What you can learn from other sports

By Robby Glantz
Oct 23, 2001, 15:00

Robby Glantz

At my schools I often show the kids photos of NHL players executing proper techniques in skating. One of the pictures I inevitably display is of that renowned hockey star, Michael Jordan.

How’s that? Is he playing hockey now, too?

Of course not, but I show the picture of Jordan making a move on a defender in basketball—his knees bent to 90°, his back straight, his head up—to illustrate a point. That is, that the body mechanics needed to generate speed, maneuverability, balance, etc. in hockey can directly correspond with the body mechanics in nearly every other sport. In this column, I will depict for you certain body mechanics used by athletes in sports other than hockey. Hopefully, this will allow you to improve your skating and give you a better understanding of how we use our body in sports, particularly in hockey.

Basketball

As is the case with Michael Jordan, all great basketball players have incredible strength in their legs. They have the ability to play an entire game with tre-mendous flexibility in their knees. Basketball players also have unbelievable balance, especially when they get all their body weight centered over one foot while taking off for a monster dunk.

If you are familiar with my methods, then you are aware that much of what I mentioned above is at the center of how I teach faster skating. For example, since skating strength comes from the legs, the ability to flex the knees past the point where you feel comfortable (“The Comfort Zone”) is the most important and quickest way to improve your overall skating. Also, as in basketball, to attain maximum power and thrust from your pushes, you must develop the ability to center 100% of your body weight over one foot, which, I should add, is a lot harder to do on a skate blade than it is in a tennis shoe.

Skiing

When I be-gan to thoroughly learn the art of ice skating, I noticed that my skiing ability improved dramatically along the way, and not by coincidence. Skiers use their edges exactly the way we do on ice skates. That is, in order to make sharp turns on the hill they roll the edge, either outside or inside, to 45° (halfway), which gives them their grip in the snow. Also, watch the champion skiers, like an Alberto Tomba; they are masters of the “Counterbalance Technique,” the ability to shift your body weight in the opposite direction of your edges, thus countering the balance and allowing for an extreme turn.

So much of what is discussed above, use of both inside and outside edges, rolling the edges at the ankle to get the proper grip and the art of counterbalancing, is parallel to that in skating. The main benefit of watching the top skiers perform will be in helping your turning maneuvers. If you can mimic the skier by learning to shift your body weight to the outside, rather than leaning into a turn and running the risk of having the skates slide out from under you, then soon you will be making much faster and more controlled turns.

Sprinting

Sprinting is, obviously, all about speed. However, the greatest sprinters are the ones that combine their raw speed with hard work and a dedication to rehearsing proper techniques—just as in skating. From a technique standpoint, the sprinter gets a quick start by exploding out of the blocks forward—not upward—on the balls of their feet. After a few quick but efficient strides, they settle into full extension of the legs. Also, notice how the sprinter extends his or her arms fully to the front (in the direction of travel) and not side to side, or against the line of travel.

The explosive start is a vital element in the sport of hockey. You should try to emulate the sprinter coming out of the blocks when practicing your starts. Do this by springing forward on the front part of the skate and making 3-to-4 quick (not short) strides before settling into your longer, gliding motion. The importance of a correct arm swing when skating cannot be minimized either. Make every attempt to have your arms swing to the front, with one hand on the stick, in the direction you are going. If your arms pass the mid-section of your body, that can take your momentum from side to side and throw off your balance, all resulting in a loss of speed.

And by the way, the defender we referred to in the opening paragraph upon whom Jordan is making the move, John Starks of the Knicks, is also executing a perfect Crossover Maneuver—knees bent, inside shoulder parallel to the floor (not leaning in) and inside leg crossing under the body to full extension. So these are principles that work on both offense and defense!

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 03/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

S3 Formula: Part I

To learn more about the S3 Formula, visit this link.

*** Update 03/14/2011 ***

This program has started back up again. Follow the link above to become involved while sign up is still possible.

Playing angles: Part 1

By Mitch Korn
Every coach, parent and goaltender talks about “cutting down the angle,” but I doubt very much that they all understand the intricacies of the process.

While moving forward, moving laterally, or backing up is the physical part of playing angles, the most critical aspect of the process is mental.

The three steps required in cutting down the angle are; 1) coming out; 2) being square to the puck; and 3) getting set. Simple?

Not really. These physical aspects will be discussed in Part 2 of “Playing Angles,” in next month’s issue. But before a goalie can begin to accomplish these three physical challenges, he or she must totally understand a variety of other concepts that have enormous impact on the decision-making process. Here they are:

Front Door vs. Back Door

Photo 1: The front door.

If a goalie comes out when the puck is on the wing, he is always involved in a tradeoff of “front door”, (photo 1) vs. “back door”, (photo 2). The farther a goalie comes out to take away the front door, the more the back door is left vulnerable to a pass play. While the goaltender does not want to be beaten by a shot from the wing (front door), he must also be aware and prepared to react to the back door play. Simply, the goalie must read the situation. If there is no one on the back door, the goalie can come out a bit farther and cover more front door. If the back door is open, and is a threat, the goalie must give up a bit of the front door (not too much) to be ready to get to the back door.

Photo 2: The back door.

In other words, your positioning is based on the location of all players—not just the puck. Therefore, all angle decisions are based on the situation, and how you read it.

Photo 3: A goalie rarely has to leave the posts to fill the net.

Marginal Returns

Sometimes goalies come out too far. The term “marginal returns” means that for each additional foot the goalie comes out, there is less and less benefit. If a goalie comes out too far on a situation, certain things happen—none of them good. He opens too much back door; becomes very vulnerable to a rebound; has a much tougher time adjusting to even a small change in the position of the puck; actually wastes effort by covering area outside the net; and may take their gloves “out of the net” as well.

Photo 4.

The Ice is Divided into Thirds

Picture this, the ice is divided into three lanes: the left lane, the center lane, and the right lane. The outside lanes are the least dangerous, while the middle one is the most dangerous. Strive to eliminate all goals from the outside thirds, or lanes. When the puck is in the outside lane, a goalie does not have to come out as far to fill the same amount of net as he does when the puck is in the middle third of the ice.

In addition, on extreme angles (with the puck positioned down below the dots) a goalie rarely has to leave the posts to fill the net (photo 3). Remember, at bad angles, a goalie should close up, because the only way a puck can score is through the goalie (5-hole, under the arms, etc.).

Photo 5.

Understand a Shooter’s Hands

A good player will try to “open up” net with his hands by changing the location of the puck. A goalie tries to “close net” by playing the angles (photos 4 & 5). It is a continuing on-ice chess match. Remember this, a good player will rarely shoot the puck from where it is presented. The puck is almost always shifted, thus forcing the goalie to adjust. To play proper angles, a goalie must continuously adjust, and never let the 5-hole get too large while adjusting. The 5-hole is a scorer’s favorite place.

Photo 6.

Understand the Aerial Angle

When a goalie comes out, he not only makes the shooting triangle smaller, but also shrinks the aerial angle; the triangle created from the crossbar to the puck and along the ice. The steeper the angle, the tougher it is to score. Too often a big goalie comes out and puts his gloves actually outside the aerial angle (see photo 6). This is why we see so many goalies lower their gloves in tight in an effort to keep the gloves “in the net.”

Finally, remember: just because you are out of the net does not mean a shooter cannot score. A goalie must still react to the puck, and not be a spectator.

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 03/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Roller hockey face-offs

By Wayne Anderson

If goaltending is a coach’s most forgotten aspect of the game when running a practice, face-offs are the second most neglected. Face-offs happen throughout the game, giving coaches a stoppage of play and time to organize a plan of attack. So why do we so often forget about this important item during our practices?

Maybe we just assume because it does happen so often, players already have proper face-off techniques ingrained within them. More often than not, however, especially in roller hockey, that is simply not true.

Face-off Techniques

First the center, or whoever is taking the draw, should move the lower hand down on the shaft of the stick. This provides maximum strength, and lowers his or her center of gravity, offering more stability. Next they must position their feet in the strongest balanced position, which is usually slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. It’s important to use your whole body on a face-off, not just your arms, in order to control as much surface area as possible. Once you step in to take the face-off, you should only concentrate on the puck (or ball) in the official’s hand.

Set your team up before you step in to take the face-off, not while you’re waiting in the circle. After the face-off it is important that you do not let the opposition center jump through (past you), especially on a defensive zone draw where, if he gets by you, he’s alone in front of the net.

Three Ways to Win a Face-off

Basically, there are three ways of winning a draw. First, you can win by being quicker and stronger than your opponent.

Second, you can concentrate on playing the opposition center’s stick and then, if you can take him out of the play, by playing the puck or ball. A common way to employ this strategy is to lift your opponent’s stick and then go after the rubber.

The third option is to tie up the opposition, then use your skate to direct the puck or ball. Each of the above methods should be practiced not only in scrimmages, but also by and against different players in specific face-off drills. All players should practice face-offs because there are times when we prefer to have a left-handed player over a right-handed player taking the draw. And quite often the original face-off person gets tossed off the draw by the official. That’s when it pays to have wingers practiced in the art of taking face-offs—especially if the other side does not.

How Do We Line Up?

Teams should practice specific face-off formations, and attempt to control the puck off the draw. There are countless formations and set plays possible off of face-offs. You can see literally dozens in almost any pro game. This is where we, as coaches, can have some fun. Try different things, because you might be surprised at the outcome, and you’ll never know if something will work in a game unless you try it first in practice.

There are some variables to consider. In the offensive zone, we must be aware of the side of the rink we are on and who is taking the face-off. For example, is the player a right-handed shot on the left-hand side of the rink? Will he be trying to push the puck forward or pull it back? Try to know your opposition’s strengths and weakness. Learn from your past face-off experiences.

In the defensive zone, we don’t want to let the center slip around us and get a good position in front of the net. We also want to be aware of the opposition trying to crash the net. We want to look for opportunities for a quick break out of our defensive end (with an intercepted pass and a maybe a breakaway), especially if we are playing short-handed.

One little trick that may make your opposition to tip their hand as to their strategy is to start to skate into the face-off circle as if you were getting ready, and when your opponent starts to get ready, back out and take a look at the set up. Most teams will not realize what you are doing, and will stay in the same set up. It is not only important that you know what you are doing, but your teammates should be aware of what’s going on around them as well. Keeping your goalkeeper informed during defensive zone face-offs is also very important, because they are the final line of defense.

Practicing

As a team you must practice, practice and practice face-offs. Try different line-ups in both ends of the rink. In the defensive zone, every player must know their responsibilities (goalies included). Remember to always try and draw the puck away from the net—playing to your strengths rather than your weaknesses.

Another important aspect of the face-off is the statistics that result from them. Coaches must keep track of the offensive and defensive zone face-offs won and lost by all of our players. Looking at the stats, you might be surprised who your best face-off man is, but in a clutch situation you’ll be glad to know.

Remember, never go into the face-off circle until you check three things; your team’s set up; your goaltender’s readiness; and your opponent’s position (center and teammates).

One last important factor to be aware of is that you want to have your two best face-off players out on the surface when you are taking the defensive face-off—especially when you are up by a goal late in the game. Once the play develops you can always have that “second” face-off specialist come to the bench, but you’re wise to have a back up out there in a clutch situation.

Practice hard, and have some fun with face-offs.

Wayne Anderson is Managing Director of Huron Hockey’s roller hockey schools based in Matawan NJ.

This first appeared in the 03/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Larry Robinson: The joy of teaching

By Stan Fischler

©BBS

Ranked among the greatest NHL defenseman of all time, Larry Robinson is now attempting to duplicate that achievement in the coaching realm. During the 1993/94 season, Robinson was an effective assistant to New Jersey Devils coach Jacques Lemaire. When the lockout forced suspension of NHL play this fall, Larry moved up to Albany where he has worked with young Devils prospects on their AHL River Rats farm team. And his tenure there has been an unqualified success.

“He teaches me the little things about the game,” says young defenseman Chris McAlpine, “they’re actually big things, but they’re little things. Everything that my game is right now is attributable to him.”

Why do the future Devils respect Robbie? There are many reasons, not the least of which is his championship pedigree.

Robinson was an integral part of the Canadiens glorious run of four consecutive Stanley Cups (1976-79), and, despite his advanced age, he also played a major role in Montreal’s surprise Cup win in 1986. “That last one,” Robinson recalls, “was the most satisfying to me, and the most fun simply because we weren’t supposed to win.

“Having played on six Stanley Cup-winning teams, starting way back in 1973 and coming all the way up to 1986—that’s a span of 13 years—is not bad. I’m proud of that, and of my longevity. The fact that I outlasted almost all the draft picks higher than myself—with the exception of Marcel Dionne—is, in my mind, a great accomplishment.”

Though not the prolific scorer that some of his contemporaries were, Robinson established his ability as a strong, rushing puck carrier. And his ability to lug the rubber and engineer the offense in clutch situations made his offensive contributions most timely. “He took quite a few games and broke them open with an end-to-end rush,” said ex-Bruins defenseman Mike Milbury. In time, Robinson reached NHL maturity and ranked with Denis Potvin, Kevin Lowe, and Rod Langway as one of his decade’s best defenseman.

“Skating always was my most valuable asset,” Robinson explains. “The fact that I’ve been able to combine my size with my skating has made a difference, particularly when you consider that there have been a lot of guys in the NHL who were big but didn’t have the quickness or anticipation that I had. To be over six feet and more than 200 pounds and still be a mobile defenseman are qualities that helped me stay around for a long time.”

In the following interview at Albany’s Knickerbocker Arena, home of the River Rats, Robinson expounded on his new role.

Tell us about some of the Devils prospects at Albany. Start with Brad Bombardir.

Bombardir is right out of college, an excellent skater. They said he had great potential. He’s probably been the most consistent and the best defenseman on this club so far.

What have you tried to do to make him better?

Learning his position. College players have a tendency to clutch and grab a lot. They play a lot of man-to-man. In the game today there’s so many guys picking, there’s so much more movement in the game than there is in college, so you can’t get tied up as a defenseman. You can make contact, but you’ve got to make contact and release, so you can react to different situations.

What about Cale Hulse?

Cale has im-proved a lot over the last year. He is a big strong kid and like most youngsters he has got to learn when to pinch, when to stand up, when to back off, (and) his reactions around the net. Right now the difference between him being here and being in the NHL is foot speed and his reactions around the net.

How do you make him better with foot speed?

You do little drills. We’re trying to get him to work on his foot drills. Hand speed, too; doing things with the puck, without the puck. He has all the tools. It’s just to get him working on them away from the game, so that in the game he doesn’t have to think about it.

What about Chris McAlpine?

Chris is going to be good, too. He’s another throwback from college. Right now he’s pinching when he shouldn’t and hanging on to the puck instead of moving it up quickly. He’s a big, strong kid and he can work on his foot speed as well. A lot of these things that I’m talking about are things that come with experience as well.

Who is your pet project?

I don’t really have a pet project. I try to give everybody equal time. Some need a little more work than others. I’d like to see Cale Hulse and Bombardir get up there. They both deserve it. If half the guys on the club had the heart and determination of Geordie Kinnear they’d be even better hockey players. His problem is he’s not overly big and sometimes he’s over-aggressive. He wants to do such a good job out there sometimes he’s over-aggressive and takes some foolish penalties. He can move the puck well; he’s a good skater.

Why did you want to be here working in the American League?

I thought it was a good opportunity. We weren’t doing anything at home. The easiest thing would’ve been to say to Lou Lamoriello, ‘Hey listen, we’ll go home and call us when the [lockout] is over.’ My first thought when I was coming down here was that we’d come down for two or three weeks, see how it went, see what went on with the [lockout]. But as it carried on, I got along so well with (Albany head coach) Robbie Ftorek and he welcomed us with open arms. Basically, I’m doing the same things down here that I was doing in New Jersey. I want to learn and the only way I’m going to learn is to participate and to be active doing the things I was doing up there. I’ve learned a lot.

What have you learned in Albany?

I’ve run a few practices. I’m finding out what that is like. I’m giving a few talks to the boys, when Robbie is involved in his meetings. In New Jersey, when Jacques Lemaire calls a meeting he does his thing and all of our input as coaches is prior to that. In Albany, I’ve been involved more in talking to the guys, just learning to communicate.

What would you tell the guys on the River Rats?

Different things, it depends on what we’re talking about. Certain guys it’s about positioning or for defense, making sure not to get caught. Little things to do, what to watch for on the ice. I’ll bring those points up. Maybe some of things that we’re doing on the power play that I think we could improve on. Things like that.

Do you expect guys to play as well as you did?

I don’t expect anyone to play like I did. I have a style, same as Cale Hulse has a style and Brad Bombardir, but I don’t expect Brad to go out there and play like Cale, same as I don’t expect Cale Hulse to play like Bobby Orr and so on. At first, and at times I still do, get frustrated inside because I see things happening out there that, deep inside, I just want to go out and show them exactly how I’d like it done. But you have to channel those thoughts of what you’d do it and try to get it across to the kids. That’s where the challenge comes of being a coach. You try to get your point across in such a manner that they’ll understand what you want them to do. Then when they do it, you feel just great. That’s the joy of teaching.

What did you learn from Jacques Le-maire?

I’m always learning from Jacques, the way he handles different situations. He’ll give me little tidbits; what I should say in certain situations and what not to say—how to think. He involves me in a lot of his decisions. I feel very fortunate to work with him. He is one of the great hockey minds in the game today.

What is your target date for becoming an NHL head coach?

I don’t know. I haven’t really set a target. When I feel that I am ready and that I could do a good job. A lot of it is going to have to do with the right situation, as well. I don’t want to step into a can of worms and really put myself into a hole. I don’t want to throw everything I’ve worked for over the years out the window just because I got into a bad situation. It’s not something I’m going to just jump into. I want to think about it and talk to the right people before I make that decision. Most of all, I have to feel comfortable with what I’m stepping into.

How much did your former coach Scotty Bowman communicate?

Scotty was different. Scotty always kept you off balance. He was prepared really well. He had us prepared at the top (of our game) all the time. He knew what buttons to push at the right times. He was a tremendous motivator for that time. A lot of things that he did in that era I don’t think you could do with hockey players today. You can ask a player to do something, but you can’t threaten them like in the old days. (Back then) you would say to the guy ‘you are either playing here or you are going to the minors.’

Was Scotty the best coach you ever played for?

One of the best. Jacques Lemaire was a hell of a coach, although he only coached me for one year. He has a great mind. I also got along really well with Pat Burns. He was a great motivator. He did a lot while I was in Montreal.

What is the difference between coaching these kids in Albany and when you were a player in Montreal?

I find these kids in Albany are just terrific. They all want to work hard. They are all great listeners. If you ask these kids to stay out late or come in early, they are there. I couldn’t ask anything more of the kids. There isn’t too much of a difference when I first started and I was happy to make thousands of dollars, let alone millions. The salaries have gotten a little out of whack. Our sense of what is right and what is wrong, what is a good salary and what’s a bad salary has been blown out of proportion.

What is the difference between working with the Devils and with these kids in Albany?

Not much difference at all. A difference in talent. You have more work to do down here with the little things, and that is why the kids are here. So you work on those things here rather than on the big club. If you ask them to do something they are right there. The Devils organization can be proud of the people it’s got as far as drafting good character. They’ve got character kids in the organization.

This first appeared in the 03/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

The Junior experience: Playing in Canada

By Sam Laskaris

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Everybody has to make them. Some are fairly simple, like what to have for dinner. Others, however, are much more complex.

Each year many American teenagers who play hockey at elite levels have a tough decision to make: should they remain in the States and try to garner a university scholarship, or should they venture north and attempt to crack the roster of a Major Junior club in the Canadian Hockey League? The CHL, an umbrella organization that includes the Western, Ontario and Quebec Major Junior circuits, is often thought of as a natural step for Canadian youngsters pursuing hockey careers. But for Americans, the college-or-Canada decision is often one of the toughest of their lives.

Colleges and universities offer education and hockey side by side, but Canadian Junior teams offer a brand of hockey that many view as closer to the NHL’s, and therefore exactly the kind of education an aspiring pro hockey player needs most.

During the season, Junior teams play a 66-game schedule within their own regional league, with the best squads then going on to compete each May in the three-league Memorial Cup tournament—the annual championship of the CHL. American college teams generally play about half that many games prior to the NCAA National Championship tournament.

Two high-profile youngsters who have taken the Junior route are Jason Bonsignore of Rochester, NY, and Jamie Langenbrunner of Cloquet, MN. Bonsignore skates for the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves, while Langenbrunner works his magic with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes.

His path was clear

Bonsignore, a 6-foot, 215-pound center, is in his third OHL campaign. Though more than 20 US colleges and universities had expressed a potential interest in his services by the time he was in the 10th grade, Bonsignore was already well aware of the path he wanted to take.

“Obviously it was something pushed on me from different people,” says Bonsignore, whose influences included his agent Pat Morris, and Ray Maluta, a former Boston Bruin who was his high school coach. “In my opinion, though, I always wanted to play Major Junior hockey in Canada.”

When he was 16, Bonsignore, whose play has earned him comparisons to Pittsburgh Penguins star Mario Lemieux, packed his bags and did just that. “I wasn’t developing like I wanted to in Rochester,” says Bonsignore, who was selected in the first round, fourth overall, by the Edmonton Oilers in last year’s NHL Entry Draft. “And I wasn’t being pushed to.”

Though he was going up against players as many as four years older than him, Bonsignore, at age 15, was the leading scorer of a high school league in his hometown.

The thought of continuing to play against inferior competition didn’t appeal to the well-spoken and mature Bonsignore, who turns 19 in April. “I couldn’t play college for another two years,” says Bonsignore, who began his OHL career with the Newmarket Royals and was traded to Niagara Falls near the midway point of last season. “Besides, I always thought the (CHL) was the best developmental league.”

Despite the relative proximity of the two countries, Bonsignore believes that not all aspiring American players are aware of the options available in the Great White North.

“A lot of the higher profile kids realize it,” says Bonsignore, who represented the US at the past two world junior hockey championships, held last year in the Czech Republic and this year in Alberta, Canada. “Even in Rochester (about a 90-minute drive to the Canadian border) you’d figure a lot of kids would realize what the OHL is all about it. But they don’t.”

Based on his experiences, Bonsignore said he’d highly recommend the CHL. “If I was going to give advice to younger players, I’d say if you can, play Major Junior hockey. It prepares you really well for the NHL. It’s a similar style to the NHL. Plus you’re wearing half the face mask (as opposed to the full face shield worn in the college ranks). And the rules are more like those in the NHL.”

Even the hard facts of life in Junior hockey are more like those in the bigs. Witness that Bonsignore, traded from Niagra Falls to Sudbury on January 10th, is already playing for his third team in as many years.

Though it was his goal to play in the OHL, Bonsignore admits he had a few fears when he first joined the league. “It enters any American kid’s mind on how they will adjust. There’s a lot of different things you have to get used to. You do get the odd joke about being American, but it’s all in good fun.”

Dallas said “Canada”

As for Langenbrunner, he’s believed to be the first native of Minnesota to play in the OHL. And he admits he probably wouldn’t have done so without the strong urging of the brass of the Dallas Stars, the club which selected him in the second round, 35th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

“If you grow up playing hockey in Minnesota, you just hope you get to go on and play college,” says Langenbrunner, who accumulated 89 points (27 goals, 62 assists) in only 27 games during his junior season at Cloquet High School. “That’s what I thought I’d do.”

Dallas officials, however, had different plans for the high-scoring center whom they hope will be a future Star—pun intended.

“They kind of said to me it would be better for me to go play in Canada,” recalls Langenbrunner, who inked a four-year deal (plus an option year) with Dallas shortly after being drafted. “My parents were supportive of anything I’d do. We talked about it a lot. The final decision, though, was mine.”

Langenbrunner agreed to join the OHL Petes—Peterborough general manager Jeff Twohey is also a scout for Dallas, hence the connection—even though he didn’t know what he was getting himself into.

“I had no clue what was available in Canada,” says the 6-foot, 185-pound center. “I hadn’t heard a thing about Canada. I’d guess there’s a lot of guys now in the States in the same situation. But there’s also more and more guys who know what’s going on up here.”

Langenbrunner, 19, is now glad he made the move. “If I had stayed, I would have had to play another year of high school hockey,” he says. “I didn’t want to do that. And I’m happy now with the way things have turned out. In the OHL, there’s more games than in college. That’s a definite advantage. And the style of play here is different. It’s more of an NHL style. In college it’s more of a skating style.”

It didn’t take Langenbrunner long to adjust to Peterbor-ough. “It’s like home for most of the season,” he says of the city, located about 100 miles northeast of Toronto. “I miss my family and friends a lot. But I’ve got a lot of friends here now.”

Like Bonsignore, Langenbrunner remembers spending many sleepless nights thinking about his decision to play junior hockey in Canada. “There (were) definitely times when I wondered if I did the right thing,” he says. “We didn’t have a good team last year.”

The Petes, one of the most successful and tradition-rich Junior franchises, suffered one of their worst seasons in their history in 1993/94. A year after they captured the OHL championship and advanced to the Memorial Cup final, the Petes posted a dismal 15-41-10 record.

In the over-all standings of the 16-team league, Peterborough finished ahead of only the Newmarket Royals, who registered a 9-47-10 mark. Langenbrunner led his team in scoring, though, collecting 91 points (33 goals, 58 assists) in 62 contests.

CHL an inter-national draw

American teenagers aren’t the only foreigners on Canadian Junior teams. Most of the clubs also have one or two players from overseas. Prior to 1992, squads were allowed to entice as many imports as they wanted. But now, with the CHL Import Draft in place, there are restrictions. One rule is that a club cannot have more than two imports (excluding Americans) on its roster.

In the Import Draft, held during the summer, each CHL club can select only one player. During the 1994 draft, players were chosen from the Czech Republic, Kazakhastan, Russia, Italy, Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Sweden.

Since a lot of these draft picks are based on hunches from contacts overseas, they often don’t pan out. And sometimes players are just unwilling to relocate to North America.

Two players who have made the move, and believe they have bettered themselves by doing so, are Zdenek Nedved and Ivan Salon. Nedved is a third-year right winger with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves while Salon, a left winger, is in his second season with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades.

Nedved, who des-pite popular belief is not related to New York Rangers center Petr Nedved, was born in the former Czechoslovakia. He decided to come to Canada because he felt his chances of being drafted by an NHL club would be enhanced by being in North America.

During his OHL rookie campaign, Nedved was hampered by injuries and played sparingly, appearing in only 18 games. While scoring just 12 points in those few games, scouts with the Toronto Maple Leafs obviously saw some potential. Toronto chose Nedved in the fifth round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft.

By chalking up 100 points (50 goals, 50 assists) last season, Nedved proved the Maple Leafs had made a wise selection. He’s also putting up huge numbers this season, and developing to a degree he didn’t think would be possible back in his homeland.

“In Czechoslo-vakia I just played the technical part of the game,” Nedved says. “Now I’ve learned to play defensively, attack more and play harder.”

As for Salon, he gave up a position with Poprad, a professional squad in the Czech Elite League to play Junior hockey in Canada. Salon joined Poprad at age 16 and played two seasons with the pro club, collecting a paycheck of almost $500 per month.

Salon had also made some appearances with the Czechoslovakian national team. But when his home country officially split into two nations (the Czech Republic and Slovakia), Salon, who is from Slovakia, didn’t see himself having an international future. Though the Czech Republic had a national side, Slovakia didn’t.

Though he wasn’t drafted after his first WHL season, Salon believes his chances of getting picked this year are greater than they would have been if he had stayed home.

“When I was growing up, I thought we had the (world’s) best hockey in Czechoslovakia,” he says. “As you get older, you see things differently. Now generally I think the best hockey is in Canada.”

A sentiment that is obviously shared by the American teenage players—and other players from around the world—who choose to develop their skills in Canada’s Major Junior leagues.

Sam Laskaris is a freelance sportswriter in Toronto.

This first appeared in the 03/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Finding the perfect player

By Bettina Young Prochnow

Their home away from home is an airport. They watch over 300 hockey games on the ice, and scores more on videotape. They take an up-close and personal look at 250 players a year. Are they the world’s best hockey fans? You could say that, since a professional scout lives, breathes, walks and talks hockey.

“For us, hockey is a way of life,” says Chuck Grillo, vice president and director of player personnel for the San Jose Sharks. “It’s an avocation, not just an occupation.”

Chuck has been on the road for the past 15 years, traveling to all the countries of the world where hockey is played. During the off-season, he helps his wife run a hockey training camp.

Scouts not only know the game, they also know the players—both their assets and their liabilities—and how each fits in the organization of the individual clubs they scout for.

“We draft real people, not real players,” says Grillo, “because real people are going to get better.”

Pyramid power

All of this is found in the scout’s Holy Grail, what Grillo calls a “CP”: a Complete Player. To find this kind of player he has devised a template to follow, something he envisions as the “Pyramid of Success.” Imagine a triangle divided into four horizontal layers. Each layer builds upon the one below it and when you stack them one on top of the other, it all adds up to a CP.

At the base of the pyramid is a player’s personal make-up. This includes the kind of person he is, his emotional stability and mental toughness, his physical fitness, and how he gets along with both his peer group and adults. A scout will dig to find this information, by talking to the player’s coaches and trainers, and even his opposition.

The next building blocks on the pyramid consist of “bottom-line” qualities of a player. Grillo looks at how the player protects the net, how he gives up his body, whether he is strictly a perimeter player, and whether he wins or loses battles for the puck—either against the boards or during face-offs.

“You have to come to play, whether it’s a practice or a game,” says Grillo. “And you also have to be a ‘grit’ player, someone who is hard to play against.” Part of being that kind of player is the ability to play above your size, and he cites players like Jeff Odgers and Rick Tocchet as on-ice examples of that quality.

The next to last level consists of the technical and tactical aspects of a player’s game. How is their team play with or without the puck? Are they unselfish?

At the apex of the pyramid is a player’s focus level. A player needs to be able to critique himself and, seeing his flaws, be willing to improve. “This is where we look for players with goals and dreams,” says Grillo, “The ability to overachieve in your asset category will give you the means to succeed.”

Just because a player might need improvement in one or more areas is no reason to pass on him if all the other elements are right.

“After all,” says Grillo, “you draft a player for what you do like about him.”

Testing son, two, three…

Part of the testing process of his “Pyramid of Suc-cess” has come from watching Dean, the youngest of his six children. “He has been the guinea pig as I have gone along,” Grillo says.

Now a 22-year-old player with the IHL Kansas City Blades, a San Jose affiliate, Dean was once cut from his travel team as a bantam. Not happy with the in-house team he was on, and wanting to grow as a hockey player, he looked for another avenue.

“We talked about whether he was willing to pay the price to get better, the degree of his love of the game and if he enjoyed working hard,” recalls pop Grillo.

The upshot was that Dean moved 600 miles away from home to be billeted in Warroad, MN. There he learned to hunt, fish, and play better hockey. He would see his father only in the summer, when he attended the family training camp. But he later went the University of North Dakota on a scholarship, and is now living proof that a hockey player who was never invited to attend a USA Hockey National Camp, or even made the Maroon & Gold (top 40 high school players) in his home state of Minnesota, can wind up on a pro roster.

Dean, needless to say, scores high in the goals and dreams category.

Top 5 List

Here are Chuck Grillo’s 5 keys to success.

1. Keep your aspirations high and dare to dream.

2. Train more and more as you get older, especially after age 13 when physical development starts. Do pliametrics—bounding, wind sprints, and other anaerobic exercises. Follow a safe weight-lifting program.

3. Go to a hockey camp where you can spend more than just a week. “The day is gone when you took the summer off; use it to get bigger, quicker, stronger and to learn the game.”

4. Learn to enjoy hard work. “The harder you work, the better you feel, (and) the more success you’ll have. Basically, you have to out-work everybody else.”

5. Find a template to follow. Set a standard for yourself, and then raise it.

Bettina Young Prochnow is a hockey player with the NCWHL and has two sons in hockey. She is a columnist for a newspaper in Livermore, CA.

This first appeared in the 03/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Tips from Tony Granato

By Bob Cunningham

©BBS

Let’s face it: there are quite a few pretty good hockey players in North America. Literally thousands possess the basic skills to be effective scorers and defenders, and a precious few even have the privilege of being recognizable by single-name monikers.

Mario. Jaromir. Gordie. Gretz.

But for most of us, there’s little hope that we’ll ever become a one-word household name. So, as sub-superstar players, what can we do to increase our value in the big picture?

The answer is that there is no single answer. And that all the answers might be summed up in a single word—versatility.

That characteristic seems to be especially true at forward. Forwards often have several things demanded of them simultaneously. Over a single 10-second stretch, a winger can be called upon to take control of an attack, get off a shot or a pass, switch gears and forecheck, and then play a defensive role in attempting to regain possession of the puck.

A taste of everything

One NHL player who has become adept at that kind of gear-shifting is Tony Granato of the Los Angeles Kings, who will be into his eighth season at the game’s top level when and if the owners’ lockout ends.

The best way to summarize the 5’ 10”, 185-pounder’s career is to note that he’s had a little taste of just about everything. But what sets him apart from most is his ability to play whenever and wherever he’s required.

“That’s the definition of being a team player. No one’s a hero for it,” he says.

Granato has played almost equal stints as both left wing and right wing for the Kings, and also earlier in his career for the New York Rangers. He’s even dabbled at center.

For the layman, it may sound fairly routine to bounce back and forth between opposite sides of the lineup, but the truth is that hockey is a very one-sided sport.

“I’m not going to say it’s something you can’t do, but it’s more difficult than most people think,” Granato said following a workout at The Iceoplex, in North Hills, CA. “You get used to playing on certain sides with certain guys, and they get used to you being in one spot, and it takes some adjustment (to switch).”

In reality, very few NHLers are asked to bounce back and forth on the wings. Coaches realize the sacrifice required, and usually resort to such maneuvers only when teammates are lost to injury or, occasionally, when a high-profile player is obtained.

“Not every player, even at this level, is capable of playing effectively on both sides, but Tony has proven himself able to do so,” says Kings head coach Barry Melrose.

Granato’s secrets to success are more mental than anything else, and he actually builds flexibility into his attitude.

“I try not to get too comfortable doing any one thing, because then it makes it harder to adjust when you need to,” he says. “In practice, I work out whenever possible on both sides, and with as many of my teammates as possible.”

Learn to get “off”

Although the course of a hockey game requires players to cover the entire ice countless times, Granato recommends becoming as proficient as possible with your “off” hand, regardless of your position.

“It can really help you in a lot of situations if you can get comfortable going either way (right- or left-handed),” says the 30-year-old Illinois native.

Granato maintains that it is not just he who needs to be able to demonstrate flexibility. Teammates accustomed to seeing a certain teammate on the left must make the mental adjustment when that player comes down the ice on the right instead.

“You have to be aware every time out there, or it results in turnovers and missed chances,” Granato says. “When you play with certain guys long enough, it works pretty well.”

Granato has been one of those fortunate ones to spend some time on Wayne Gretzky’s line during his five-plus seasons in L.A., but the player he has skated with most often in his career is no longer a teammate.

Tomas Sandstrom played with Granato in both New York and Los Angeles, before being dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins last season.

“That kind of thing is never easy, but it’s part of the business. You can’t afford to get too caught up in it,” says former-linemate Granato.

Which brings up another aspect of versatility; not just varying sides, but varying teammates as well. And even teams.

“That just means you have to keep things basic and fundamental,” Granato says. “Hockey is still hockey, regardless of where you’re playing or who you’re playing with. It’s better to be in a familiar situation, and I’ve been lucky to find that here in L.A., but it’s not required.”

It doesn’t seem to be for Granato, anyway.

This first appeared in the 02/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

The 1995 “lockout sessions”

By Robby Glantz

Rick Tocchet as a King. ©BBS

The owners’ lockout in the NHL this season has, of course, been unfortunate for all fans of the sport. During this down period most of the players have been attempting to stay in shape or improve aspects of their game on their own. As the Power Skating Coach for the Los Angeles Kings, I have been working with numerous players on the team on both Overspeed and Technique training nearly every day since the lockout began. It is a great credit to these players, many of them NHL stars, that they have worked so hard with me to improve a part of their game that the average fan might think is already second nature to them.

I want to share with you some of the techniques and drills that we have been using with players such as Tony Granato, Rick Tocchet, John Druce, Michel Petit, Charlie Huddy and others during this difficult lockout period.

Speed training

Naturally, all of the players with whom I have worked want to stay in game shape, first and foremost. And playing pickup hockey, while fun, will simply not get the job done. The first half of our hour-long training sessions have been spent on speed training, with drills used to simulate game conditions. We concentrate on short explosive exercises (13-to-17 seconds each) with much emphasis placed on coming out of the turns at top speeds—even if that means falling down. I then give the players a recovery period of about 35-50 seconds before they repeat the same drill at top speed.

I have players repeat the same exercise with the exact recovery time two more times, but going the other direction. Note that as you become more advanced and begin to recover your wind sooner, you should then add puck carrying to make the drills more challenging.

Always attempt to make your drills as innovative as possible. As a rule of thumb, I like to put at least two turns or stops into every exercise. Also, I prefer to have the players skating their long sprints close to the boards because it gives them an idea just how low they are skating. If their head, for example, is way above the top of the boards then they know they need to bend their knees more. This is perhaps the most vital element of speed training, that you bend your knees much deeper than what is normal to you, which is referred to as coming out of your “comfort zone.”

Strength and technique training

The second half of the session is spent on resistance drills and training devices in order to really build the muscles in the lower half of the body, and also so that the players have to slow down and think more about their skating techniques. Tocchet thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the training because it helped him to feel specifically where he needed to improve his own skating. He called it “muscle memory,” which is an excellent way of putting it and one of the main reasons I use training devices in my schools. It helps strengthen the muscles, and helps our students remember and feel both the positives and negatives in their skating.

Tools of the trade

One of the training devices I use is made by Greater Performance Inc., and is simply a stomach pad that goes around the top of your pants with two leashes hooked to your hips so that a player behind you drags, giving you resistance while you skate. I then use the same technique drills while using the stomach pad that I use when the player is not getting any resistance at all. That is one of the aspects that makes this simple device, which I use at all of my schools, very effective; you can skate as you would in a games (even with the puck) while still getting the technique training that is so vital. They are also a lot of fun!

Another of the training aides I use is the Leg Harness made by Improve Human Performance. It is especially effective on pro, adult and elite players (over the age of 14). Quite simply, the Leg Harness, which is designed for on-ice, in-line and slide board training, is a series of bungee cords running down the inside and outside of your legs, which force you to bend your knees to the optimal position while strengthening the groups of muscles needed for skating efficiency. This device has been quite popular with Huddy, Petit, Druce, Troy Crowder and others, as it not only gives them an unbelievable workout (perhaps the equivalent of an hour workout in just twenty minutes time), it also accentuates the mistakes made in skating, thus improving on their technique.

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 02/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Stopping the breakaway

By Mitch Korn

Learn to discern a real move from a fake.

Every goaltender and goaltending coach has his or her own theory on how to play the breakaway. Regardless of the approach, the bottom line is to stop the puck.

Certainly, every goalie will play off his strengths. A goaltender who is good on dekes will come out of his net a little farther and force the player to make a move. Conversely, a goaltender weaker on dekes will stay back a bit and take his chances with a shot. Certain goaltenders’ strengths might include the use of poke checks, or stacking the pads. It’s important to know your strengths—and use them—but also to work hard on your weaknesses so they don’t bring you down.

Most coaches use the famous old cliché, “Don’t make the first move!” In truth, it’s not that the goaltender actually makes the first move, it’s just that he buys the shooter’s first fake, and reacts. He simply doesn’t show enough patience. Practice, and “goaltending sense” developed from experience, will eventually help goalies discern the real move from a fake.

Three steps in net

In general, a goalie confronting the breakaway follows a three-step approach.

Come out extra far. As soon as the goaltender recognizes a breakaway, he should come out well above the top of the goal crease and get set. This leaves little angle for a shot, and will force a player to deke.

Back up. When the player reaches the top of the circles, the goaltender begins his backward motion. The gap between the goalie and shooter should close slowly.

Make a save selection. Whether it’s a stack of the pads, a half butterfly, or just getting hit in the chest, a decision based on the situation and visual cues must be made.

Visual Clues & Helpful Hints

Here are some things to consider in making your choices against a breakaway skater:

Where is the puck being carried by the shooter? If it’s in front, a deke is likely. If it’s on the side, there is a good chance the player will shoot.

Remember that an “off-side wing” (a right-hander down the left wing, or visa versa) has more angle to shoot than an “on side” wing.

Normally on a deke, the final move will occur after the shooter’s skates cross the hash marks in the slot. Anything earlier is likely to be a fake.

A way to tell when the shooter is ready to “make a move” is if he plants his feet, stops skating and begins to glide. The wider his feet get, the less options and lateral mobility he has.

On a deke, players go to their backhand most often.

Players will try all kinds of hand, puck, head and shoulder fakes to get the goaltender to move or commit. While the goaltender must follow the puck, the direction of the player’s chest or midsection can often show to which side he’s going. Isn’t that what defensemen are taught, too?

What Not to Do

Don’t back in too slow, or the player will go around you. But don’t back in too fast, either, because then the net opens up for a shot. Coaches often tell goalies to back up “at the same speed” as the shooter—but that’s not really possible. If one tried, by the time the shooter reached the hash marks, the goalie would be in the third row of seats! In truth, the “gap” between the shooter and the stopper should be closed slowly.

Don’t get any deeper than the top of the semi-circular goal crease, and don’t stop your backward motion or plant your feet. Playing a breakaway is a “flow.”

Don’t lunge forward at the player, because often he can then easily go around you. And don’t overuse the poke check, especially when the player is coming down the middle. It rarely works at the higher levels of competition.

Don’t try and use skate saves on dekes. They open up too many holes elsewhere. And don’t stack your pads parallel to the top of the rectangular crease when a player is coming down the middle, because a big hole opens up between your hip and elbow. If he goes to the side, he has a lot of space to score.

If a player dekes to your left, don’t plant your right leg while you extend your left. That opens the goaltender up, creating a truck-sized hole between his legs.

Finally, Don’t let a player score a goal from inside the goal crease—that’s your territory. But if you end up there, you’ve probably retreated too far.

Things to try

Practice your backward motion timing so the save selection can occur when you are at the top of the semi-circular goal crease. The backward motion provides momentum to move to the left or right with a deke.

Use your stick as an asset, but be prepared in case you miss the poke check.

Show patience by not reacting to the player’s first move; try and wait him out. Stay on your feet as long as you can, and do your best to stay with the shooter.

Use pad saves as often as possible on dekes. They cover more net, more quickly. When stacking the pads or using the butterfly on a deke, the goaltender’s motion should be at a diagonal from the top of the semi-circular crease toward the outside of the goal post. This eliminates any chance of the player going around the goaltender and getting a “lay-up goal.” I call it the “Y theory”: out, back, and toward the goalposts.

When stacking the pads, delay the stick movement by keeping it in front of you until the hole between the hip and elbow is closed.

Recognize that most goals go in low or through the 5-hole, so make sure you close those holes. This tilts the odds in your favor, because it’s hard for a player to “roof the puck” while moving at full speed on a deke.

If you keep these things in mind, you’ll always give yourself a chance to make the save!

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 02/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®