Category: General Interest

It’s Hockey Coach Firing and Hiring Season

With four new NHL head coaches being announced recently, and two on Friday the 13th, I guess we can’t call hockey coaches and management superstitious.

Most coach hirings come with the usual quotes from owners and GM’s; “…he is he right fit for our team”, “…he brings discipline”, “…brings intensity”. They are all touted as the best man for the job. Typically, at the pro level at least, the ‘best man’ has about a three year shelf life.

At most levels of the game a hockey coach has a similar job description. Knowledge of tactics and strategies, the ability to develop players, run quality practices, handle the stress of game situations, and the ability to motivate players are common traits that we look for in a coach.

There are a couple of traits that will set a few coaches apart from others-communication skills and integrity.

Communication skills are important at any level of coaching. Most coaches are good talkers. The great ones are also good listeners. Mastering the different forms of verbal and nonverbal communication will be a tremendous asset for anyone.

Integrity speaks to the core of the person. The elite coach will base all his coaching on his integrity. There won’t be any attempts to fool players, staff or media. Players will be the first to see through a coach. Others will soon follow.

Strong organizations make great hires almost all the time. Coaching is rarely easy, but a coach in a quality environment has a far better chance to be successful. During the hiring process, the first place an organization, or the individual doing the hiring, should look is at the structure and culture of their organization. This is a key factor in deciding who should be hired and how successful the new coach will be.

“Coaches are hired to be fired”. Bet you heard that one before. There are all kinds of reasons why coaches eventually hear that the organization is ‘…going in a different direction’. Lack of regular season or playoff success is a common reason. One that grates me is ‘the players didn’t like the coach’. When the inmates are running the asylum, nothing much good gets accomplished. Sometimes, the coach just needs to be replaced. Maybe the reason a coach gets fired is the most common reason for a firing-the boss just doesn’t like you.

The coaching profession is no place for a superstitious person. Neither is it a place for management who don’t start the firing and hiring process with an honest look inward.

Winning the Stanley Cup with Defense, Leadership, Experience–and Europeans

The 2008 Stanley Cup final round was just great hockey to watch. With so many players from so many different countries, it really shows there is a growing world wide love for the game.

Both teams were great defensively. Most involved in the sport are quite well aware that, to win a championship at any level, a team has to be outstanding defensively. Pittsburgh was very good defensively-Detroit was outstanding.

Leadership from captains Crosby and Lidstrom on down through both rosters was evident every game. And in the process, as Eric Duhatschek pointed out in his June 5,2008 Globe and Mail article, Lidstrom became the first European captain of a Stanley Cup winning team.

“It’s something I’m very proud of,” said Lidstrom, after he received the Stanley Cup from commissioner Gary Bettman Wednesday night after the Red Wings closed out the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 3-2 nail-biter, which them the best-of-seven series in six hard-fought games. Playing against a high-octane Penguins’ attack that obliterated three successive Eastern Conference opponents, the Red Wings won their fourth Stanley Cup in 11 years with defence, pure and simple. They surrendered just 10 goals in six games, with Lidstrom leading the way.

“The main thing is, we didn’t get rattled,” said Lidstrom. “Experience has a lot to do with that. That gives the whole team some calmness – that we’re not going to panic.”

In the opening period, the Swedish trio of Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall and Zetterberg killed 93 seconds of a two-man advantage in the first period, an opportunity that could have changed the tone and tenor of the game.

That clean efficient kill demonstrated the Red Wings’ twin trademarks — skill and poise — both of which are embodied in Lidstrom’s play. He doesn’t have Malkin’s “wow” factor; or Sidney Crosby’s, or even Zetterberg’s. He just gets the job done, in the same calm fashion as the rest of his team.

Experience was an advantage Detroit had in the finals and it is what all those super talented young Pittsburgh players gained for the next time.

Can’t wait until next year.