Coach's Corner
Campbellton - (Ed. note: The head coach. general manager of the Restigouche Jr. A Tigers Hockey Club will be doing a few feature articles on hockey as the MJAHL and NHL seasons wind down).
Ottawa, too much confusion in the Ottawa dressing room and there is more than a Ray Emery problem, hola!! Are the senators trying to deflect attention to the real issues or pass the buck on one individual as there are other players who may just have some demons which need to be addressed? Always remember different is not necessarily deficient.
Toronto maple leafs lost out on Burke as he will finish out his contract in Anaheim which is as it should be. Toronto needs a lot more than just a GM and they know this. A complete overhaul is in store there!
Halifax Mooseheads were defeated in a sweep by Gatineau in major junior. While on a recruiting/consulting trip I was flabbergasted with the attitude and lack of intent of Marchand and my first remark was this kid is in for a rude awakening. I do not agree with the manner that it was handled by the Halifax staff as they gave up lots to get him and then dropped the ball when they read their mistake, too late!
They owed him the chance to finish his last game in his junior career with respect. Two wrongs do not make a right, especially in their poor evaluation of the player whom they had watched time after time perform and should have seen his inadequacies. Instead they traded to acquire his rights, I question the why of management. It should have been handled differently.
The Pictou Crushers defeated the Yarmouth in two consecutive games which was a must in order to make the final game versus the Pembroke Lumber Kings. Whom they defeated to win the Fred Page Cup, Hello!! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CRUSHERS!!
Knox and Rinzler led the way along with some solid goaltending. Many are wondering what happened to the Mariners. Instead of giving credit to the Crushers, let's take a moment to analyze certain areas of importance.
The Mariners made a monumental mistake, they rested certain players who were not injured, for in their mind a non-important match. However the Crushers needed to win this game, also for motivational purposes and to prepare the plate for the semi-final match up against these same Mariners as they had previously received a spanking in the first encounter between the two teams. Having had the opportunity to coach in the Midget AAA and major junior levels previously to being recruited to coach in the pro level, my understanding of the difference between the identities was intact and this should be even more so in the Junior "A" level which is a weaker product. We have to change our approach for different levels and there is a distinct hockey maturity, talent and comprehension factor involved between junior major and Junior A players.
In the top professional leagues we can rest certain players when we have assured a position for the playoffs, etc. This is not what we do in the amateur or "most" Junior levels for the following reasons. Due to their difference in regard to the players comprehension concerning roles and the importance of execution and preparation. In short a professional knows that this is his job and that the time off is to benefit him and the team, he/they will continue in their personal discipline.
Attention to detail will be even more intense, distraction is easily handled and avoided and they understand the importance of the moment! A junior A player does not usually have this awareness nor does he grasp the whole picture. It is still supposed to be just fun to them as this is what they have been told and heard whenever something goes wrong for them.
We hear it all the time either from fans, parents or coaches, even some minor hockey intervenants have a problem discerning the difference between elite and participation. To heck with responsibility, accountability, execution, performance and preparation! This is not so in the Pro levels or major junior, as this is your employment of choice and in order to provide the necessities for yourself and/or family you have to heed to the above guidelines or lose your job as other players are waiting in line.
The Yarmouth Mariners lost their games by making a poor choice. They had played maybe 70 games, playoffs included, one more was not going to be a negative at this time of the year, a lesson learned in a painful way!
Pictou took advantage of the moment by rebuilding a confidence and suddenly they were one game from the final. They were given hope, believing that they could win another. Now they could ask themselves, will they (Mariners) be there in the third period? A short bench was in order and bingo they won.
Yarmouth next season will have a long hike to climb back to this competition and possibly make amends. Will they immediately pick themselves up and get back to the planning board, recruit, trade, spend money again? Most definitely if they want a chance to win again. Pictou deserves our respect and congratulations for a mission accomplished! Alexandre Soucy was chosen on the first all start team, congratulations.
New Richmond was refused necessary approval to have a team in their locality for the upcoming season. The MJAHL decided that a Quebec team was not in their intentions. They were also disturbed about the travel and players. A solution could have been found if this was wanted.
New Richmond made an offer to buy the Antigonish Bulldogs and league refusal was not logical in my opinion as this would have provided decent competition and less travel for New Brunswick teams. But the Nova Scotia teams did not want this, maybe it is time to look at a New Brunswick Junior "A" league.
A group supposedly with Jim Bottomly involved have made an offer to buy the Bulldogs they will play in Halifax while the Halifax Wolverines will play in Bridgewater next season.
Windsor, Nova Scotia, my home town, won the junior "B" title.
Enjoy the weather and may God bless you all.
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