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Ted Nolan is pinching himself right now and likely has been since November. The former NHL Coach of The Year had to travel the highways, bi-ways, and back roads to find his way back to the NHL.
In 2011, Latvia needed a head coach to teach its national team players how to succeed at the international brand of hockey. Nolan blindly accepted the invitation not knowing that the Latvian rinks would lead him back to his beloved hockey home in Buffalo, NY.
Nolan told the IIHF on Tuesday that he owes a debt of gratitude to Latvia. When no other organizations were willing to take a chance on Nolan, Latvia did. Boy, did they ever!
"I'm a great believer that things happen for a reason in your life," Nolan said. "I wasn't coaching at the time and I'd almost given up on the idea that I'd coach again then I got a call out of the blue about going to Latvia.
"I didn't know where Latvia was, I didn't know anything about the place, but I came over and fell in love with the place right away. It was a nice fit and I fell back in love with coaching again.
"I got into coaching for a reason. I wanted to help players get better. In Latvia I got my love for coaching back.
"Everybody wants to feel wanted and you can feel the passion Latvia has for its hockey team. You walk down the street and there are these lovely warm people. It gives you a sense of worth, makes you proud to be with the team."
Were it not for his involvement in the Latvian national hockey program, Pat Lafontaine and the Buffalo Sabres may not have called him to be their replacement head coach after Ron Rolston and Darcy Regier were fired in November 2013.
Nolan's fortunes changed dramatically when he formed his intimate relationship with the Latvian Ice Hockey Federation. Who says you can't go home?
"If you'd asked me 10 years ago I wasn't even close to imagining that I'd coach in Latvia, but on the flip side I never thought I'd be coaching at the Olympic Games," he smiled.
"Good things happen when you least expect it and I'm thrilled to be here with all these top athletes.
"It's why I got into hockey in the first place."
Buffalo Sabres fans from all over the world will be cheering for Zemgus Girgensons, Ted Nolan and their new favorite team Latvia at Sochi.
Great story of redemption and perseverance.
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Last February, I recall having a nice long chat with Zemgus Girgensons in the First Niagara Center press box. He was on injured reserve and healing after he suffered a concussion. He told me that night that he would bust his tail and get himself back into the best physical and mental condition of his career to achieve his ultimate goal: to earn a roster spot on the Sabres' 2013-14 after training camp concluded.
The 20 year old Latvian Locomotive has not disappointed. In fact, he's blown away all expectation this season in Buffalo. He and Ryan Miller have been the two constant bright lights for Buffalo this season.
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It's a pretty good feeling to be in the NHL and coming to the Olympics," he said. "But I have way more to improve in my game. This is just the start for me and there's more work to do. I can still achieve much more."
Zemgus is not lacking in confidence in his own abilities. He's a warrior soul who takes great pride in working harder than his teammates and his NHL peers.
"If you don't believe it, you'll never achieve it. I've always wanted to play in the NHL and worked hard to get there."
Many young stars point to an established pro as an inspiration in their childhood, but once again Girgensons differs from the common herd.
"I never really looked up to any particular player," he admitted. "I'm just working for myself and my family, my loved ones, trying to do my best."
Girgensons is all business and he's the face of the 2014 Olympic squad. He's not worried about how the super powers in the tourney play. He's only interested in his play and that of his teammates.
"I don't really know how the Swiss will play," he said. "I never really look at what other teams do, I just do what I have to do.
"I don't really feel pressure. It's my job, and as long as I can bring what I've brought to Buffalo (Sabres), it's going to work. It is a bigger ice sheet, I just have to adjust to that and do what I have to do".
All hail, King Zemgus.
Thanks, IIHF
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Patrick Kane has arrived at this station in his pro hockey life where he is one of the best hockey players in the world. Not in the NHL, but in the entire world. Its amazing to chart th eprogress that the Buffalo native has made since he was selected first overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft out of the OHL London Knights.
Kane is no longer viewed as the Harry Potter like wiz kid with fast hands and faster feet. He's earned the respect of pro coaches, managers, scouts, and talent evaluators as being one of the "one percenters" in the entire hockey world.
Kane traveled to Sochi in search of some solace and some redemption. His beloved grandfather passed away in Buffalo last week. Kane missed the Hawks' final game before the Olympic break vs. Phoenix so that he could attend the funeral in Buffalo last weekend.
He is older now. Wiser. On Tuesday, he reflected on the bitterness of losing the gold medal game to Canada at the Vancouver Olympic games.
Kane told NBC Sports on Tuesday that he arrived in Sochi with a new purpose and veteran perspective.
“In 2010, I was kind of young and naive to know what was really going on,” Kane said. “Looking back at that game, I actually watched it for the first time this year, that gold-medal game, just to kind of relive the situation, and see how important it was to the game of hockey.
“I feel I’ve grown a lot and matured a lot, just like any 21-year-old would to being 25 four years later. It was a great experience [in Vancouver], but I think I know a little more this time around.”
Kane's NHL career has skyrocketed since the Vancouver games. At age 25, he is already a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks and he has an Olympic silver medal on his mantle piece as well. Last June, Kaner won a Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He's been brilliant in the NHL. Yet he's still hungry to taste Olympic gold for the first time.
“I’m kind of glad I went through it for this experience now, to know what to expect,” he said. “Different ways I can use it to my advantage. I think anytime you give a player time and space, he should be able to use that to his advantage, and try to make more plays out there.”
Kane knows that each shift inside each game is its own process. He's not about to look to the medal round before the prelim games have begun.
“It’s still a long tournament,” he said. “You still have five, six games to get to that situation. Take one game at a time. Try to get better each game as a team.”
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Suppose Dan Bylsma is telling Jonathon Quick and Jimmy Howard that Ryan Miller will be starting in net in game one versus Slovakia on Thursday?
Ryan Miller watches Jimmy Howard’s every movement in Tuesday’s practice.
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Ted Nolan and Zemgus Girgensons proudly representing Team Latvia and the Buffalo Sabres at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
Sabres fans are lucky to have these two special people in the organization right now during the re-tooling phase.
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Rochester D and C Amerks-Sabres reporter Kevin Oklobzija is in Sochi and he is keeping a keen eye on Ryan Miller, Pat Kane, Brooks Orpik, Ryan Callahan and Team USA.
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Sitting on a charter flight for 12 hours can be a bit of a drag for NHLers. They are so used to taking quick hit flights to and from their NHL home bases to away games and back. Sunday was a grueling travel day for the Sochi-bound Yanks. I'd love to know how many guys left the Team USA charter plane with the poker pot in their jeans pockets. Long flights mean big winnings.
Head coach Dan Bylsma is hoping that there is a gold medal awaiting he and his Team USA at the other end of their transcontinetal journey.
Bylsma and his team kicked the lactic acid build-up from its collective legs on Monday.
"Special teams was something we wanted to get to today," said head coach Dan Bylsma. "We accomplished all (practice goals)."
The Americans will represent Group A along with Russia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
There are no free lunches in Sochi for the Americans. No margin for error in the preliminary round.
Among the goals for Bylsma and his staff was adjusting to the large Olympic sheet and expanded neutral zone. Having two more practices until game time gives the U.S. an extended chance to adjust to the element that has plagued some North American teams in the past.
Big ice means big responsibilities in all three zones. Bylsma stressed the width of the ice in his first practice on Monday. The NHL sheet is 85 feet wide and 200 feet long. The Americans and Canadians will have to make the transition in quick fashion. Each wing will be seven and a half feet of additional real estate for the USA wingers to negotiate. The D will have to account for deeper corners and a wider berth behind their net. The Americans and Canadians love to play on NHL ice at the Olympics. Bylsma and his coaching staff have to continue to stress the use of their speed in all three zones.
Team USA's forward group is comprised of skilled big men who can play the NHL north-south game at a high acuity level. At Sochi, the USA forwards will also have to use their break neck speed from center to the walls if they are going to advance to the medal round.
On Monday, Bylsma jotted these lines on his dry erase board in the players' room:
James van Riemsdyk-Joe Pavelski-Phil Kessel
Zach Parise-David Backes-T.J. Oshie
Dustin Brown-Ryan Kesler-Patrick Kane
Ryan Callahan-Paul Stastny-Max Pacioretty
• Derek Stepan and Blake Wheeler were the extra forwards at practice.
Looks like Bylsma s taking a page from Canada and playing his teammate pairs together for continuity and chemistry sake. Canada's Mile Babcock rolled out pairs on his top three units on Monday with Kunitz-Crosby, Toews-Sharp, and Perry-Getzlaf. Babcock's thinking is: get the pair playing well and the third man will be the straw that stirs the drink. Canada's top nine is going to give people fits because of their sick skill and toughness down the middle of the ice with Crosby, Toews, and Getzlaf at the pivots. Patrice Bergeron will patrol the middle on line four.
Bylsma doesn't have the embarrassment of riches at his center position that Canada boats of. Joe Pavelski, David Backes, and Ryan Kesler lineup up at center on Monday and likely will do the same aganst Slovakia. Paul Stastny can always be moved up into the top nine group in the event an injury or a slump by another pivot occurs.
In a short tournament, every once of experience and familiarity counts in the formula for success. Bylsma will try to find quick strike offense by playing NHL pairs together. If the plan succeeds Bylsma will be well on his way to the qualification round with momentum and continuity. The other side of the coin is if these lines fail, its back to the old drawing board to find the winning combinations. All lines are subject to change at Bylsma's discretion.
Pavelski will play the role of Tyler Bozak between the two Toronto Maple Leafs JVR and Kessel.
St. Louis aBlues linemates Backes and Oshie.
The Americans will have to play a disciplined game against Zdeno Chara and the Slovaks in their first preliminary round game on Thursday. Perhaps Backes-Oshie can exploit their teammate and Slovak starting goalie Jaro Halak.
Goal scoring won't be easy for any teams in this tourney. Team USA will have its challenges to score. Bylsma will demand timely, consistent scoring from his super talented wings in Parise, Kane, JVR, Oshie, Brown, Callahan and Pacioretty.
Pacioretty suffered back spasms on Saturday night when he crashed into the Carolina Hurricanes net after being shoved into it by Canes D Brett Bellmore.
Bylsma said he was nervous when he first heard of, then saw the replay of Pacioretty's injury, but then quickly learned that the injury was not serious.
"It was good to hear that he was doing pretty well and then after the game that he'd be alright to continue on and get over here," he said.
Bylsma will set his D pairs at Tuesday's 2:30 p.m. (local time) practice which will be the second of three practices before Thursday's game with the Slovaks.
I expect Bylsma to address his starting goaltending after Tuesday's practice.at 5:15 p.m.
He better make the right choice because the Slovaks will be hard to handle. Yeah, they have Chara and Hossa, however, they also will be bringing Sekera, Handzus, Kopecky, Panik, Jurco, Tatar, Halak, Budaj and other NHLers to the party.
I don't want to tell Bylsma how to do his job but I will.
Start Ryan Miller in goal, keep the puck out of his net and demand greatness from the forwards.
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U.S. Olympic Team general manager
David Poile will not be traveling to Sochi to attend the 2014 Olympic Winter Games after being struck near the eye by an errant puck last Thursday.
Poile, the GM of the Nashville Predators, was standing in the hallway behind the Predators bench during Thursday morning skate prior to the game against the Minnesota Wild when a puck skipped out of the rink and hit him near the eye and nose area.
According to the Predators, he underwent two successful surgical procedures in the nose and eye areas and received stitches to repair a facial laceration at a hospital in St. Paul, Minn. He returned to Nashville on Sunday to receive additional treatment.
“As I told the team today, knowing how much passion, time and effort he has put into putting this team together it’s disappointing for David and for us that he can’t be here,” Ray Shero, the associate GM of the U.S. Team, said after the team concluded its first practice in preparation for Thursday’s first game against Slovakia.
“He’s still the general manager of this hockey team and over the last few days even when he was in Minnesota at the hospital before he left I was in touch with him in terms of the roster and will continue to be. I’m looking forward to his continued involvement and he is still the general manager of this team.”
Source: USA Hockey
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