Hi , First I must say I am so glad I stumbled onto this site. Some great stuff here Tom-keep up to good work it is appreciated by many and I will spread the word about this site!
It doesn't surprise me that the Swiss are an improving hockey nation as we Canadians were shown that in the '06 Olympics.
I was in Helsinki in '04 for the Jrs. then mostly to see Crosby as I took in Canada-Swiss and even though Canada won 7-2, I was very impressed with the Swiss team, they scored both goals on odd-man rushes by hitting the trailer who promptly beat Marc-Andre Fluery high glove. They were pretty goals-but what really impressed me was the speed and strength of the Swiss skating. They where as fast-maybe faster than a very good Cdn. team. The Cdn's were generally bigger and stronger and I thought at the time a lock to take the gold. The most impressive player on Canada was Brent Burns-playing fwd. Crosby became the youngest player to score for Canada in that game. It was the 6th or 7th goal of the game he scored.
Interesting note: The gold medal match I watched on Finnish tv YLE- after 2 periods they broke away for the news before coming back to show the 3rd-30mins later. When I was asked the next day how did Canada lose- I replied, "If you had sit in the dressing room for an extended 2nd period intermission you would find it hard to 'reve it up again!" Can you imagine in Canada they stop showing the gold medal game and put the news on. The "Spinner" Spencer dad incident would be repeated all across the country! My finnish friends explained if the people don't get there 9-o'clock news there is the same type of reaction there. Cultural differences.
The same day as the Can-Swiss game the 2nd game was Swe-Rus. The Russian team had Ovie but the more impressive player was his current teammate in Washington-Alex Semin. He was lights out in a rather boring 5-3 Russia win. The most amazing part of that game was the warm-up. Russia had about 30 players dressed for warm-up and then while the Swede's are doing 3 on 2's the Russians where running PP in the o-zone with 20 guys just passing pucks around in the neutral zone! I have never seen a warm-up like it. I was sitting with a friend who had played in Russia and he said is just typical of Russia-he said that at some practices they would have 50+ players on the ice and this was in the old Super League.
I congratulated a Swiss friend of mine after the Swiss upset Russia in the semi's and he mentioned is a high time for Jr-sport in Swiss as they captured the U-17? in soccer recently. They certainly have the resources and work ethic to continue to develop talent and #22 can't think of his name off-hand-he is a player!
Acres,
Quick question for you:
Are you saying the Russian warm-up was good? Or did they have 25 people idle whlie 5 worked on the PP? I'd love to see the pre-game warm up that keeps many people moving and passing like that if you think it was good.
DM
DMan
Acres, first resend the request to be on my facebook. I didn't know who it was.
The European countries do a fanatastic job given they are competing with huge numbers. 600 000 registered players in Canada and 800000 in the USA compared to between 5 and 60 000. Their programs have to be better or they just can't compete.
Czechs and Finns etc. used to be more skilled than the NA players but now the free enterprise system and a recongnition by HC and USA hockey that skill development is important the NA players have comparable skills. In these tournaments they only need one team and there are theories that you need at about 8000 players to be able to have one elite team that can compete with anyone.
I remember going to David Poile the Flames asst . gm in 1980 and telling him that if they did off ice training like the Soviets and Russian they could get an advantage on the league. He looked at me like I had just landed from another galaxie and said. "Tom maybe one day players will train like you say but that is a European thing. " Two years later most teams had fitness programs and now all high level team do.
There isn't a big difference in skill between countries. High numbers = more stars.
Thanks Tom will do-interesting quote from David there- reminds me of a parent who inquired about why his kid should be doing dryland maybe 4 years ago - "how is his skating going to improve by bouncing on rubber (bosu) balls" Like I tell most parents who are critical of off-ice training-"have the kids try it one day-if they don't enjoy it - fine- then they come back the next day with huge smiles-ready for more while improving their balance/stability/strength that transitions to better on-ice abilities. Sidney Crosby started off-ice training at 10 or younger and you can't argue with those results-but here I am preaching to the choir!
D-man- I would not call the Russian warm-up team productive- as they where playing 5 on 4 in the o-zone while the other players played pass/keep away in the neutral zone. I would not recommend this during a game warm-up as to me it looked extremely disorganized for a national team. When I attend a game at any level I always try to be there for the warm-up as is really interesting to see what teams at all levels are doing. I find it interesting that at the pro level almost all teams run almost exactly the same drills throughout the league. Each league (country) though is different in the drill variation they use for these warm-ups though.
I had forgotten that young kids (8,9,10,11) they only get 5 mins or less for on-ice warm-up and often don't even get pucks during this time. I remember when I was that young how difficult if was to go right into a game without having touched a puck on-ice since last practice/game. And then the poor goalie no shots until it matters-mental training/focus at it best! When I have talked to some coaches about this they mentioned -the players warm-up off ice with the wooden stickhandling balls. That is better than nothing but I implore coaches of all ages to get some pucks out there during on-ice warm-up!
I remember my son's minor hockey team did a 5 min. warm up that worked pretty well.
-one minute everyone with a puck doing big moves around the body while goalies do crease skating.
--wings shoot at goal in a semi circle for one min. while C and D partner pass in middle
-swithch and Cand D shoot on other goalie.
-90 sec. alternate sides breakout 3-0 with 1 D and 2 F then come back 2-1 while next 3 dump it in the other side from the middle circle.
-30 sec. all line up and spring across and back and full speed. then get the pucks.
The captain was in charge of running it and it was a routine that worked well for many years.
Thanks Tom & Co.,
I'm always curious what teams do for a warm-up at the higher levels. We have 5-10 minutes depending on location at the high school level and it always feels a bit static to me. It's too late in the year to make any drastic changes, but I'd love to know what other folks use as a warm-up routine and what they feel is most important to achieve.
Thanks again for the pointers.
DM
DMan
Aidan, my 7 year old grandson's team played a 5 min. game after the first period of the Flames-Blue Jackets last night. They won 3-0 and he got 2 g and 2 apple. The neat thing was that they interviewed him right after and showed it in front of 19 000 people on the jumobtrom. In the interview they showed all the goals and had him comment. Something he will never forget.
I filmed it with my phone but it didn't come out too good. Yu aren't allowed cameras in the arena.
We played a game in Viking, Alberta last night. A small town where the 6 NHL Sutter played their minor hockey. I think they helped build the new rink. Nicest small town rink I have been in. Spacious dressing rooms and good seating. You know hockey people helped design it. All their jerseys are hanging in a display case in the foyer.
Neat place. Driving in the fog to Camrose after wasn't fun. Especially since one of my former college players was killed in a car accident last week. She was still going to MRC and was 21. Slid on black ice across the medium into an oncoming bus. There were a lot of very sad people at the service on Friday. The most pleasant girl you could meet.
Tom, Switzerland has made some obvious gains in their hockey program.
Why is this so? I gather there's much Canadian influence that's going into their program much like your influence and input with your Red Bull tour last year?
Thanx as always.