Hockey Edge Newsletter October Issue 12, Vol. 3 Imagery! A Useful Tool to Enhance Performances

Imagery!

A useful tool to enhance performances in ice hockey  

Written by Mikael Wallsbeck

Imagery is a mental skill that many ice hockey players use to prepare for games, as well as enhance their confidence. In this article, I would like to present a study I did examining 17 ice hockey players’ (playing in the third highest level in Sweden) experiences using imagery in relation to their sport.

I dare to say that almost every professional athlete uses imagery because it is a very handy and powerful tool. It is important to not be confused by the meaning of imagery and how it is different from visualization:

“Imagery, in the context of sport, may be considered as the voluntary or spontaneous creation or re-creation of an experience using the different senses.  Imagery may occur in the absence of the real stimulus antecedents normally associated with the actual experience and which may have physiological and psychological effects on the imager”.

This means that athletes can use imagery to re-experience a good performance (e.g., a good hit or tape-to-tape pass) or create a new experience that hasn’t occurred yet, for example scoring a goal on a certain goalie. Certainly NHL teams in the 2011 playoffs should have been using imagery of scoring on Boston goalie Tim Thomas because in reality there was not much going in to his net!

When I played ice hockey I, for example, used imagery in the locker room before games. I imagined myself performing well in different situations. For example, I imagined myself executing a good pass from the defensive blue line to the offensive blue line. I felt the feeling in my arms, heard the crowd and saw the other players around me. The effect of this imagery was that I felt confident and had a positive feeling before the game, because in my mind I had already performed well.

To learn more about how hockey players effectively use imagery we studied Swedish hockey players. These individuals played on the same team and completed the Survey of Imagery Experiences in Sport (SIES) that has been developed by Fredrik Weibull and myself. In this survey the athletes fill in how they experience imagery, how frequently they use it, for what purposes, how they use it and what effect the imagery has on their purposes for using it. Below I present two tables on what they actually imagined (content) and why they did it (purpose).

Table 1. What these ice hockey players imagined.

Categories of contents (most frequently used at the top)

Successful individual performances

Unsuccessful individual performances

Successful team performances

Tactics

Physically strong

Music

Imaging using imagery in the context of ice hockey

Table 2. Categories of purposes for why the ice hockey players used imagery.

Frequency of purposes (most frequently used at the top)

Self-esteem

Motivation

Self confidence

Problem solving

Anxiety

Find the right feeling

Concentration

Improve Tactics/Strategy

Technique

Lower arousal

Most players experienced imagery in the context before competition, and in Table 1 the content of the imagery and purposes are presented. Most players used the imagery content of “Successful individual performances”; this content was more frequently used compared to the content of “Successful team performances”. This might be something to think more about. It might suggest that although ice hockey is a team sport, players should use more imagery to experience successful individual performances. Personal performance is something that lies more within the individual’s control. This also might support that imagery is a useful tool, because it is an individual technique. However in Table 1 you can also see other types of imagery that were used by the ice hockey players. Interestingly, unsuccessful performances were second on the list. Why would a player imagine failure? It may be that they are preparing themselves to deal with adversity and responding in a positive manner. Or, it could be that they are fixing previous failures in their mind, and then creating the appropriate response. Finally, maybe the player is just experiencing negative effects and wants to improve their imagery ability and be able to use more positive imagery.

Why do hockey players use imagery? In Table 2 you will see that imagery was most commonly used to increase self-esteem, motivation and self-confidence by these players. You can also see that it was used for several different purposes which suggest that imagery can benefit players in many different ways and really is a versatile tool that players need to take advantage of more often.

Practical implications

This small study shows that ice hockey players use imagery for several different purposes and that imagery is something that can be beneficial to use in order to become a better ice hockey player. When you read this article you might recognize some of the imagery content used by the players; you potentially may have tried some of the same things. Use this knowledge to motivate yourself to keep on using imagery to enhance your performances. In order to use imagery to enhance performances use the following exercise:

1) Decide on what you as a player or coach want to improve in your performance.

As an example the Swedish player Johnny wants to improve his passing accuracy.

2) Formulate the text in a positive and good way

What Johnny needs to do first is to describe for himself how he wants to perform the passes and write that down. Such as:

“I am behind the goal and see the back of the goalie. I see one player approaching the offensive blue line. I experience the sensations in my hands when handling the stick. I move forward leaving the area behind the goal, waiting on the right moment to release the pass. I’m feeling the puck leaving the stick, I see it sliding over the ice and the pass is perfect. My teammate receives that pass and attacks the blue line and the offensive zone.”

3)      If you want you can record the text and create an Mp3 file. You can use your own voice or someone else’s. This will make it possible for you to listen to text with closed eyes.

4)      Image the exercise several times.

5)      Create a new exercise and do the same thing all over again.

If you want to know more about how you can work with imagery in relation to ice hockey contact me and I will be glad to help you!

About the Author

Mikael Wallsbeck lives in Sweden and has a European masters in sport and exercise psychology. He has a background in hockey and is currently a referee. Mikael also consults with athletes and groups in order to enhance their performances, and works for the company Imagine to deliver individualized imagery programs. He is also a board member of the Swedish association of sport psychology.

To Contact Mikael;

www.imaginethat.se

mikael@imaginethat.se

If you want you can check out his blog on http://idrottspsykologi.wordpress.com. Most texts are in Swedish but some are in English.

Wheel of Excellence NHL Study by Barbour and Orlick

Do you want to know what NHL players think it takes to become great? Barbour and Orlick interviewed NHL players a few years ago now but I think the results have huge implications for all levels. At the professional level it describes what it takes to be successful. At the college and junior level it gives coaches, athletes, and sport psychologists targets or levels of mental performance we should be striving for in our players. For youth it reveals that the mental game is very important at the highest levels and yet many of the things pros do to mentally prepare and perform great under pressure can also be done at their level. No magic here. Just good solid advice on how to become great. Check it out...

Wheel of Excellence Barbour and Orlick

To Perform Great You Need Confidence, Here's How to Do It: Blog Entry 3 of 5

Blog Entry 3: Commitment to Daily Habits and Routines

"Confidence is a beautiful thing." Chico Resch, former NHL goalie and New Jersey Devils television color commentator

Chico uttered this moments before the Devils landed their third goal behind Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier. LA which had not given up a goal in over three games, and NJ which has been struggling to score goals, was blitzed by the Devils for three goals in the second period. The Devils began to gain confidence after their first goal and began to take over the game. New Jersey scored 3 quick goals but mainly because they were moving their feet and outworking the Kings.

“Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your talent, there is only one way to obtain it-work.” - Jack Nicklaus, Golf Legend

To be a confident hockey player you need to have an understanding of who you are as a player and person. This is the foundation of confidence. However, you are not going to have total belief in your game unless you do the hard work to become fit. There is no replacing or bypassing the third layer of hockey confidence to get to the top of the pyramid. Hard work, commitment, and discipline cannot be replaced. Players must do the hard work of getting into shape physically and mentally so they can use their talents in highly competitive games. Being fit, strong, fast, and skilled and being able to produce in pressure situations is the greatest source of confidence. Thus, you must put in the work so you can then trust your preparation once it is game day.

To develop confidence in your game you must have the commitment to good daily habits and routines that fuel your training.

“If you train hard, you'll not only be hard, you'll be hard to beat." - Herschel Walker, ex-NFL player

I preach TCB to the players I work with; take care of business! This means do what you need to do to have great energy and focus at practice and games. And, TCB goes for every day, not just the day before the game.

TCB Principle – Take Care of Business!

1. Commit to daily life and training routines
2. Get fit and strong
3. Set achievable, difficult goals every day and go after them (it will build confidence)
4. Minimize your stress when possible (or deal with it)

To be confident in games you have to live with discipline. Get good grades in school and finish your homework on time (or maybe even ahead of schedule) so you don’t have to stress about it. Eat healthy, get your rest, stay hydrated, stretch, and workout. Set a schedule for your workouts. Get a consistent and sufficient amount of rest. Follow a healthy diet that fuels your body and helps you grow from the workouts. Drink lots of water and avoid soda and caffeine, especially when training and competing.

Getting the most out of yourself also means setting goals that get you outside your comfort zone and push you everyday to get better. Learning a new skill, or doing a learned skill faster with more pressure will enhance your confidence and improve your performances. Stay focused on your goals and work towards them. Don’t forget your goals to be a great hockey player!

Finally, minimize your stress when possible. Take care of school work and avoid “drama” and fights with friends and family by being a good communicator and good person. Making good daily decisions will keep you on the path to your goals to be a great hockey player. Too many talented individuals lost their dream because they drank and drove, experimented with drugs, or just made bad decisions. Stay sharp and keep your eye on the prize – your goals. You will achieve them with hard work and discipline. It is actually the only way you will reach your potential.

(To read more about how Disciplined Preparation Habits Create Consistent Performances go to the Hockey Edge Newsletter archive link on the right column of this blog)

The Elimination of Checking at the Pee Wee Level is a Good Thing

USA Hockey's elimination of checking at the Pee Wee level turned some heads and probably got the "old-time hockey" coach upset. "The kids need to be tough. They need to learn how to hit." These sentiments are not new.

I have argued for years that checking was too much of an emphasis at the Pee Wee level and the kids did not understand what it meant to hit someone. They were trying for NHL-type huge hits instead of just trying to regain possession of the puck.

Rob Simpson makes some great points about how checking at the Pee Wee level created a ton of issues for players, coaches and parents. I am excited to hear that an ex-NHL player is supportive of USA Hockey's decision and recognizes how it has bettered the game. No more convincing players to go back on the ice despite the fact that some 6'2" early maturer was taking heads and parents chiding him to do so.

Rob Simpson's take on the Elimination of Checking

One point I want to elaborate on from Simpson's blog - by removing checking from the Pee Wee level USA Hockey is not recommending coaches to avoid teaching body contact. Quite the opposite. Coaches should be teaching kids to protect the puck with their body, angle players towards the boards, and block their opponents. By teaching players the basics of body contact they will understand truly what it means to use their body in hockey. Right now it is just huge hits and applause.

I wonder how this rule change will affect body checking at the Bantam level? I think we will have similar problems that we had at the Pee Wee level unless we, the coaches, get better at teaching our players what it means to check legally and how to do it properly.

Check out Dr. Larry's Hockey Edge Newsletter for columns on Body Contact (Fall 2004 issue) and Developing Body Contact Confidence (Winter 2004) at Hockey Edge Newsletter archive

To Perform Great You Need Confidence, Here's How to Do It: Entry 2 of 5

Blog Entry 2: Personality and Awareness: The Foundation of Confidence

The first 2 levels of the Pyramid of Confidence are your personality and self-awareness. You need to know yourself to understand what gives you confidence, what takes it away, and how you react to certain situations – basically what you bring to the table as a person that affects your hockey.

Your Personality

Here is an exercise that is important to knowing yourself. When you think about the self or "I" write down the thoughts that come to mind for a minute. Do not filter the thoughts just write down what comes to mind. Then, review your list and see if it accurately describes you. Do the same for the hockey player “I”. Then, ask someone that knows you well these questions about you. It will be interesting to see what they have to say and how it compares to your own thoughts. You will learn a great deal about yourself!

Your personality determines how you view the things that happen to you. Are you very anxious prior to games or relaxed and loose? If you have a personality where you are nervous in many life situations than you may have a trait anxious personality (or a consistent feeling of threat in many different situations) and this of course applies to hockey, as well. So, if you tend to feel very nervous before games and think about the consequences (probably making them bigger than they really are) than you likely have an anxious personality type.

The expectations you place on yourself also has to do with your personality. Do you have very high standards and expect perfection? If so, you might be considered a perfectionist, especially if you are like that in many parts of your life (school, home, friends, family). Perfectionism is partially good, you expect a lot of yourself and are motivated to do it, but unfortunately the dark side of perfectionism is that you beat yourself up when you don’t meet your unattainable high standards. Are you often unhappy with your performance despite others like teammates, coaches, and parents telling you that you played well? Do you frequently break down your performances and focus on the things you did wrong? You may be perfectionistic.

Other personality traits can really make a difference in your confidence, as well. Are you an optimist (see the glass as half full, expect things will turn out well) or a pessimist (glass is half empty; expect things won’t turn out well)? Optimism-pessimism create self-fulfilling prophecies. Think about a pink elephant. What are you seeing? A pink elephant even though we both know they do not exist. Have you ever thought in your mind that you would make a tape to tape pass and send your linemate in for a scoring chance? And then it happened? It is not the ability to see the future, sorry. The great pass and scoring chance happened because you were looking for the opportunity to make a play and focused on the play around you, not on your feelings or thoughts. Optimism is a trait that has been found in Olympians that have won multiple gold medals.

Get to know yourself better. Go to www.champconsults.com for the free Know Yourself activity.

In the next blog entry I will present how daily habits of hard work and preparation are a part of the foundation for confidence. And why if you are habits are not productive that you are undermining your own confidence.

Know Thyself

The second layer of the pyramid you are already working on; awareness. The successful hockey player knows him or herself very well. They know what affects their confidence negatively and positively. Here are two questions for you to think about…

What things or situations trigger you to have more confidence?

What things or situations trigger you to have less confidence?

Of the things you listed how many do you have complete control over to make happen? For instance, if you are waiting on someone else to praise you so you feel confident then you are basing your confidence on something you do not control. If you don’t have control over many of these factors then you better plan to deal with them, or substitute other ways of being confident!

Pay Attention to these 3 Things:

1. Think about how you are limiting yourself by the way you’re thinking. (Remember ceilings are self-imposed)

2. Recognize how your personality influences your confidence. If you are pessimistic by nature then you will have to work at being positive in tough situations.

3.   Know the Situations/Triggers that can cause you to lose confidence and how you are performing in those situations.

           

Want to read more about Knowing Yourself as a hockey player and person. Read this article on the AASP website, www.appliedsportpsych.org/Resource-Center/Athletes/Articles/Know-Thyself

To Perform Great You Need Confidence, Here's How to Develop It: Entry 1 of 5

Blog Entry 1: Boosting Your Confidence and Your Game (there will be a series of 5 blog posts in the next few weeks)

The difference between winning and losing is so small. The Red Wings-Sharks series during the 2011 NHL Playoffs is a perfect example. The Sharks won in 7 games, but Detroit lost on several deflected pucks in overtime. Very easily those pucks aren’t deflected or go directly into Jimmy Howard’s pads. How much Detroit really could have done to better the luck is debatable, San Jose played excellent hockey, but clearly they had a great chance to win the series.

While a team does not control the bounces, a factor that is controllable and absolutely essential to winning and good performances is confidence. Do not take my word for it, though, you hear and read about confidence as a necessary quality for success by professional players all the time.

Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks talked about the reasons for his excellent play in the 2011 playoffs

“I built the confidence up. Whoever I'm with on the ice, I feel confident. Last year and this year with the success, definitely helps the confidence.” (May 16, 2011; ASAP sports)

Confidence is necessary to win at the highest levels of hockey, and really at all competitive levels. The way you think makes all the difference in winning and losing. We all know this, but only some players actually discipline themselves to think positively and productively in pressure situations. The majority of players on the other hand place limits on themselves. They doubt their abilities, skills, and chances of being successful. They even sometimes doubt that they deserve hockey success (let alone in life). I like to think of these things as ceilings. They put a limit on how high you can go. Unfortunately, many times these ceilings are self-imposed; we put these limits on ourselves and let them block our true potential. Do you do this?

It’s time to blow up your ceiling. One of the most famous ceiling breakers was Sir Roger Bannister the first human being recorded to have run a sub 4-minute mile. At one time it was thought impossible.

“Doctors and scientists said that breaking the four-minute mile was impossible, that one would die in the attempt. Thus, when I got up from the track after collapsing at the finish line, I figured I was dead.”

Roger Bannister (After becoming the first person to break the four-minute mile)

Bannister broke the 4-minute mile on May 6, 1954 (from Wikipedia.com). In the following 18 months more than 45 athletes also broke this barrier. Why could not one of these runners break the 4-minute mile prior to Bannister? Had to be the belief that it could be done.

If you are limiting your hockey performance by the way you think it is time to stop and instead envision what you could be.

"Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision." Muhammad Ali

To turn your vision into reality you must have a plan for boosting your confidence so that you play hockey at a higher level consistently.

The Pyramid of Confidence (Lauer, 2010)

Confidence Pressure Training

Disciplined Thinking (Thinking Positive and Productive)

Commitment (Daily habits/routines that focus you on goals)

Awareness (Knowing your self & how respond to situations)

Personality (Who you are; what you bring to the table)

 

From my experience as a researcher and consultant I believe that there are generally five layers to your hockey confidence. These can be viewed as a pyramid because a lower level is the foundation for higher levels of confidence. At the foundation is what you bring to the table – your personality. Basically, who are you as a person and a hockey player?

The Pyramid of Confidence shows you just how you can develop your confidence. Be aware of your personality as a person and a player, commit to being fit mentally and physically by following routines, discipline yourself to be positive and productive in the way you think about all situations, and train to be confident under pressure.

In the next blog entry on confidence I will describe how your personality influences your performance and the importance of awareness.

Anticipating the Hurdles Teams Must Overcome to Lift the Cup

It is right in front of us; the 95th season of NHL hockey. If you are like me you are reviewing team rosters trying to determine where players moved over the summer, and interested in the rookies that made the squad.

We have a great lineup on opening night. Boston raises the banner after ending the long Cup drought. And, Philly fan is hating every minute of it. The way the series sweep ended last season, actually quite embarrassing, you could see a determined Flyers team come out and catch the B's off guard - who will be naturally basking in the success of last season. Hey B's it is a new season be ready to rock!

Montreal invades Toronto for the Canadian audiences. Both of these teams could be on the outside looking in when April arrives so while it is Game #1 on the schedule they should treat as a game against a team that will be challenging them for the last playoff spot. Believe it or not, big game early in the season.

The nightcap has Pittsburgh going to Vancouver. Hey, weren't we supposed to be watching the Canucks raise the banner and bringing glory back to Canada? Reality can be harsh and in the case of the Canucks this off-season had to be like chewing on sand for four months. I would like to be able to tell you what to expect from Vancouver, but it is really hard to predict. I think Vancouver fan is going to have a shorter fuse with their team and the Game 7 loss only intensified the pressure. The Pens on the other hand are coming in to the season with great optimism getting Malkin back and Crosby soon to follow. Pittsburgh became an outstanding defensive team in the absence of their two superstars. This will serve them well throughout this season.

Every NHL season is a marathon with twists and turns that no one can predict. Who predicted that Boston would be Stanley Cup champions after an embarrassing loss to the Flyers when up 3-0 in the 2009 playoffs? What I will do is try to categorize where I think the teams are in terms of the hurdles they must overcome to lift the Cup.

Avoid the Hangover - Boston, Vancouver
Recent history has not been kind to teams that have made the Stanley Cup Finals the previous year. Only the Wings and Pens have been able to return to the Finals the following year and no team has repeated since the 1997-98 Red Wings. The dreaded Stanley Cup hangover looms over the Bruins who basically have kept their roster intact. Boston has to be careful to keep the focus on grinding out wins in the regular season to put themselves in a favorable seed in the post season. Certainly higher seeds don't make a huge difference in the NHL but you don't want to have to face Philly or Tampa first round, and then if you survive Pittsburgh or Washington in the second round. Boston needs to stay focused and hope that Tim Thomas stays red hot.

Vancouver also needs to avoid the Stanley Cup hangover. You might think that losing Game 7 at home would be the ultimate motivator, but again history does not necessarily support this theory. It is terribly hard to skate the marathon that is the NHL season again and then peak in the post season and get back to the Finals. With the intense fishbowl scrutiny the Canucks will be playing under this year don't be surprised if they struggle during the season.

Bounce Back - Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago
This category is reserved for teams that have been to the hockey pinnacle in recent years and then fallen back. The Pens, Wings, and Hawks all have suffered from things out of their control - injuries and a jettison of talent from their roster. Certainly on paper it seems all three teams have the talent to contend, but they also had top players who had subpar seasons. Crosby, Malkin, Neal and Fleury all need to be on their game in Pittsburgh after a reduction in production (much of it due to injury). In Chicago Duncan Keith needs to play like he did in the Stanley Cup season and Patrick Kane needs to a consistent force offensively. And, in Detroit, Zetterberg and Datsyuk need to stay healthy on a team that has lost scoring depth the last few years. If one of these teams' superstars have great seasons (and stay healthy) don't be surprised if they win the Cup.

Looking for the Breakthrough - San Jose, Washington, Los Angeles
In this category are the teams, to me, that have high expectations but feel that have not realized their potential. Every year people expect that San Jose and Washington will win the Cup, and every year they have been wrong. With some changes both teams hope to have the formula to finally reach the Finals and win the Cup for the first time in franchise history. As long as the burden of unfulfilled expectations does not become too heavy one of these teams could finally breakthrough. But, without having a prior history of going the distance both have to trust that they have what it takes. I put LA in this category only because they have so much talent and added more in the offseason. Is it their time to finally breakthrough? 

Put Your Name on a Piece of Tape and Put it On Your Helmet Please - Philadelphia, Florida
The hurdle that both Philly and Florida have to face after believing they had the roster in previous years to win (and Philly was within 2 games of winning the Cup) is developing team bonds and communication with many new faces. Past history tells us that roster shake-ups often don't lead to immediate success but can in the long run. The Flyers did overhaul their roster with the Forsberg trade a few years ago and then promptly made the Conference Finals but that was backboned by homegrown centers Carter and Richards who are now elsewhere. On teams that have experienced many roster changes there is a redefining of roles and a re-establishing of leadership and team norms. It will be interesting to see if the changes for Florida and Philly are for the better, and how long it takes for the team to mesh and perform cohesively.

Are we a Contender? - New York Rangers, Phoenix, Nashville, Buffalo
In this category are the teams that many pundits would say are on the fence and could go either way in terms of the standings. These teams have not had recent playoff success, other than the Preds 1st round win over the Ducks last year, but optimism exists. Out of this group I would say that Buffalo is the most likely to elevate and reach the category of teams contending for the Finals because of their offseason acquisitions. Myers, Regehr, and Erhoff on defense look outstanding and Ryan Miller is good enough to take them all the way. The other three teams still have question marks... do they really believe deep down that they can elevate past the middle of the road teams?

Don't Slip - Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Montreal, Dallas
In my opinion this group deals with the doubt of "are we still as good?" Tampa most certainly tapped their potential last season, and maybe Anaheim as well. Montreal has been an excellent playoff performer the last few years and Dallas has been hanging around. But, these teams did not get significantly better and must hope that internally their players continue to develop or they could be caught by other teams that are trending up.

The Rest of the Field
Look, it is no slight to rest of the NHL teams that I have not listed, but their recent history tells us that they likely will not be a contender in May/June. The field is looking for the right ingredients to have a good start to the season and to build the belief that they can contend. I do not predict much change in the playoff entrants from past year. There seems to be a real divide between the playoff teams and the non-playoff teams. Yet, usually there is one surprise team that makes a run. My two teams that I think believe that they can reach the playoffs despite not making it last year are St. Louis and Carolina. They have had playoff seasons in recent years and have good young players. Consistency is another big issue for teams in this category. Can they avoid long slumps and consistently post enough points in each 5-game block? A lack of consistency and long slumps have eliminated the Canes from postseason play in recent seasons.

There you have it, my thoughts on some of the barriers teams face mentally. While I could have written a great deal on the mental dynamics each team will be facing this season I don't think you would read a post that long. My picks for the teams that have the most formidable hurdles to overcome -

Toronto (fan base asking for too much with too little talent),
Vancouver (the "blahs" after a downright confusing performance in the last two rounds of the playoffs; how do you play that bad when you are one of the best two teams in the league?),
Philadelphia (changing of leadership, great expectations on young players, but they do have Pronger!),
Washington (labeled as the underachievers in the playoffs which becomes a hard label to shake),
San Jose (when will they breakthrough? The window of opportunity is always closing), and,
New Jersey (can they continue to believe despite everyone discussing their inevitable demise).

Enjoy the 2011-2012 NHL season and keep checking back for more insights on the mental game of hockey.

Hockey Edge 2011-2012

Hello all! I am back and ready to begin blogging on the 2011-2012 NHL season. A great deal has happened since Boston won the Stanley Cup. Many teams shook up their rosters looking for the right mixture to win a Stanley Cup. Great veterans like Teemu Selanne decided to return while others (Mike Modano) decided to retire. And, many rookies will be trying to break through on a NHL roster.

There will be many stories to discuss for sure that shed insight into what is happening at the professional level of hockey, but also more importantly how it might apply to level to which you are coaching or competing. I will drop the puck when the NHL does on October 6th with a preview of some interesting mental dynamics and things to look for. My plan is to post once per week until the playoffs where again I will be posting multiple times per week.

Can smell that fresh ice already. It is time to get this season going!

Mentally Tough Performer of the Week (Week 8) - Brad Marchand

The Bruins won their first Cup since 1972 and did it with a workmanlike, team approach. Their defense allowed Vancouver very few great chances and when they did Tim Thomas was outstanding. After the devastating loss to the Flyers last season the Bruins made a number of changes. Obviously the biggest change was making Thomas the starting goaltender. Also, grabbing Nathan Horton proved to be essential to their run. Horton scored two Game 7 winners.

Boston was led by a number solid leaders. Zdeno Chara, Dennis Siedenberg, Patrice Bergeron, Mark Recchi... these guys play the right way. Solid on both ends of the ice. Bergeron in particular was huge in Game 7. His goals I thought sparked the Bruins early on. As with any Cup winner the list is long for guys who competed and produced under pressure. Lucic and Krejci from the Flyers series on were excellent. McQuaid and Boychuk were better than advertised. But, the most surprising development only because he was a rookie, was the emergence of Brad Marchand. His energy, passion, and underrated offensive skills catalyzed the B's. In one very shining example, it was Marchand's goal in Game 6 that really turned the series back to Boston's advantage. It dented Luongo and Vancouver's confidence at a time when they were looking to finish off Boston.

While Marchand at times goes over the edge and comments about wanting to run around kill guys was inappropriate in my mind he provided the Bruins a swagger and an attitude that was missing from this team last season. Even though Marchand's a rookie, well was a rookie now, he made a huge impact beyond the 10 goals he scored in the playoffs. So, Marchand is the Mentally Tough Player of the Week because he, despite lacking Finals experience, played with intensity, with emotion, with physicality, and with aggression that poured in to the rest of his team. Marchand is played an impact game and was a difference maker for Boston.

Game 7: Why the Bruins should win

"If we win (Wednesday), we become legends," Ryan Kesler said on the eve of Game 7 from Rogers Arena  (June 15, nhl.com).

Game 7 Stanley Cup Finals, best event in all of sports. The dynamics of a Game 7 are so interesting. Elimination game for both teams. Now amplify the intensity. The Cup will be skated tonight. To borrow a tag line "History will be made." Who can handle the pressure and execute their game plan?

I am going to make a case based on observations from this series that Boston is the favorite tonight. Don't believe it? Read on.

This has been an odd series. The home team has won every game in a year where road teams were very successful. However, if you like back in history it seems like home teams perform very well in the Finals. Can Vancouver win a fourth game at home? Can they bounce back again at home after a drubbing by the Bruins? Boston has the momentum again, and feel they were unfortunate to not have a won a game yet in Vancouver. I agree with them. Tonight might be their night. 

It also has been odd in that it has been a penalty-filled series and even nasty at times. Usually Finals don't have as much bad blood or rivalry. It didn't take long for these teams to dislike each other. The Burrows finger-biting incident ignited things along with Lapierre's taunting of Bergeron. The B's responded by shoving their gloves in the mouths of Lapierre and Burrows. Rome injured Horton in Game 3 and both players are finished for the year. Luongo chided Thomas about coming out of the crease too far. Great series for the media. Not so much for the coaches that have to stomach penalty kills.


The biggest oddity of the series to me, however, is that Boston is outscoring Vancouver 19-8 and 17-3 on home ice. Low scoring games out west, back east big time blowouts. Why is this happening? Usually teams that get to the Finals are good enough to keep it close, but the Canucks have been all or nothing, just like Luongo. It has to make Vancouver fans super tight for tonight's Game 7. What team will show up? The large difference in the number of goals in this series has to give Boston confidence. They have been the better team for much of the series. Vancouver will rest their belief on the fact that they will be home and Boston hasn't been able to breakthrough. However, Boston was very close in each game. Again, you can base your hopes on whatever you want, but Boston is coming off another beat down of the Canucks.

This series does remind me a little of the Detroit-Pittsburgh Finals of 2009. Home team won the first 6 games all by at least 2 goals. Detroit was dominate at home and won Game 5 5-0. But then in Game 7 Pittsburgh did something that had not happened since Montreal in 1971, the road team won a Finals Game 7. So, you may argue that Boston doesn't have Crosby and Malkin, this is true. They don't have the offensive stars. However, don't underestimate the face that Boston has two of the best defensive players in the world right now - Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas. Both of these guys have been brilliant. The Bruins can win the Stanley Cup on defense on the road. Thomas could steal this game, and Chara has the ability to shut down the Sedins. Boston has what it needs to win the Cup.

The Bruins are super dangerous right now. They are playing aggressive and winning puck battles. They are winning the special teams battle. If Boston continues to be aggressive, use their size, and make good decisions with the puck they will be very difficult to beat.

Back to the Canucks. I believe there are at least 3 mental barriers that they must overcome to win the Cup. None of these barriers are easy things to dismiss.

1. Vancouver's self-confidence has to be somewhat shaken. Three blowouts in Boston? Wow. How do you mentally deal with that? The Bruins have dominated the Canucks 3 of the last 4 games. They have to be comparing themselves to Boston and the thought must come in to their heads sometimes, "If Boston plays like they did at home, we are in deep trouble. We haven't stayed with them when they play their best offensively". The good news for Canucks' fans is that rarely do teams play very offensive in a Game 7. Especially the road team.

2. Can Vancouver beat Tim Thomas enough times to win the Cup? Thomas has frustrated teams throughout the playoffs, but especially the Canucks. He goes on stretches where it doesn't seem like it is possible to score. The Canucks will have to stay committed to simple hockey and not try too hard to score and over commit. Easier said than done when the pressure is on and the home crowd is quiet and restless.

3. Can Vancouver count on Luongo? Can he rebound? He has shown the propensity for excellent games, especially at home, after being pulled. Marty Turco wrote a very insightful article about how Luongo must approach this game mentally - www.nhl.com/ice/blogpost.htm?id=1185&navid=mod-rr-headlines

It is likely that Luongo will be better tonight, but does his team fully trust that the great Luongo will show for Game 7? Philly knows the toll it takes on a team emotionally and mentally when the starting goalie is pulled multiple times in a series. That little bit of doubt can plant the seeds of anxiety and poor performance. Canucks forwards and D will have to remain stalwart in their belief of Luongo and trust that he will do his job so each man can just focus on his own role.

The pressure at home will be enormous for the Canucks. If you thought the exhale of relief and joy was intense after the Game 7 OT win versus Chicago, wait for the end of tonight's game. But, as I have listed, the Canucks have a number of mental barriers to deal with which in my mind puts the Bruins in a great position to win the Cup tonight.

A Test of Focus: The Cup is in the House!

The Stanley Cup will be polished and ready for its annual ceremonial lifting to the sky and skate around the rink at Monday night's Game 6 of the Finals. Vancouver is one win away from reaching the ultimate prize. Boston is hoping that they won't see the Cup Monday night. Who wins?

The team that is able to stay focused and execute will win Game 6.

This is one of my favorite sporting moments every year. The anticipation of the Cup making its appearance. And teams fighting either to skate the Cup or delay its arrival one more game. The specter of the Cup lurking down the hallway can be a great distraction. Both teams will need to manage thoughts about the Cup and focus on the task at hand.

But, how can a player who has dreamed about the Cup since they started playing the game as a child not focus on the Cup? Just the thought of it being in the builidng creates excitement and butterflies in the stomach. The key is as much in refocusing as it is holding your focus. The Cup will inevitably jump in to player's minds before the game and during on the bench. Thinking about yourself holding the Cup and celebrating or worse the other team holding the Cup are natural thoughts that enter a player's mind. But, these thoughts must be washed away quickly. Every Canuck and every Bruin should have a plan for managing their thoughts so as not to get caught looking ahead and/or getting anxious because of the enormity of the situation.

Team mottoes are excellent for keeping players focused on the bench. When Tampa Bay won the Cup their motto was "Safe is Death". And, when Carolina won the Cup it was "Relentless". Having these simple reminders helps players and coaches refocus one another back on the game. In general, the talk that happens on the bench is important to keeping the focus. If players are reviewing their shifts and talking about what they are going to do next time they go out as a line or defensive pairing keeps the focus on the game.

Having a meaningful team motto and communication on the bench is helpful, but not always enough to help players refocus on the task at hand with the Cup lurking nearby. Each player should have several "focal points" that they review in their mind. These focal points are their goals or keys for success. For example, a player may have focal points such as "move your feet", "strong on the puck", and "simple plays" to focus their mind on effective hockey. This is also important for role players whom may not see the ice for long periods of time, and yet have to come out on the ice and play energetic, responsible hockey when called upon.

The Blackhawks were in exactly the same situation last year as the Canucks are currently in, going on the road in Game 6 with a chance to win the Cup, but in a series where the home team won every game. With a 3-2 heading in to Philadelphia the Hawks certainly needed to keep themselves focused with the Cup within reach.

Lifelong dreams could be fulfilled inside Wachovia Center, and somehow the Hawks have to block it out. It's got to be easier said than done. "We just have to treat it like another game; just go out there and have fun and play our game," Kris Versteeg said. "You've been waiting your whole life for this situation, so there is no need to be nervous now.” 

(Roarke & Rosen, 2010. Five keys for Hawks, Flyers in Game 6. Retrieved from http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=531257)

I agree with Versteeg, both the Bruins and Canucks need to go out and have fun, play their game, and keep things relatively normal. This can be hard to do with the media attention that comes with the Finals. However, by trying to keep the game in perspective before the puck drops players can minimize their nerves and focus on their game plan, not the enormity of the situation.

Mentally Tough Performer of the Week (Week 7) - Manny Maholtra

Mental toughness is often seen as the player scoring the big goal or making the big save. The ability to execute under pressure is most certainly a key component of mental toughness. So to is coming back from an injury and providing inspiration to your team and city. Manny Maholtra's return to the Canucks lineup in Game 2 of the Finals not only reinserts a strong role player that takes face offs and kills penalties but it provided a lift to a team hampered by injuries.

Malholtra is the mentally tough performer of the week for Week 7. Malholtra won all but one of his face offs but also stirred an emotional response from the crowd. His return also energized a team dealing with the pressure of the expectation as the favorite to win the Cup and the distraction of Alex Burrows biting incident. Malholtra is the type of role player that every team needs in the pursuit of winning the Stanley Cup. While his contributions are not always easy to calculate, the return of Manny Malholtra and the toughness required to come back from a devastating injury are an inspiration.

Want to read more about the return of Manny Malholtra... www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=564898