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Shift Lengths, what are you coaching?

As coaches, we try and be the teachers of skills, maybe some life lessons, creativity and of course the love of the game of hockey... But how often do we think about what shift lengths do to the game and the kids? Are we getting the most out of our players and are they getting the most of the game? 

I found a couple articles worth a read that supports having kids skate much sorter shifts... Take a look at what the average NHL top notch conditioned player skates.....  45 seconds on average!!! 

 

//www.arcticicehockey.com/2010/2/10/1270271/shift-length-change-since-1997-98

 

Shift Length Change since 1997-98


The NHL has been collecting detailed ice time statistics since the 1997-98 season.  One interesting thing that we can see is a shift in individual shift lengths:

Shift1_medium 

This is the distribution of year-long average shift lengths by player, not the distribution of all shift lengths - the average shift length has dropped 7% over the last decade, from a 50-second average to 46.5 seconds.  Many of the long-shift outliers - Ray Bourque, Jaromir Jagr, Scott Stevens, Phil Housley, Brian Leetch - are no longer in the league, while Chris ProngerScott Niedermayer and Nicklas Lidstrom have shortened their shift lengths. Alex Ovechkin and Ilya Kovlachuk are the rare players who are shifting in the opposite direction, with average shift lengths over 65 seconds the last few years.

It's unfortunate that we have barely one decade worth of data, but I imagine that shift lengths have been dropping for decades - in the 1980s, I believe 60 seconds was the league average.  Some of that happened as rosters increased to the modern size of 20, and it has kept going as players have become fitter and talent more equally distributed throughout the league.

Optimal Even-Strength Shift Length, 2008-09



Tyler Dellow had a nice post about average shift lengths, and how the leaders almost all play in the Eastern Conference.  To quote Tyler: "it seems to me that being on the ice after a minute is sort of like being in a bar after 1:00 a.m. - there’s no guarantee that something bad will happen, it’s possible that something good will happen but the odds are slanted heavily in favour of something bad..."

And indeed that is true of Corsi percentage - the percentage of total shots that are shots for:

  Corsi_vs_time_medium 

The small uptick for 0-6 seconds is from the attacking team's defensemen jumping over the boards on an offensive rush.  The defending team had better not be changing when the puck is coming into its end!  At any rate, the break-even point is around 40 seconds, which is roughly the average even-strength shift length league-wide, and things fall apart after that. 

By 70 seconds, only 40% of total shots are shots for.  To put that in perspective, only the absolute worst players in the NHL have shot totals at that level - 40% for, 60% against.  Staying on the ice even just a bit beyond a minute usually turns the average NHL player into a defensive catastrophe on the scale of Wade Belak.  Shifts like this are relatively rare, but most players seem to have one egregiously long one per game, with, as you can see above, mediocre results.

The story is clear when you combine the results over longer periods of time:

 

Time on Ice Corsi % Shot % F Shot % A Ratio
7-15 51.2 8.0 7.7 1.04
16-30 52.2 8.5 8.3 1.02
31-45 49.5 8.7 8.6 1.01
46-60 46.2 8.4 8.8 0.95
>60

 

 So as shifts get longer, not only do shot totals take a wrong turn for tired players, but the quality of the opposing team's chances goes up too.  Bottom line: as Tyler said, nothing good is going to happen once you've been on the ice for a minute.

Coaching Requirements Explained

 Dear Minnesota Youth Hockey Coaches:

 

This is a season of tremendous change for the Coaching Education Program across the United States.  We in Minnesota will be affected by a number of differences from past years.  Those of you who have been coaching for a while, even one season, will recognize the differences when I point them out below.  I am hoping that by communicating early and often, we will all get used to these changes quickly and easily.   Here is an outline of the new elements of our coaching program - for complete details, visit the web sites referenced below:

 

1.       New national coaching requirements.   This is huge, and includes:

a.       The old chart which said that for a particular type of team you needed a particular CEP Level is GONE.   Forget about it.

b.      In place of the chart, new coaches take 1 clinic per season, starting with Level 1 their first year, then Level 2 the second, and Level 3 the third.   After that there are renewal options OR the chance to take Level 4. Coaches who are already certified start out at their current level, and then move on according to the above progression.

c.       In addition to having a “current” coaching level, all coaches need to take (at least) one of the new “age specific” online training modules.   If you are coaching Squirts, you take the 10-and-under online module.  These are inexpensive ($10) and very state-of-the-art, they’ll make you a better coach.   ALL active coaches need to take these, even those who already have level 4 and 5.

d.      The complete text of the new rule is in the “Coaches” section of the Minnesota Hockey website,http://www.minnesotahockey.org

2.       No more coaching cards.   If you already have a card, you can use it to verify prior season training, but starting this fall, the online (USA Hockey) coaching certification list will be used to verify current training, including your coaching program level and any age-specific training.  You can print it at any time from the web site.   Instructions for this are attached to this e-mail note.

3.       Level 1-3 Clinic prices were standardized at $40 each.   Online modules at $10 each.

4.       Excellent new manuals on body contact/checking will be passed out at Level 2 clinics.

5.       Small Area Games books will be passed out at Level 1 clinics.

6.       ADM on-ice reference cards/practice plans will also be passed out at Level 1 clinics.

7.       All coaches at clinics will receive a CD with completely new coaching manuals for Level 1-3, with added practice plans, and other reference material.

8.       Our coaching clinics will feature totally new presentations, with plenty of video and examples added.

9.       Significant changes to the Coaches section of www.usahockey.com to support all these new materials.

 

I know that there will be questions about all this.  Your association’s ACE (Coaching) Director will be trained to help you, and the USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey web sites mentioned above have been updated to answer questions and point you in the right direction.   I hope that these new materials, which were prepared with a huge investment of time and money for your benefit, will help you be a better coach for your young players.   My instructors and I will be learning about them along with you.  Please be patient in this inaugural year, but don’t hesitate to ask questions.  Have a great season!

 

Christian Koelling, Minnesota District Coach in Chief

 

 

Christian R. Koelling

Coach in Chief

USA Hockey - Minnesota

Koelling.USAHockey@gmail.com



Coaching Application Page

Coaches, It's time to apply for the upcoming season. Please fill out the form and click submit. If there are questions or concerns please contact the coaching manager

Jenna Binsfeld

Registrar

SCYHA Adopts "Jack's Pledge"

The Board of Directors for SCYHA has passed a motion to adopt “Jack’s Pledge” effective immediately.  Please take the time to read the attached and become familiar with it as soon as possible.

www.jackspledge.com