On the final day of TCS Live 2025, coaches filled Yost Ice Arena for four more amazing on-ice presentations, which will all be available this fall on The Coaches Site.
The day kicked off with Duante Abercrombie’s strategy for creating offence from the wall. Abercrombie knows that all coaches want to lead teams that play fast. He began with a simple drill, having players grab a loose puck along the wall at low speed and as soon as they touched it, turn quickly and accelerate through. He noted that players are always going to be under pressure and defenders are working to react to their direction and speed, so he added a player diving into the drill and forced the player to protect the puck. Abercrombie translated this technique to 2-on-2 situations and emphasized the importance of being aware of their surroundings and always moving to the middle of the ice from the wall.
Jill Plandowksi hit the ice next to break down the mechanics and strategy behind a fluent backward skate. She started with working on the foundations, which begins with posture. With hips and shoulders aligned and full blade on the ice, it allows for easier control into the glide. With the players on ice, Plandowkski went through a series of drills progressing from two foot glide, to a one foot, to then being able to add the push. During this step specifically, she encouraged the crowd when teaching younger players this move to make a question mark with their skate for power rather than a traditional C. Plandowski emphasized that being able to shift weight between legs is the key to an effortless backward skate. When putting everything together at full speed, Plandowski’s backward skate is built on posture, glide, and weight shift.
For years, coaches have stuck to the traditional skating, passing, and shooting drills, but Tobias Johansson is working to move away from that. His practice goal is to maximize development, activity level, and repetition. Through drills that allow players to skate freely, create more movement, and feel confident about their decisions, Johansson was able to prove his method of keeping players active through practice. His strategy works to increase playing speed, use strong positioning to maintain possession, and encourages players to “dare to handle the puck.” Something Johansson wants coaches to consider through his methods is, “Players with the puck are the present. Players away from the puck are the future.”
Finishing off this year’s conference time at Yost Ice Arena, Dan Ceman shared a session focusing on transitioning from defensive zone coverage to breakouts. His strategy starts with the base of utilizing short passes. When in the corners during a puck battle, players need to be predictable in their spots to be ready for the short pass and breakaway moment. Ceman used drills to show this in motion, alongside focusing on net-front defence to have an exit lane available for the breakout. Players away from the puck have to be ready for the support and remain calm to be prepared to get puck possession. Ceman finished his session by reminding that it all comes back to being able to make clean and efficient short passes for the rest of the system to build off of.
Back at the Power Center, Craig Custance inspired all with stories and insights from his work writing The Franchise: The Business of Building Winning Teams and Behind the Bench: Inside the Minds of Hockey's Greatest Coaches. He focused on three developmental lessons that he had learned from NHL executives Julien BriseBois, Jim Rutherford, and George McPhee. Custance highlighted that from each person he had the opportunity to speak to, he has learned lessons that have affected him personally and the decisions he makes. From his conversations, Custance has found out how many difficult decisions executives have to make and shared the importance of having core beliefs at the forefront of these.
In a different format than the rest of the presentations, Hudl hosted a panel discussion on the use of technology in promoting the development and growth of players. The panel was made up of Conor Allen from the United States National Team Development Program, Kevin Clancy from Cambridge Minor Hockey, Drew Winkler from the Washington Little Capitals Hockey Club, and hosted by Ben Cooper, who is the Head Coach at HC Olimpija. The diversity in fields and plates between the panel opened up an interesting conversation about how technology has improved each of their programs. One of the common themes from the trio was the availability of technology allowing players to take ownership of their development. By having consistent access to video and data, players become participants in their hockey journey rather than passengers.
As a performance training coach, Mark Fitzgerald brought his expertise to challenge what we define as success in youth hockey. Fitzgerald referenced the analogy of baking a cake and needing different ingredients and combinations, but in the end, the execution of steps is more important than just the recipe. He used this example to draw into comparison to the current landscape of youth hockey, of focusing solely on sport specialization and overloading on training. Fitzgerald brought his message back to the use of play for young athletes when they are in the pre-puberty age to avoid both injuries and burnout. By holding off on the extra training until the post-puberty stage, youth hockey players have the chance to engage in different movement patterns, which will benefit them long-term.
TCS Live 2025 concluded with a powerful conversation between Aaron Wilbur and Calgary Flames Assistant Coach Brad Larsen, who shared his journey of resilience, humility, and faith. Larsen spoke about the influence of his life experiences, including battles with cancer and his early junior hockey leadership roles, in shaping a coaching style focused on intensity, accountability, and appreciation for the game. Emphasizing standards over culture, he drew from mentors like John Tortorella and stressed the value of selflessness, pressure, and identity built through action rather than words. Grounded in his beliefs, Larsen views coaching as a way to serve others, highlighting that true success comes from connection, care, and listening.
