Three coaches give a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most important roles on a team.
On the surface, the role of a professional hockey video coach may seem simple, even dull. After all, don’t they just sit in a video room every day for hours breaking down play after play, game after game?
As any video coach will attest, the job is far from easy. It requires quick thinking, multitasking and long hours. At the ECHL level, a video coach fills other roles.
Ask any bench boss who’s fortunate enough to have such a position on his staff, and he’ll tell you it’s one of the most important on the team.
So, what exactly does a video coach on an ECHL team do?
A Day In The Life
For starters, being in charge of the video room is only part of the job description. In leagues like the ECHL, many video coaches wear a number of hats including team services, overseeing day-to-day operations and handling analytics.
Kody Degenstien joined the Florida Everblades this summer as the club’s video coach and team services coordinator. Born in a small town in Alberta, Canada, he held similar positions with the Newfoundland Growlers, London Knights and Brock University.
Along with breaking down video for the Kelly Cup Champion Everblades, Degenstien handles housing, meals and hotel arrangements for players and staff. He not only reviews video of his team, but opponents as well.
“You’re doing a lot of pre-scouting of other teams, finding any way you can to expose them and give (your) team a better chance to win,” explained Degenstien. “A lot of it is helping coaches create their video to present to teams. Essentially, you’re the tech guy, where if a coach’s computer has issues, that’s you.”
Indy Fuel assistant general manager Dennis Williamson Jr. took a different path to his current role, which involves handling roster transactions, analytics and video. The Virginia Beach native never played organized hockey, although he grew up around the sport through his parents, who regularly attended Hampton Roads Admirals games back in the 1990s. He also became acquainted with several players who stayed in billet houses during the season.
On game days, Williamson typically starts getting ready for video work about five hours before puck drop. He sets up a camera for his coaches that focuses exclusively on the action, separate from broadcast cameras.
Once the game starts, Williamson marks around 26 events using each letter of the alphabet. These marks run the gamut from basic stats such as points, shot attempts and faceoffs to more advanced analytics like how a player performs in the second game of a back-to-back versus three-plus days of rest.
Full video packages are sent to Fuel head coach and general manager Duncan Dalmao within approximately one hour after the game, although specific plays and situations are made available to be viewed during the game if needed.
“If you think of it, I mark it,” Williamson said. “During intermission, if the coach wants to see a random shot on goal over the course of a period, a penalty that occurred or maybe a questionable offside call, everything is marked, labeled right there, ready to go.”
Striking A Balance
It’s a juggling act, to be sure. Hours are long and often vary depending on game times and travel. The key, according to Iowa Heartlanders director of hockey operations and video coach Eric Michaud, is being thorough.
“First and foremost, you make sure you’re there for the coaching staff,” said Michaud, a Lewiston, Maine native who worked for the Kansas City Mavericks and Maine Mariners before arriving in Iowa. “Secondly, make sure the players are set based on what your position is. You gotta be diligent in everything you do, whether it’s organization or just the way you operate. You need to be on top of everything.”
Having access to video technology and analytics can be both a blessing and a curse. Before signing a player, coaches can watch every game, every shift or every shot attempt by that player to evaluate whether he’s a good fit. But there are only so many hours in a day, and staffs on ECHL teams are already spread thin.
“There’s so much out there that’s available, you can kind of get lost,” Williamson explained. “If I’m scouting a player, I don’t necessarily need to sit down and watch every shift he played last season. I can, if I want to commit that kind of time. But I don’t have that kind of time, so I gotta figure it out and watch a couple games against some of the better opponents he played or games that have a little more significance. You have to prioritize the things that are most important.”
Not every coach aspires to be a bench boss. But for those who do, A video coaching role can prepare them for such an opportunity.
“You’re not really watching the game,” Degenstien said. “You’re watching the game within the game. When you’re presenting video sessions, pre-scouting teams and learning new things, you gain so much knowledge from it. You’re not exiled into a room by yourself. You’re not alone. You’re in on every meeting, you’re on the ice for practice depending on certain teams. You’re just as much a coach as (the head coach). You’re just not sitting on the bench.”