Sam Cheema

TENDER ALERT! @bucshockey have signed Chris Pinko to a tender agreement! ✍️ More: shorturl.at/U0Yf4

SKILL CONCEPT Cut back attack.

2 SKILL CAMPS IN 🇬🇧 MAY 26-28 AUGUST 3-5

I've always been curious: What can an NHL forward do that's hardest to defend for an NHL defenseman? Jordan Harris gave a super insightful answer:

Max Melicherick - 2010 F - Tampere

Kingston McKenzie - 2009 D Vita Hasten

Nolan Foote might make his Florida debut tonight against Vancouver (coached by his Dad, Adam Foote). Foote will wear #25, last worn by Mackie Samoskevich. #TimeToHunt

USMNT legend Tab Ramos has called out coaching in American youth soccer 🗣️ He believes due to various circumstances, coaches are making things too complicated for young players— which ultimately harms them instead of helping them develop. “I was able to coach youth soccer outside of the national teams for a period of about 10 years,” Tab began. “Unfortunately nowadays, the game has gotten so complicated, the pyramid of soccer in this country has gotten so complicated that it's very difficult for coaches.” “By the way, it's a really big effort to get your C license, your B license, and your A license. It's an effort. It takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of money. And so now these coaches are going to go back to a club, you know, after spending all this money on their coaching education, those coaches have to get paid.” “And in order to get paid, you have to sort of not only teach the players, but you have to kind of put on a show of all of the things that you learn.” “So now I get to the complicated area. Because now what if you hired me in California? Here I am. I'm the former U.S. Soccer technical director and under-20 national team coach for four World Cups, and I have my pro license, and you bring me in and I take your players, because you just hired me to coach your team, because I'm this incredibly knowledgeable guy. And I come in and I just do small sided games with your players.” “The parents of the kids on your team are gonna be sitting around and going, ‘Wait, why are we paying for this?’ But this is what happens.” “See, I would have enough confidence to go there and do that. But the problem is that every coach in the country has to respond to a technical director.” “And because of that, they have to put on this very, you know, difficult training session that's in sequence from your activation, to your small five v two, to your small sided possession, to then the body of your work, to then the tactical to then the big game, right? You got to go through the whole thing.” “They have to do that. And the reason they have to do that is because their technical director is under pressure.” “Because for the technical director to have his club in this league, the ECNL, or whatever, you need to have all of these standards.” “And because of those standards, now the technical director is forced to hire someone who can do all these things.” “Well, at the end of the day, there's all these standards and all these things going on. And who's not benefiting is the player, because the player would benefit more from things being simple, right?” “And of course, it's only my opinion, but I think I've gotten enough experience. Forget the playing side. I've gotten enough experience on the coaching side at all levels, from youth national teams to coaching in MLS at Houston Dynamo to say, ‘Okay, let's put the brakes on this. Our training sessions are getting too complicated. How about let's go back to the beginning, right?’” “That's what matters. This is how players learn the most. And of course, every once in a while you have to have your tactical sessions, and your exercises, where you have the certain patterns to goal, and like I get all of that.” “Of course, we all know that stuff. But the simpler we make it, the more we put players in game like situations and one v one, the better.” [via Sports Recruiting USA]

Three guys under 20 - all DIF kids since Jrs. Trusted with OT PP - get the job done in play offs game 1.

@hockeyshooter @HenryStaelens I don’t argue that the elite league shouldn’t do what’s in the best for the league / teams - which is entertainment (win now). It’s not up to the elite league to necessarily work hand in hand on development. We have to do a better job building players to force their hand first.

@SamCheema21 @HenryStaelens Hardly surprising when the top league in the U.K. fills its benches with imports.

Just spoke to the BBC about the demand for ice rinks in the UK - piece out next week. The mainstream media's intrigue in the sport is getting less absurd each time they look at the sport - from the ridiculous FT article about why women follow ice hockey, then to the potential 'spike in interest' from Heated Rivalry, now finally true journalism about something that matters. Waiting lists at nearly all clubs. Many hours of travel just to train. 2million tickets sold annually to league/cup fixtures. Biggest indoor sport in the country (by a long way). The sport has grown quietly, well-past the current infrastructure available. This is not just a supply and demand issue that will 'go away'.

@Scott3025296810 @shep_uk @HenryStaelens You’ll be surprised to hear I have on multiple occasions reached out to volunteer for GB programs - never been responded to. All I want to do is help develop players - no egos or labels. Just help each other.

@SamCheema21 @shep_uk @HenryStaelens Higher quality coaching is the difference. Volunteers do a brilliant job but I’d guess 99% are parents of players. Level 2 uk really isn’t that recognised outwith uk. Quality coaches (like yourself) go were they can make an income as it is a job with accountability.

@BannersOTW @HenryStaelens So the real investigation needs to be - what are Denmark doing from the day kids start to the day the leave (good enough to leave). Not a question about rinks. All about development at early years. Denmark like Sweden has a motto of ‘as many as possible, for as long as possible’

@SamCheema21 @HenryStaelens Not enough. We have two things true at the same time. British hockey needs to better develop players at all levels. Danish hockey's top talent, like ours, generally develop outside of Denmark in a formative stage

@BannersOTW @HenryStaelens But how many kids do we produce good enough to progress to USHL or CHL. Just Liam?

@SamCheema21 @HenryStaelens A note that of the the current Danish NHL players, only Oliver Bjorkstrand went from Danish hockey straight to NA. The others all played elsewhere in Europe first before time in major junior. A big factor for top end Danish kids is their neighbour to the east

@shep_uk @HenryStaelens GBU18 & U20 have been in Div 2A since 2012/13 (couple seasons in 1B) That isn’t about rinks. Denmark has been consistently in D1 / WJC. On the money side of things - in most cases an EIHL Brit earns more than many a Swede / Danish - playing in the Allvenskan or Danish League.

@SamCheema21 @HenryStaelens It's both, cant deny access to a rink means that there isnt the ice time or access without significant travel for most. Players need income to support development though. Ice Hockey loses good players to other sports or jobs before their peak. Imports cheaper and instant fix.

Let’s Talk Development. Would you pay $300 / £300 / 3000sek for 14 minutes?

BUF OZP Working off the puck and exchanging space to create interior passing options and seams BUF is able to draw, manipulate, and collapse defensive coverage through that movement, creating and exploiting advantages when they appear

A couple of nice goals from NSH generated from use of weight shifts and deception, freezing and manipulating the defender’s feet

Love watching the process in Nikita Kucherov’s game and his understanding of spacing — how he creates it, finds it, and maintains it Rather than leaking into the corner and allowing coverage to shrink — or worse, allowing one defender to cover two — he hits the brakes and supports low below the goal line (trap) positioning himself for the release play from behind the net Before the puck even arrives, he scans the interior to identify the next play, receives the puck with time and space, and slips a backhand pass (directly off the wall) between two defenders into the slot for the goal

This is the set faceoff play @mike_p_johnson referenced in the third period. The inside winger skates under the pile and up the wall, similar to a classic over-under play. Typically, the next look would go to the high slot for the opposite winger On this attempt, Toews activates from the weak-side defence position and cuts into the slot. Finland does a good job recognizing it, as this likely would have resulted in a Grade A chance Also... a few additional examples of over-under plays with an active weak-side defenceman for reference (more down weak side flank vs cutting through slot)