Former NHL player Brent Gilchrist reflects on Scotty Bowman's coaching style and contrasts fearless leadership with typical executive decision-making.
Opinion
Gilchrist: Montreal Media Favored French-Canadian Players Over Equal English Counterparts
“There's no question, amongst the players, there was no rivalry between French and English players, but certainly in, in the Montreal media, There was always a rivalry, and if a French player, I think, the way we felt as English players, anyway, if a French pla…”
Insight
Gilchrist: NHL Captains Function as Emotional Leaders, Not Executive Decision-Makers
“But in hockey, like, the captain's not making decisions, so he's not the leader of the team. He's the, he may be the emotional leader or the best player leader on the ice and in the locker room, but he's beyond the leader, the leadership of decision making, wh…”
Insight
Gilchrist: Elite Players Differentiate Through Peak Consistency, Not Superior Raw Skill
“I think the best players in the game, the best players in the world, and the, historically, the Hall of Famers, I don't think their skills are that much better than everybody else. They are better, and Circumstances, sure, they may be faster, better shots, bet…”
Insight
Gilchrist: Physical Limitations Do Not Disqualify Players If They Drive Wins
“You either can play and help a team win, or you can't. There's no attribute that's gonna say you can't do this. If you're small and you can't play, it means you're not good enough to play, and so everybody's judged on whether you help a team win or not, whethe…”
Insight
Gilchrist: Great Sports Teams Play for Teammates Over Organizational Branding
“That the front of the jersey the logo does mean less, and I think what means the same is your teammates. I think the great teams play for each other. They play for their team. Sure, they play for their fans. They want to make their fans proud, but if it's not …”
Assertion Contradicted
Gilchrist: Scotty Bowman Benched Superstar Sergei Fedorov to Motivate the Red Wings
“I remember him sitting out Sergei Fedorov, like, one of the best players in the world, and Sergei had probably had a couple bad games which is not uncommon for anybody in the league, and I think Scotty decided to sit him out, and that was like, well, that's a …”