Oftentimes we hear that an athlete should be “Coachable.” But what does that mean? Execute everything the coach says? Don’t question what you don’t understand? Only learn from your coach? The glaring answer to all these questions is of course no. Being coachable is a mindset, not a type.

As any athlete, hockey players are notorious for pre-game and pre-practice rituals. Stick to your ritual in every sport. That grounds the player’s psyche and settles the nerves.

Coaches are strategists. They collect data, analyze weaknesses and strengths in both tactical and technical skills, and create practice plans and tactical systems based on that.

Hockey is about creating time and space. The more time and space, the more time to make a decision, the better the opportunity. That's a habit we need to break. Stick handling skills should be used more in tight corners and battles.