Training camps advantage for coaches hired midseason
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Play a game, head for the airport. Take a day off, play another game. Squeeze in a practice when you can.
The pace of a regular NHL season is challenging enough, but coaches who take over in the middle of a season are forced to play catch-up, making changes in meetings while mostly using video to help make their points.
The NHL’s delayed restart has given six coaches hired or promoted during the season a chance at a fresh start with a training camp they never got with their current teams. The time is invaluable since all 24 teams jump right into the playoffs beginning Aug. 1.
John Hynes (Nashville), Geoff Ward (Calgary), Rick Bowness (Dallas), Sheldon Keefe (Toronto), Peter DeBoer (Vegas) and Dean Evason (Minnesota) have the chance to show what they can do with a couple of weeks featuring nothing but practices, meetings and scrimmages.
“The sole focus is on your installation, your execution, your attention to detail, your practice habits, your systematic details without having to have a ton of compete against other teams,” said Hynes, who was fired by New Jersey on Dec. 3 and hired Jan. 7 by the Predators. “So that should help,”
Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm said players have to get used to a different voice, even if there’s not much difference in the systems being used.
“And now we really get a chance to look at the full package of what his philosophy is, how he wants us to play,” Ekholm said. “So I think for us, that’s a really big advantage.”
Calgary forward Sean Monahan agreed, noting the Flames were learning as they went with Ward following Bill Peters’ abrupt resignation amid allegations of mistreating players.
“So to have this training camp and get familiar with some changes, and obviously doing it on the ice, that goes a long way,” Monahan said.
Having previous connections to the franchise helps. At least that’s what Ward, named interim head coach of the Flames on Nov. 29, thinks of himself, Keefe,
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