicago. “With all due respect to Mario,” says Blackhawks star Jeremy Roenick, “Ronnie was as valuable to that team as anyone.”

Scott Bowman, who coached Francis for two years, considers Ron the perfect alter ego on a star-studded team.

“Whenever I put Francis in a critical situation,” Bowman recalls, “he delivered.”

At age 31, Francis is at the pinnacle of his 13-year career. Even more astonishing is the fact that the Whalers dealt him in one of the dumbest trades since the invention of artificial ice — Francis, Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings for Zarley Zalapski, John Cullen and Jeff Parker. Ironically, the man who made the deal for Hartford, Eddie Johnston, is now coaching Francis in Pittsburgh, and says, “I couldn’t be happier with him.”

In an interview with Hockey Player, Francis discussed his hockey and his life.

What impact did your father have on your hockey development?

He was very influential. He was the one who went outside and made the rink in the backyard. On cold nights he flooded it and made sure it was ready for us to skate on the next day. He took a lot of interest in us playing and used to sit down with us and explain the game. He was a very big part of my growth.

How has the NHL changed from the time you entered the league and now?

The game has gotten a lot faster. With the new high-tech blades the way they are you can turn sharper then ever before which means the speed is quicker. The guys have gotten a lot bigger. There’s more size and speed then when I broke in. The game is always going to change over time so you just have to adjust. Now it’s better because of the speed. Not to take anything away from the old guys, they played the game very well in their day.

What is the biggest controversial issue or problem facing the NHL right now?

We have to take away some of the clutching and grabbing so we can allow the stars in league to play the game the way they can. You want guys like Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Pavel Bure — all these guys — you want them to be able to perform to the best of their abilities. You don’t want them to be bugged and held or hooked to the point where they get injuries and can’t play.

Where do you stand on fighting?

Fighting is a tough issue. If you wipe out fighting and still keep the stick work and the dirty stuff down, then I think there would be a lot more people for it. Until you figure out a way to do that, you need fighting in the game to make sure the players stay honest.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals that you go through?

There’s a certain routine I like to go through but if that’s broken it doesn’t bother me.

How do you stay in shape during the off-season?

Basically I ride the bike and do weight training. Usually four or five days a week just to keep the legs in shape.

What is the biggest goal that you’ve scored in your career?

There have been a few of them that have been pretty big, that stand out. One that I look at is the Cup-clinching goal against Chicago in 1992. I scored the sixth goal, which was the game winner. It turned out to be a big one. Then there is the long shot against the Rangers which kind of turned that series around and the one in overtime of the same game. Anytime you score a goal though it’s a big goal.

You were in Hartford for a while. You were the most popular player there. How difficult was it for you when you were traded from Hartford to Pittsburgh?

It was difficult in the sense that I played in Hartford for so long and knew so many people there. I was leaving a lot of good friends behind, that part was tough. Hockey-wise it wasn’t tough. Actually it worked out pretty well. Three months later I was skating around with the Stanley Cup. So that wasn’t that tough for me. It was somewhat of an adjustment playing behind Mario, but I wasn’t stupid. I didn’t expect to take his job so that adjustment came very easy.

How does your role in the lineup change when Mario is playing and when he isn’t playing?

The biggest thing is when he’s not in the lineup we have to find a couple of goals some place else. Everybody has to pick it up a little and certainly I feel that I am one of those players. I’m not going to be able to replace him by myself, but I can try to do my best to help change the other players’ and change my game somewhat, maybe take a few more chances on the offensive part of the game.

What advice do you give young kids who want to play hockey?

The best advice I give kids is if you want to play the game, have fun at it. Enjoy it, but make sure you work hard at it also, and don’t take it for granted.

Some parents put a lot of pressure on their kids when they play. Did yours?

My parents were never like that. They brought me to my games, they told me to have fun at it, and that’s all they expected. Certainly some individuals are more high-strung than others but you have to remember it’s only a game, and it’s kids who are playing it. The main idea is to have fun, so let’s not get too carried away with it. Let’s realize what it is.

How hard is it for you to not be able to play? Is it difficult to watch your teammates play without you?

It’s tough. Fortunately I haven’t done it too much. Anyone who has gotten to this level has got that competitiveness in him and they want to play. When you’re not competing, it’s tough to sit back and watch. l

Stan Fischler writes regularly for several major sporting publications.

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®

Coaching Defense, with Tim Army

Coaching defense, with Tim Army
By Bob Cunningham
Nov 6, 2001, 07:34

©BBS

At the NHL level, most players enter the league possessing the basic fundamentals of their respective positions. In the case of defensemen, they’re generally aggressive, conservative by nature, and knowledgeable of what to do with the puck as different situations present themselves.

From a coaching point of view, the difference between a very good defenseman and a mediocre one can be subtle at the game’s top level. But Tim Army, an assistant coach with The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, is practiced at the art of extracting these subtleties and transforming them into satisfactory performances, or sometimes even assets.

“The most basic things that you look for,” says Army, who has spent much of his coaching career on the college recruiting end of things, “are proper positioning in their own zone. Their position in relation to their goalie and the puck. The ability to keep themselves between the two.”

Natural for some

Army says the mental aspect comes naturally for some, while others with similar physical skills must be constantly reminded of their priorities.

“It’s really about making good, quick decisions,” Army said. “You read the situation and maybe you pin your man to the board and stay with him. Young junior players don’t really get into that, but it’s a necessary thing in the NHL. You take the angle away so that you don’t get rolled (and) beaten to the net.”

Another part of the mental aspect has to do with the most common medicine for a specific situation not always being the best choice — especially when it’s not executed to its completion.

“Like taking a player out, that’s not always the best thing to do because he can recover and beat you to the net. Taking him out is usually the right thing to do, but you have to remember he’s still your man.”

Often that aforementioned decision-making is determined by how long the shift has lasted. For instance, asks Army, when is it not a good idea to slap the puck high off the glass and into the neutral zone?

“If you’ve been out there for a while, say 35 or 40 seconds, it’s a lot easier to play offense in those situations than it is defense. Not all players realize this, but sometimes it’s actually better to ice the puck, take a faceoff and get some fresh horses out there. Under those circumstances, players shouldn’t be afraid to take a whistle.

“But if you’re fresh and the same situation arises, playing it off the glass and looking for an opening might be a good move.”

Willingness essential

Army pointed out that another trait he seeks in young defensive talent is a willingness to take extra steps to assure followthrough on fundamentals.

“I look at some young players to see if they have a tendency to try the long, lazy passes that get intercepted and turn into scoring opportunities for the other team,” Army said. “Better off with crisp 10-, 12- or 15-foot passes. Keep it simple. Most coaches want to see good, simple passes. It’s risky, usually an unnecessary risk, to try the long pass and few defenders have the skating ability and puck-handling ability to skate it out of the zone.”

That simple practice, says Army, leads to the next step in turning the momentum of a game in your favor.

“Get the puck to the forwards at the right time. The instinct should be to get it to them right away. Again, utilize a simple pass. It doesn’t have to be overly creative.”

Knowing when to get the puck away to the forwards can be a tricky proposition when a defenseman is stuck in his own corner, outnumbered by attackers. But the key is not to force a bad pass in an effort to hurry it up ice. Urgency tempered by intelligence is difficult to teach but a must for effective defensive play,. especially at the game’s higher levels.

Backing-in

common mistake

The most common mistake a young defender makes, according to Army, is the habit of backing-in as an opposing forward rushes with the puck.

“In that instance, the forward doesn’t have to make a move. He can just shoot,” he says. “That goes to some extent with trust between the forwards and the defensemen. A good defense doesn’t give up in their own zone.”

Army reaffirmed what has been highly publicized of the Mighty Ducks’ first season and their steadfast battle to gain entry into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“Coach Wilson has preached these basic defensive fundamentals all year, non-stop,” Army explains. “Minimize mistakes.”

It’s no coincidence that Anaheim ranks among the league leaders in fewest goals allowed, shot attempts and penalty killing. The team management went after players that would execute this basic preventive measure.

“There’s no reason that we can’t go into every game that we play with a legitimate belief that we can win,” Wilson said before the season. “And that starts with good, fundamental defensive play.

“No doubt about it.”

Bob Cunningham is a Southern California-based freelance writer who contributes to several sports publications throughout the U.S. and Canada.

This first appeared in the 05/1994 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®

Lateral Movement

This week’s video covers some easy to run drills to improve your lateral movement.  Whether it be on the playing a rush as a defensemen, or making a move as a forward, lateral movement is important to develop in all players.

• Good knee bend
• Aggressive stops
• 2 complete pushes (inside and outside edge)
• Keep hips squared up ice
• Keep shoulders squared up ice
• Keep upper body in control

Thanks to Kevin Muller @ M2Hockey & HockeyShare.com for this video.

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®