This is really interesting: https://www.wch2016.com/news/team-europe-coach-has-seemingly-done-it-all/c-281751508?tid=281230896 Also, Ralph has just led Team Europe (a best of the rest mish-mash of European nations without their own stand-alone national team) to the final of the World Cup of Hockey, beating Sweden - an upset. They now face Canada in the final.
There's quite a bit of that in the tournament. The whole idea of this newly-made-up preseason tournament is to feature the best players in the NHL in the hopes of using it as a future justification for pulling them out of the Olympics, so rather than having second-tier European nations, they instead created a separate team of under-23 NHLers from North America. Had they advanced, you would have had the oddity of Canadian/American players opposite the Canadian/American teams.
Typical of the man. He's a bit verbose for some but he makes a lot of sense to me. And when he says it three times you can be absolutely in no doubt of his meaning and intention. Despite what the article says, I just hope he doesn't get a strong enough whiff of ice-hockey to be tempted away from Saints.
Of course. He goes into the dressing room just before kick off and tells the lads to get the little white multi-coloured round thing into the net at the end of the field. It is a bloody good strategy.
Bit of a side question but on the subject of hockey - I've been looking to get into the NHL more. so if anyone that's a fan could recommend an interesting team to follow, that would be great. I'm leaning towards either San Jose (purely because I've worked in San Francisco) but if there's a Saints equivalent in the hockey world, that would be great.
A recent tweak to the strategy talk was to remind the players not to let the multicoloured round thing into the net guarded by Fraser/Alex. That's going well too.
Has to be the Vancouver Canucks. Beautiful west-coast city (Canada hasn't got a south coast!), passionate fans (they rioted for days a few years back when the team choked in the final games of the Stanley Cup final series), never won the top trophy.
Ah they sounds spot on. Playing tomorrow as well, so perfect chance to give them a go. Thanks for the tip.
Don't know if you already do but my advice would be to go to a game in the UK. It's wildly different seen live and the game I went to last year was just so exciting in the flesh. Even my 16 y.o. daughter thought it was fabulous and she has never, not once, shown any interest in any other sport. Vin
I've been meaning to for a while now actually. I used to live in Guildford but never took the opportunity to go and see their team. I'm South London at the mo so I guess either Guildford or Basingstoke would be the best. Which team did you go and see?
We went to Swindon. The thing that really helped was that they have a balcony where you can look down on the game. That gave an excellent perspective on what was going on. So I'd suggest whomever you see, that might help (though I'm working on a sample of one game and rinkside might give even more excitement). Our tickets were £14, IIRC. Being able to keep an eye on everything going on rather than losing the puck every time it's hit a la TV coverage makes a big difference. I'd strongly advise reading an introduction to the rules or it doesn't make much sense. South London? http://streatham-hockey.co.uk/ Vin
The Canucks are a dirt bag team! Their players are constantly taking dives for penalties, and they have the worst scum bag in the NHL! Alexander Burrows. I would highly recommend Calgary Flames, a young , fast exciting team
Ralph should never have been fired by the Oilers, the best coach they have had in years. Incidently, they fired him via Skype, through his daughters computer!
I can't ice-skate so I'd be at a slight disadvantage. Unless clinging onto the side is a genuine tactic deployed by teams - then I'd be the best.