Serby’S Q&A with... JOHN HYNES & RAY SHERO
The Devils’ new brain trust of coach John Hynes and general manager Ray Shero lined up for some questions from Post columnist Steve Serby before their team opens its season Friday night with a home date against the Jets.
Q: Define the qualities you’re looking for in a John Hynes hockey player. Hynes:
I think without having work ethic, you don’t give yourself a chance to be a good player. Smarts is very important. And instincts — do guys make the right decisions under pressure with the puck? Those are all important aspects of having a player that, as a coach, you feel like you can develop and eventually win with.
Q: Coaches in other sports you admire? Hynes:
I do like [Bill] Belichick and the New England Patriots, not necessarily because they win all the time, but there’s a program in place there. They’re a smart team. I think you can draw a lot from them. Billy Donovan ... a guy who came in and played a fast, attacking style of basketball [at Florida] and is a good motivator and teacher. Pep Guardiola ... innovative coach [for soccer powers Barcelona and Bayern Munich]. It’s the process of how they get their teams to be successful continuously.
Q: Describe your motivational style. Hynes:
It’s not so much about one particular speech, it’s the interactions you have with them every day. It’s how you teach, how you present things, keeping the players engaged and involved. Having them come to the rink every day knowing that there’s going to be a purposeful practice or meeting, where they’re going to be prepared for the game. That’s one way to do it as a coach and as a leader, and then there’s other times where inspiration needs to happen or discipline needs to happen. A lot of it is a feel of your team, but attentiveness also as a coach to understand, giving the team what it needs at the right time.
Q: Executives in other sports you admire? Shero:
Kevin Colbert, the general manager for the Steelers.
Q: The qualities or traits of a John Hynescoached team? Shero:
A team with great habits, and what I mean by that, we don’t defeat ourselves, No. 1. The second thing is a team that competes. You can have talent, and you can play well as a team, but if you don’t compete, you don’t give yourself a chance to win. And the third thing is a smart team, a team that plays real well together: They understand the game plan, they understand the system, they execute it.
Q: Best piece of advice your father (Fred) gave you? Shero:
It was education, which I got, and it was all about passion. He never pushed me one way or the other.
Q: Expectations for your team? Shero:
Expectations for the team outside of probably the locker room and obviously the organization is they’re probably not very high, and our players can read and so forth. They’ve written a story. Before they print it, we have an opportunity over the next eight months to try to write a different one.