Dman, thanks for the link. That is the team in many of the video's I have posted. Page said it was ok to take them. I find it easier to remember drills and games when I can watch them.

Ryan Duncan who won the Hobey Baker is playing in Salzburg and is their second top scorer. Him and Mason Raymond are in some to the transition games video's from when they were 12. they are both tiny but Mason grew to 6' and Ryan is 5'6" 142 lbs. but a great player.

I was there by myself all last season and told them I couldn't do it anymore with my family here.

Pierre runs a very good program there.

Dman, what Pierre Page did was after he got fired from the NHL the last time he took a year to travel around the hockey world and watch all of the most successful teams. He then took what he considered the best features and combined them into his own system.

Basic premise is that it takes 4 players to score now. Defenses are too good for just 3 attackers to penetrate. He takes the Dzone coverage that most NHL teams use the nzone attack from European teams and the forecheck is a hybrid of the torpedo and left wing lock.

Always 4 players attack and one supports from the point. The RD is part of the 3 man cycle on the right while the LW stays high but constantly back doors and one the other side all 3 F's cycle and the RD stays back but will back door all the time or be a high mid slot option.

The idea is that if you have 4 in then they have to have 4 covering them or one player is wide open. If the LD is part of the attack then the last one up ice has point responsibility.

it is very exciting hockey to watch and they have one 3 tournaments this season vs the top teams in Europe.

Imports each year are different so it takes about half a season for them to get used to playing this high tempo game.

A team like the Flames with their great D would excel with this style instead of having gifted offensive players playing like defensive defensemen. But most NHL teams are very conservative. Detroit and San Jose activate their D and it really pays off.

When you look at the forecheck practices in the videos watch how 4 are on the attack.

Thanks for the info on the Redbulls Tom. It'll take me a little while to process how all that works, but that's why the videos are so helpful along with the drill diagrams.

I've started using transition games in my practices and I love them. We haven't focused on activating the D yet, but we are moving in that direction. That's what is really nice....once the kids get used to the format it's a simple change here and there to emphasise something different.

Count me in for a donation on your trip....though I wish I was going there myself.

Thanks again,
DMan