Author: thehockeysummitblog

Everyone’s A Leader

This time of year a lot of teams are identifying who is going to be their captains, assistants and leadership group. Our team is no exception. I thought I would put together some examples of some of the great leaders of the past and some clips that might help you in the quest. These are great examples to share with all young players that highlight the skills that all coaches are looking for.
These skills come easy to some, not so easy to most, but can be developed by all.
Remember, everyone’s a leader.

The last two are more for the coaches. Sometimes it is up to them to uncover the ‘captain’.

(and of course you always finish with Lombardi!!!!)

You have to love this!!!

One Hour Of Magic
Hockey Practice.
One hour of magic.
A time when real time doesn’t matter. When problems temporarily disappear.
When a new identity becomes reality. Heart rates increase. Lungs expand. Legs burn. Strength appears.
One hour of magic.
Coaches yell. Coaches coach. Coaches teach. Coaches get lost in the moment. Coaches become kids again. 
Players work. Players sweat. Players bond. Players get lost in the moment. Players are allowed to be kids, even when they are no longer kids.
An hour that is the same to a pee wee as it is to an NHL player.
Some psychiatrists charge $250 an hour. Some hours of ice cost $250 an hour…….divided by twenty.
An hour that hurts. An hour that feels great.
One hour of magic.
New things are tried. New skills learned. Old habits removed. New habits instilled.
Confidence nurtured. Laziness deterred.
An hour that moves faster than any hour of math class. When friendships are forged. Leadership abilities appear.
One hour of magic.
Family members for a moment are forgotten. New family members embraced. Illness and sickness are gone. Twenty bodies are exercised in unison. One common thread becomes a rope. A team.
Hockey practice.
One hour of magic.

Kerry Huffman
Khuffman5@gmail.com
‘Member of the NHL Alumni Association’

One Hour Of Magic
Hockey Practice.
One hour of magic.
A time when real time doesn’t matter. When problems temporarily disappear.
When a new identity becomes reality. Heart rates increase. Lungs expand. Legs burn. Strength appears.
One hour of magic.
Coaches yell. Coaches coach. Coaches teach. Coaches get lost in the moment. Coaches become kids again. 
Players work. Players sweat. Players bond. Players get lost in the moment. Players are allowed to be kids, even when they are no longer kids.
An hour that is the same to a pee wee as it is to an NHL player.
Some psychiatrists charge $250 an hour. Some hours of ice cost $250 an hour…….divided by twenty.
An hour that hurts. An hour that feels great.
One hour of magic.
New things are tried. New skills learned. Old habits removed. New habits instilled.
Confidence nurtured. Laziness deterred.
An hour that moves faster than any hour of math class. When friendships are forged. Leadership abilities appear.
One hour of magic.
Family members for a moment are forgotten. New family members embraced. Illness and sickness are gone. 20 bodies are exercised in unison. One common thread becomes a rope. A team.
Hockey practice.

One hour of magic.


Kerry Huffman
‘Member of the NHL Alumni Association”
khuffman5@gmail.com


Kerry’s Bio

Shut Down Dman-Strength on Stick

Guys,
Yesterday at practice we focused on some beginning coverage in the defensive zone. A very positive start but it is an area that we can never be too good at.
One of the basic things I wanted to reiterate to the dmen is how important it is to be strong on your stick and how you have to play the game a certain way today. With the emphasis on speed and skating, the days of grabbing, clutching and playing with a hand off your stick are gone. You will simply take too many penalties playing with a ‘loose’ hand off your stick.

I want you to take a look at a few videos of probably the best dman of all times in terms of dzone coverage.
The amazing thing about Nick Lidstrom is that he wasn’t an overly physical guy and hardly EVER took penalties. Really incredible how good he was. He seemed to always be in control in the Dzone.
He is our example of how we want to play.
When you watch these videos look at the amount of time he plays with two hands on his stick and really only reached out with one when it absolutely called for it. Two hands on stick=control. One hand=out of control.

For the second and third videos it is more important to focus on what the commentators say about Nick.

Great stuff!
Please let me know your thoughts.
Coach Huff

It’s Supposed to be Hard.

Just a quick follow up on the post about training and the off season. Friend of mine reminded me about these clips. Just forget they are about women’s baseball. Think of this when it gets really hard this summer…….Love Jimmy Dugan (coach). He is one of my all-time favorites. The first clip pretty much sums it all up. The second two just make me laugh…..always.

Have a great week everyone!!!