This year, a parent reached out to me, concerned that our team hadn’t been able to string together a win in our last stretch of games. We’re a new team, it’s been tough to recruit players, and the parent even mentioned it would be nice to have that “one” star player to carry us. Personally, I’m okay having a roster full of average players rather than relying on a single go to star. It’s just a different kind of challenge for me, and the real test is getting the team to play together, rather than simply handing the puck off and hoping for a miracle.
I’ve coached both kinds of situations, and I can tell you with a star player that, over time, I started noticing subtle changes. The other players weren’t anticipating plays, they were waiting. Support routes weren’t sharp. Off-puck movement slowed. Instead of engaging, teammates deferred. The team became reactive instead of connected. I realized that what had begun as reliance on my top player was turning into dependency. And because we were still winning, it was easy to overlook.
It wasn’t a criticism of him, he was an incredible player, but it was a coaching challenge I had to address. I noticed that, without a structure demanding collective involvement, the team unconsciously outsourced problem-solving to him. Breakouts defaulted to him. Entries funneled toward him. Under pressure, the puck found him, not because it was the best option, but because it had become the safest habit.
The solution wasn’t taking the puck away from him, it was giving the team clarity. We worked on clear support routes, automatic reads, and systems that required movement, spacing, and shared responsibility. When everyone knew where to go and when, the puck started moving faster, pressure was absorbed collectively, and my star player became more dangerous—without being overworked.
That season taught me that the best teams don’t lean on talent alone. The true challenge as a coach is building an environment where everyone is thinking, moving, and contributing, even when one player stands out.
