Blog

REPOST FROM JUSTIN BOURNE over at TheScore.com

Yesterday I wrote a post titled “From Prospect to Project: The thin line, and why some guys make the show and others don’t.” It looked at the reasons some junior and college hockey studs fall short despite gigantic pre-NHL numbers, and even larger expectations.
One of the things I briefly touched on was the concept of top six/bottom six forwards (top nine/bottom three on some teams), and how some forwards in the ...

I just concluded a 3 country, 3 team hockey tour in Europe during which I worked with Adler-Mannheim in the German DEL, with Cortina SGC in the Lega Italiana Hockey, The differences in the quality of play matched differences in the food and culture of these countries.

The Swiss league with 4 imports is a fast, skill game and was the best quality of hockey. Close behind was the Germany’s DEL, with 10 imports, it’s not surprising that it’s a more ...

The World Junior Hockey Tournament is an annual showcase of the best young hockey talent in the world. As we watch and enjoy their efforts, it’s fascinating to guess which of these young stars will make it in the NHL or premier leagues around the world.

Watching them play, we can see great speed and puck handling skill. What is more difficult to observe is the determination, discipline, and perseverance it takes to be a star.

We’ve had the pleasure to work ...

The recent deaths of three relatively young NHL veterans in the past four months brings to mind the need to encourage people who have emotional problems to come forward and seek help. It’s been said that 8-10 percent of the general public suffer from mood disorders at some time in their lives. The numbers may be less for elite athletes because of all the screens they have to pass through to succeed at the highest levels.
 
The more vulnerable ...

TheCoachesSite.com recently did an interview with us promoting their upcoming Coaches Conference in Vancouver BC. In the interview we talk about the benefits of mental game coaching and the role intimidation plays in the game today. Click play for a quick listen (8:25)

The HockeyTough website contains dozens of interviews with NHL players, coaches, agents, scouts, and professional hockey experts offering their advice on a variety of subjects to help you to improve your game. One example is Bruce Boudreau, the head coach of the Washington Capitals sharing some insight on the commitment one has to make to succeed in the game.

There’s more pressure in the playoffs. And two things that accompany playoff pressure are greater consequence and greater emotion. Some people react to the increased pressure by getting anxious, emotional and upset. Often they don’t channel that emotion in a POSITIVE, constructive way. Instead it is expressed as frustration, anger, and negativity. When something or someone isn’t ‘right’ they become critical of themselves or their team mates. And that’s not a good idea.

There are several reasons why negativity doesn’t ...

Hockey toughness is a commitment to and a focus on being the best player you can be… and not letting anything take you off track. When we asked a coach with the Dallas Stars, what advice he had for a young player who wants to play at the highest level? His said three things.

1. First, a player has to make the decision, ‘this is what I want to do’.
2. Then he (or she) has to work hard on and off the ice ...
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Every athlete experiences periods when they’re struggling and things don’t seem to be going their way. Here’s a couple helpful suggestions to deal with the challenge.

First, have a star that guides you. By that I mean create a long-term goal you are working towards. It may be playing professional, Olympic, college, junior hockey or even making a rep or school team. It’s a direction that can inspire your training. It’s also a perspective. It’s like looking up to the ...

One of the things I am frequently asked by players to help them deal with their anxiety or fear. Fear is the great limiter; especially fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of letting the team or yourself down, and also the fear of injury. Fear causes tension, cuts down breathing, reduces energy flow and ultimately limits performance.

Three ways to deal with the fear of failure are;

First, framing what you want to do  in a POSITIVE way,  (not in terms ...