Paul Stewart: An Old-School Manifesto in a New-Age Hockey World

Nail meet Hammer.

Hammer meet Nail.

Now hit Nail on the head Hammer!

This article reminds me of a play that happened with Wayne Simmonds. He got laid out by the opposing player: great hockey play. I think Brayden Schenn went immediately over to try and start something. Simmonds grabbed him and waved him off. It annoys me to no end when players try to start a fight after a great check. If you want payback, lay (legal) check on the other team! Or better yet, score a goal.

Those same "seam heads" who spent summers cooking up algorithms and formulas in Mom's basement while the rest of us were out on the ball field actually playing have now seemingly infiltrated hockey.

Perhaps I am just old-school for my own good, but is it oaky for me to just watch a game and enjoy seeing world-class athletes compete at the highest level of my favorite sports? I don't need to see any fancy math to let me know if a player is pulling his weight or not. I don't care to analyze a zillion different metrics to try to predict the outcome. I'm perfectly content to just watch and see how things play out. That's what keeps me watching games- knowing that regardless what the stats may say, there is always that chance things may play out far differently than any "saber-matrician" may lead us to believe they will. That is pretty much why I enjoy watching sports right there.

Excellent blog as usual, love your stuff.

Why are you writing for Hockeybuzz though? You're like our Piano Man

You're like our Piano Man
- FinAddict

In that case, come shuffling in at around at 9 o'clock on Saturday. I'll be the guy with the tip jar .

In that case, come shuffling in at around at 9 o'clock on Saturday. I'll be the guy with the tip jar .
- Paul Stewart

You can count on me, I'll be sitting at the bar putting bread in your jar

You can count on me, I'll be sitting at the bar putting bread in your jar
- FinAddict

Sayin "Man what are you doin' here"

Your next to last paragraph is a pretty accurate description of the Blackhawks in 2013. They did OK.

Could you please start blogging on the pittsburgh penguins rather than Ryan Wilson. You seem to actually provide experienced insight into hockey. Not just a puck possession chart and then check off the players that look bad on paper. I am 25 and I know a lot of people my age that would agree with you 100%, so your old school ways of thinking are still around.

Too bad the players today didn't get your stories in a memo. You should work on that Stew. Good read as usual .. thanks

Awesome article.

As a youth hockey coach you have to 'manage' your parents as the parents are such a large part of the problem.

I also find that in the lower divisions the parents are more reasonable. My squirt was an A major player last season (I did not coach) and the amount of bickering and moaning and groaning from the parents was mind boggling...it started off with 2 months of complaining that a kid didn't make the AA team. Then you go to rink time, power play time, penalties, etc...just a constant whine fest. And for the entire game yelling and screaming onto the rink. I tell my parents that if your son is having a bad shift or game, no need to yell to him about it, us coaches know it and it's our job to manage that player. And they HAVE TO understand that Johnny won't always be on it. Some games a 9 year old is "just off", LET HIM BE OFF. It happens, screaming at him to "SKATE" isn't going to do a damn thing other than embarrass him.

My oldest son was assistant coach with a "B major team" and I would come out and help on the ice at times. These parents all had such great attitudes and perspectives. Did they not push their kids hard enough to be "better than B?" Heck if I know, but what I did realize is the B kids were having so much more fun than my son's A major team. There was no griping, no complaining about the coach or the world is against my kid. Just a bunch of 9 year olds out there playing this great sport, having fun. And THAT is what it's about.

As I have been asked to coach after a very successful season with my daughter's team I have asked our association about coaching at a bit lower level where my son will be able to enjoy the game and grow his skills, including maturity and leadership with kids that maybe he can help some. I am not grooming him for the NHL, rather for life and hockey is one of those tools we all can use, if done so correctly.