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Todd's Take
Todd's Take is a weekly column written by Head Coach and
GM Todd Gill, giving his thoughts on
the previous week's games
Feb. 13, 2008
We had 3 games this past week that resulted in 2 wins
and 1 tie. Our game against Nepean, a possible playoff
match up, was well played even though we didn't have ice for
5 days leading up to the game. We battled hard to a well
earned victory. The Pembroke game was a game where we
sent a message that we are for real and can beat a real
good hockey team . Pembroke is a very well coached and
talented team that will be a force to deal with come playoff
time and we showed that were capable of competing with
the best in the league. Our last game was against Hawkesbury
, I was worried about a bit of a let down coming off the
Pembroke victory and we did come out a bit flat. We battled
hard and managed a tie but feel if we would have worked
our systems better then we did, we would have won that
game.
We have 9 games left before playoffs begin and will use
these games to prepare. Like all teams we have to have
our systems down pat with each player reacting without thinking
about the systems being used. As we all know a split second
can cause a break down and if were reacting because we
know our systems inside out these breakdowns will be minimized.
Mistakes are going to happen in a fast paced game, the
difference between winning and losing is the team that
makes the least amount of mistakes.
Your Truly In Hockey,
Todd Gill
Jan. 29, 2008
Last week we played Jeckyll and Hyde type of hockey. We
lost to Orleans, completely dominated Orleans and then
went on to lose to Cumberland. I must admit we are very
creative offensively but the success were having scoring
goals has completely gotten us away from the sound defensive
hockey we were playing at the start of the year. What
is the answer to this?
The team has to realize that when you can score the way
we can, that good defensive hockey will create more offence.
There were times in the last 7 games where we had players
on the ice for 2-3-4 goals for, but in saying that, they
were also on for as many against. And it was just a matter
of players not mentally prepared to play good defense.
There were players cheating for opportunities that if
it did work, would create a scoring opportunity, but if
didn't (this is my concern) ended up with us in an out
numbered situation in the defensive zone and this happened
more then we were prepared to accept. The Brockville Braves
are too good a hockey team to play this way and it is
up to myself and Jamie to correct these errors in judgment.
I, by no means want to take away our creative offensive
style, but the trend has shown we are getting beat more
often and this WILL STOP. This might mean our goals for
will take a bit of a hit , but if it wins us more hockey
games playing a better brand of defensive hockey, then
those who choose to continue on the path they have taken
will see a decrease in there playing time until they decide
that the only column they should be concerned about at
the end of the game is the win column. Personal stats
will grow if we all are on the same page.
Yours truly in Hockey,
Todd Gill
Jan. 23, 2008
This past weekend is what I love about the game of hockey.
Two teams evenly matched, battling and doing what ever
it takes to win the game. Friday night's game against
Pembroke was by far the most intense game I have been
involved in since purchasing the Braves. It had a playoff
atmosphere and the guys were pumped and ready for battle.
We fell behind early and exploded for 5 in the third to
take 2 points. It allowed me to see the type of character
this team has and what we are capable of doing when the
game is tight.
Sunday's game was again a very intense affair where we
had our chances to take 2 points but fell short. We battled
hard but costly turnovers cost us a chance to take a strangle
hold on the game. I give Pembroke credit though, like
all great teams they capitalized on those mistakes.
In talking with Pembroke's Coach and GM Sheldon Keefe,
we both agreed that our rivalry creates great a atmosphere
for both the fans and the boys and makes for very exciting
hockey.
Yours Truly in Hockey
Todd Gill
Jan. 16, 2008
It has been a very busy month leading up to the trade
deadline. We were fortunate to add 3 new players to the
Braves that I feel will add a much needed punch to our
lineup heading down the final months of the season.
Pat Jobb was added via a trade with the Cobourg Cougars.
Pat was the Cougars leading scorer and team Captain. Since
his arrival Pat has produced both offensively and defensively
and will only get stronger as the season progresses. He
has very good passing skills that have been taken advantage
of by his linemates both 5 on 5 and with the man advantage.
Aaron McLeod was obtained in a trade from Ottawa that
sent back Ottawa's 1st round pick that we got in the Matt
Tendler trade, they also received Brockville's 3rd round
draft pick in 08. Aaron is in the top 10 in league scoring
and adds a abundance of speed and skill to our lineup.
He has the ability to raise the level of the players around
him and does so nightly. The 3rd addition to the line
up was Matt Valois, Matt came to us from the Orleans Blues.
Matt played for the Nepean Raiders for the last 3 years
before his trade to Orleans. Matt brings us a physical
presence and has the ability to score. A very good skater
Matt can and has played both power play and penalty killing
in his CJHL career. Along with Matt we also obtained the
rights to Brock Bissonnette. Brock is a 16 year old defenseman
that we're hoping can crack the Braves line up in the
very near future. The Braves are very happy with the additions
they have made and look forward to the playoffs.
I would like to put out a special thanks to my staff that
provided me with the knowledge I needed to feel comfortable
in making these moves.
JOB WELL DONE GUYS
Yours Truly in Hockey,
Todd Gill
Dec. 10, 2007
This past weekend we were 1-1 in a home and away series
against Hawkesbury. We played a very good game at home
and lost in Hawkesbury in what I consider the worst game
of the year.
My concern with the Hawkesbury game was not that we lost
by a huge margin, it was how we lost. We have to learn
as a team that there will be adversity and what we need
to do to handle that adversity. I can honestly say we
didn't quit, but we got completely away from what we have
done that has made us one of the best teams in the CJHL.
We went from a team that plays withint a system where
each individual has a job to do, and when that job is
done we have success, when that job is not done, it puts
his linemates in a very tough position because they now
have to try and make up for the missed assignment and
they now have to change what they are doing and so on
down the line until you have such total chaos that everyone
on the ice is chasing the puck and nobody is in position.
That happened Sunday afternoon and we were given a old
fashion butt kicking.
When you have a game like this and every team does now
and then, how do you recover from it? There's a number
of things we can do, and my suggestion is to forget the
game and move forward. Goals have been coming easy for
us and when this happens the players forget how hard they
had to work, and how these chances were created. Our reputation
is that of a hard working team that has a abundance of
scoring and if you look at our statistics the scoring
is very spread out throughout our line up. We have 7 guys
that have 10 plus goals and 2 more at 7 and 1 at 6, there
is not another team in out league that can say this, but
without sticking to our systems and working hard we won't
have the success in the future that we have had so far.
This weeks practice will be based on the basics. We have
alot of talent on this team but talent is useless without
a good work ethic and its the job of the coaching staff
to instill that work ethic. The guys have to understand
that yes it's only one game but all the hard work and
effort they have put into the year so far to give the
Brockville Braves a reputation of a very good team and
one that had a mental advantage over the weaker teams
in the league just got thrown out the window. Now we need
to reestablish that reputation. TIME WILL TELL.
Yours truly in hockey,
Todd Gill
Dec. 4, 2007
We had a great week going 3 and 0 against Ottawa (7-2),
Orleans (4-1),and Smiths Falls (8-4). I'm very proud of
the team and how they have taken to the system we have
set out for them, and we have become a very hard club
to play against. We have shown patience, and have not
deviated from these systems at any time throughout games
that are close or games that we are in full control of.
The hardest thing to do as a player when you are getting
chance after chance and not being able to score is to
try harder and not change what is providing them with
those chances. With the patience we have shown, we have
been able to wear down teams with our relentless attacking
forecheck, and the results have been very rewarding. We
are now 2nd overall in goals for in the CJHL and if we
continue on this pace 1st overall is within our grasp.
But goals for does not always win hockey games for you,
we have the 3rd best goals against in the CJHL and I would
like to improve in this area. Goals against in my opinion
is a reflection on the entire team not just your goaltending
and I feel we have been very good defensively but can
get better.
I would like to congratulate Clarke Saunders for being
named GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH in the
CJHL.
Yours truly in hockey
Todd Gill
Nov. 26, 2007
I'm sure the boys are tired as we have played 6 games
in the last 10 nights. We ended up with 8 out of a possible
12 points. We have had guys playing extra-shifts due to
injuries and they have done a marvelous job.
This game of hockey is such a humbling sport , its amazing
how a player or team can go out and dominate one night
and the very next night look and feel like they have never
played the game or with each other before. It's one of
the most discouraging things a player has to go through
and it is a feeling that every player, no matter the level,
has experienced. The secret to overcoming this is when
things don't go well you have to keep your game very boring
and simple. You have to make sure you're playing solid
defense whether you're a scorer or not . What will kill
you is when you try to force the issue, and the more you
force the worse the results. If you keep it simple you
will find that the lanes will open up, and when this happens
you start making the passes you were making when things
were going well and the slump is over.
That being said, keeping things simple is a very hard
thing to do because you feel you're not contributing but
remember not getting scored on is a HUGE contribution.
Yours truly in hockey
Todd Gill
Nov. 20, 2007
We went 1-1 this past week losing to Nepean 4-2 and winning
against Smiths Falls 5-2. The parity in our league this
year is awesome and makes every win and loss crucial to
where you rank in the standings. A win bolts you over
a team and a loss drops you a couple positions.
We as a team have had some internal adversity thrown at
us and I'm very proud of the way the team has handled
the situation. I now have a better understanding of why
my coaches did certain things many years ago. There were
times when I thought they were just trying to scare us
into doing things their way or they were just having a
bad day. Now that I'm on the other side, I have realized
that the coach's job is not only to teach the players
the systems and individual skills on the ice, but to teach
and mold their life-skills off the ice as well, so when
their hockey days are over they have the confidence to
apply what they have learned towards their next challenge.
Most of our players are billets and when they leave home
to achieve their hockey goals, one thing that is sometimes
forgotten is the parents. It's got to be very tough for
a parent to let go and allow their child to travel in
some cases hundreds of miles away to a strange city and
live with strangers. Jamie and I as well as the rest of
the Braves organization have to show that their kids are
well taken care of both on and more importantly off the
ice as well.
Yours truly in hockey,
Todd Gill
Nov. 13, 2007
We had a great weekend, beating Ottawa 9-3 and then going
into Nepean and playing one of the best games we have
played this year, beating them 4-2. The one fear any coaching
staff has when having success is that their team will
become over confident and cocky and I am very happy with
the way the guys are handling the success and how hard
they are working each day to become better then the day
before.
In saying this I truly believe the fans of Brockville
and our opponents have not seen the best of the Brockville
Braves yet. The toughest thing for a new player coming
into our league is when they were the top guns on their
previous teams squad and when they get here they realize
that would not be the case. Mentally that's a very hard
thing to comprehend, they start feeling like they aren't
good enough to play in this league. I can see guys like
Cromie, and Stockton with each passing game pick up their
play and becoming more confident and their contributions
have been huge.
SUCCESS COMES TO THOSE WHO ARE PREPARED TO BATTLE THROUGH
FAILURE AND LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES.
Our scouting staff has done a marvelous job not only picking
good hockey talent but good people who have battled through
failure, learned from their mistakes and are seeing the
fruits of their labor.
Yours truly in hockey
Todd Gill
Nov. 6, 2007
We are tied with Pembroke and Smiths Falls for the overall
league lead, I will say that I'm very proud of the way
the boys have played. While I realize that mistakes will
happen and losses do occur, the one thing that I will
not allow is for these mistakes to occur when a player
is not giving 100%. I'm the first to admit that a player
can't have 60 great games, but I can say that they can
have 60 games where even if things aren't going his way
he can still give 100% towards making sure he does not
get scored on.
There are times when a player tries to do to much to get
out of a funk and the secret is to concentrate on the
other parts of his game that won't make him a liability
on the ice, when he does this he will find that solid
defensive play opens up offensive opportunities and his
natural offensive abilities will come through.
The quicker our players learn this the better our team
will become.
Yours truly in hockey,
Todd Gill
Oct. 30, 2007
We have had a very good start to the season and I'm very
proud of the way the entire organization has rallied around
each other to become one of the top teams in the CJHL
both on and off the ice. I'm very encouraged by the way
everyone from the management, to the players and volunteers
have given the Brockville Braves 100% of themselves to
make us successful.
This past week we again were 1-1 in games against Ottawa,
and Smiths Falls. It's unfortunate we let 2 points slip
away against Ottawa but bounced back and showed a lot
of character against our Hwy 29 rival. With continued
hard work and attention to detail I see the Braves improving
even more and becoming a much stronger team.
The Braves traded away Matt Tendler to the Ottawa Sens
on Monday. Matt was a huge leader for the team both
on and off the ice and will be missed not only as a
player but more so as a friend . He will get an opportunity
to go to Ottawa and play a majority of their games and
I'm confident he will succeed in getting the scholarship
he has worked so hard for. GOOD LUCK MATT
Your truly in hockey
Todd Gill
Oct. 26, 2007
This past week we ended up getting 2 out of 4 points winning
against Hawkesbury on Friday night and losing to Cumberland
on Sunday afternoon. I am very happy with the way our
team is playing 5 on 5 hockey. They are sticking to the
systems we have put in place and are being rewarded for
their hard work. I do have a concern on the number of
penalties we are taking at inappropriate times and we
as a group have to improve in that area. The boys seem
to be getting along very well both on and off the ice
and team unity goes along way to your team having success.We
have had a good week of practice and look forward to our
3 upcoming games next week. The league is tight at the
top with 5 teams within 2 points of 1st place, we have
games in hand on all in front of us and must bear down
and get all points available. There is no room for having
a bad game and we must be prepared for each and every
shift, period and game like it is our last. With this
attitude and desire LOOK OUT 1ST PLACE HERE WE COME !!!!!!
GO BRAVES GO
Your truly in hockey
Todd Gill
Oct. 17, 2007
Hello to all our fans that support us each week, and thank
you for supporting the Brockville Braves. The Brockville
Braves have gotten off to a great start this year and
I'm very encouraged by what the future has in store for
us.
I have been asked to write a column each week describing
how I feel the team is doing. I can say I'm very proud
of how the team has meshed and have taken to the systems
the coaching staff have set in place for them. In my
humble opinion we have the deepest team in the league
at all 3 positions and that makes us a very hard team
to compete against.
We have played 11 games so far and have a record of
8 wins 1 loss and 2 ties. Mike Byrd leads the way with
17 points but it is a team first attitude that encourages
the coaching staff the most. We have an abundance of
players playing the best hockey of their CJHL careers.
I truly believe your best players have to be the best
players to be successfull at any level you play and
if you look at the stats, our top 6 point getters are
the older players that I expect to lead this team and
they have performed admirably. But in saying this, stats
are not always a benchmark on how players are performing.
We have guys like Marks, T-Atkins, Tendler who have
stepped up their game defensively and are huge contributors
to our success without the points. I'm very encouraged
by the new players we have brought in, they have played
extremely well considering they don't know our league
and how competitive it is , and with time will excel
having played and understanding what they have to do
to succeed.
I understand the year is young and there is alot of
parity in the league , and this makes every point you
win or lose so important. The coaching staff will do
everything at our disposal to make sure our kids are
prepared to play and compete and bring home 2 points.
Yours truly in hockey,
Todd Gill
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