PERSPECTIVE: “The Kaizen Mindset”
That phrase sat behind the ice this week at Vancouver Canucks Development Camp. And whether intentional or not, it reflected something that appears to be quietly evolving across hockey. For years, development in the sport often revolved around acceleration. Faster timelines. Earlier contracts. Younger debuts. Players understandably wanted to climb levels as quickly as possible, […]
PERSPECTIVE: What NHL Teams Are Really Testing
The NHL Combine has become one of hockey’s most misunderstood events. Every year, clips and tweets circulate about the strange interview questions prospects are asked behind closed doors. This year was no different. Questions about deserts, sandwiches, golf balls, and garbage cans quickly made their way online. Last week, I was in Buffalo myself meeting […]
PERSPECTIVE: The Standard Around You
There’s a point in almost every player’s path where talent stops being enough. The players who keep moving are usually the ones whose environment starts demanding more from them before the game does. That’s the part people miss about development. It is not just built through coaching. It is built through standards that become normal. […]
PERSPECTIVE: Trump’s NIL Order and the Part Nobody Wants to Say Out Loud
President Trump signed an executive order last Friday aimed at bringing structure back to college athletics. Transfer limits. A five-year eligibility cap. Regulation around NIL collectives. Even the threat of pulling federal funding from schools that don’t comply. It will face legal challenges. It may not survive them. But that’s not the point. Something more […]
PERSPECTIVE: The Player Who Can Problem Solve
There’s a line from Washington Capitals Head Coach Spencer Carbery that stuck: “One of the most valuable things a young player can have is telling them something one time and you never have to tell them again.” Absolutely love this insight from #ALLCAPS coach Spencer Carbery when asked about Cole Hutson … pic.twitter.com/TFBiIn8Gz5 — Mike […]