Modest Flyers coach has paid his dues
Saturday, May 3, 2008 | 11:45 AM ET
It’s been almost 25 years since Rob Blake was drafted by the Ontario Hockey League’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Shortly after his selection, he got a phone call from someone he’d never met before.
“It was John Stevens,” Blake said, referring to the current Philadelpia Flyers coach. “He asked me what I was doing to get ready to play at the next level. I said, ‘Not much.’ John told me to meet him at the gym.”
Blake didn’t know it, but his level of preparation was about to change.
“There weren’t a ton of players from Simcoe [Ontario] to make the NHL,” says Oilers goalie Dwayne Roloson, who is on that short list. “There was Rick Wamsley, but he came well before us. John was really the only guy close to our age who could tell us what to expect. And he went out of his way to help. He really made a big impact on us.”
Wamsley, a goalie, spent 13 seasons with Montreal, St. Louis, Calgary and Toronto. But when he began his NHL career, Blake and Roloson were just 11 years old. The age difference was too large.
Stevens was just four years older. Drafted in 1984, he made his NHL debut during the 1986-87 season. That was one year before Blake went to the NCAA (he never did play in the OHL) and four years before Roloson followed.
“His brother owned the one gym in town,” Roloson said. “And we would meet him there to work out. John took it very seriously, and eventually we did, too.”
“I believe his nickname was Rambo, because of how hard he worked out,” Blake said.
Stevens is still in excellent shape and expects nothing less from his players. During the off-day between Games 3 and 4 of this series, the Flyers didn’t skate but did have a weight-training workout.
But his impact extended beyond the exercise room.
“Two or three times a week during the summer, he would drive us to St. Catharines, because he felt we could only improve if we skated with better players,” said Blake. “Owen Nolan was one of them. It was an hour-long trip each way and he made sure we went.”
One of four brothers (Terry, Larry and Bob), Stevens was “right in the middle of them” in terms of hockey style, Roloson says. “One of them was a killer, no one wanted to play against him. Another one was very skilled. John was talented and he was tough, but not like either of the other two.”
That mix, however, made him the best of the brothers on the ice. Stevens played 53 NHL games before an eye injury ended his career in 1999. His two star pupils, along with fellow Simcoe trainees Nelson Emerson and Ryan Vandenbussche, all played many more NHL games. To them, it’s no surprise Bob Clarke tagged him a future coach.
“You can see his players really like playing for him,” Blake says. “And, just by watching, you can see he really cares about them.”
The interesting thing about all of this is that the coach brought up none of it. Greg Millen was wondering how someone from New Brunswick played for the Oshawa Generals, and Stevens explained how his family moved when he was young. When he mentioned Simcoe, I asked if he knew Roloson or Blake.
His reply: “A little. They are both younger than me.”
After speaking to the two of them, it’s clear Stevens is being modest. He had an enormous impact on both of them. Just like he’s having an enormous impact on the Flyers.
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Elliotte Friedman is the host of the CFL ON CBC. Prior to being named host in 2006, Friedman worked on the CFL on CBC broadcasts for the three seasons as a sideline reporter. A Toronto native, Friedman is well known for his additional work on Hockey Night in Canada, as well as his presence on the Torino 2006 Winter Games telecasts as a hockey reporter. Prior to joining the CBC, Friedman worked at The Score network and was widely regarded as one of the best reporters in the country. Friedman used his reporting skills to break stories and file feature reports for high profile events including six Stanley Cup Finals, four Grey Cup Championships, two World Series and one Olympic Games. He is also a regular on the nationally syndicated Prime Time Sports radio telecast, hosted by Bob McCown.
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Comments
DJD
Kamloops,B.C.
My oh my...sure a lot if bitter fans out there.Coming from someone who has watched Montreal (and 5 other teams) since the 60's,I have seen them get out-played,out-hit,out-chanced and ,generally,do absolutely nothing for 58 minutes and then all of a sudden...they won the game.To now have people whining that they don't get ANY breaks is REALLY sweet.After a lifetime...I FINALLY got payback....Thanks Philly.
Posted May 8, 2008 10:03 AM
Brent
The Flyers scare me. Pittsburgh avoided winning the last game of the season for a reason. It wouldn't surprise me if it goes 7 games and if the winning goal goes off someone's backside in overtime.
Posted May 6, 2008 10:56 AM
Randy
I really thought the Habs out played the flyers in every way. The goals the flyers got were lucky that's for sure. And that brings me to Cary Price. There were about two goals from every game against the Flyers that he just had no chance on. there were the two or three goals that were screened the deflection off the shoulder, the wrap around that found it's way into a three inch hole. I guess it just wasn't meant to be for the Habs this year. Or any Canadian team for that matter. Hey lets get a new Canadian hockey league started up that's what we need!!! And leave American teams out!!!!!
Posted May 5, 2008 09:04 PM
Pete Calabrese
Dear Joe Bearson,
This tired story of the Broad Street Bullies is BS. Yes they had high suspension numbers - one was in the pre-season from a marginal player who even when on the roster sat. Campbell gave some overly high suspensions early on then mysteriously failed to suspend players later in the year when they gooned up on the FLyers.
Funny how Afinegenov slewfooted and stomped a Flyer to the yawns of the NHL brass. Flyers being drilled headfirst into the boards met no 25 game suspensions.
You want to talk about the 70's? Are you kidding me? The FLyers have always played tough hockey but they never went out to INJURE people. Stevens elbows and jumping into the air to check players was praised. He had intent to INJURE. But if you want to talk about the 70's let's talk. Serge Savard brutally cross-checking Jimmy Watson in the jaw during the playoffs. That woould be a 25 game suspension today but that was from the "Flying Frenchmen." The Bruins were choir boys? The Rangers who whined so much in 74 (Brad Park) never dished it out? Give me a break.
Fact is Laraque went skates first into Biron - no suspension. Crosby slew-footed Biron in the same game no penalty or suspension. Malkin went on a slew-footing spree in the Rangers game they lost - no suspension. Sounds like Pittsburgh's management (Ray Shero is the son of Fred Shero) needs a lot more watching thean Philly's
The Flyers have a rep but they certaionly have it earned it other thatn that the LaFleur's Gretzky's and Crosby's of the world whine if they're checked. Heck I could score 50 if they weren't allowed to check me
Posted May 5, 2008 04:49 PM
Jason
Philadelphia
I wanted this post to be a confirmation of the great job that John Stevens and his coaching staff have done for the Flyers this season. Looking at where this team finished last season and where we are now, Stevens and Paul Holmgren have done a marvelous job and rightly should be commended for it.
Unfortunately I once again find myself in the position of defending both my hometown team and my hometown, as the "goon" label has reared its ugly head. I was not around to witness the Flyers in the 1970s (I was born in '78), but to compare this year's Flyer team to the Bullies is ridiculous. The Downie and Boulerice suspensions were well-deserved, the Jones suspension was warranted only due to the severity of the injury inflicted on Patrice Bergeron (who thankfully will be able to play again), but the following suspensions were overreactions in my opinion.
The Flyers play a rough, in-your-face style of hockey. They are not pretty like the Canadiens and they never will be. Flyers fans have become accustomed to this style, much like Montreal fans expect a fast skating, quick passing team. To call them goons is to focus only on the extreme negatives of this season and completely overlooks the accomplishments.
I apologize if this was long, but I didn't know how else to say it! I don't expect this to change Jake's mind about us being "goons", but that's cool. It's your opinion, this is mine.
Posted May 5, 2008 02:58 PM
jake
Winnipeg
The Flyers make me sick, which means they're playing Flyers hockey--Slap Shot hockey. The Caps were robbed in game 7 on that tying goal. They put the puck into the corner, took out the goalie, centred it an scored into an empty net--a typical Hansen Brothers goal.
The Penguins will have their hands full, but Crosby and crew are too good to be stopped by a team of goons. But then again, I picked the Sens to beat the Ducks last year, and look what happened. Pens in 6.
Posted May 5, 2008 02:39 AM
TM
Ontario
The Flyers remind me of how a team canada would play in an interantional tournament. I read a few days back that there are 14 former Canadian Juniors on the Flyers, and they do play a very 'canadian' style.
The Flyers have nothing to loose and are dangerous for all teams to play right now.
T
Posted May 4, 2008 11:40 PM
Joe Bearson
I sense that Stevens is a very intelligent and talented strategist. Certainly, one must be impressed with the Flyers' post season success. The team is willful and resilient, and his ability to motivate the players must be noted.
Yet, what gives me pause in fully praising John for the team's achievements is my reaction to the cartoonish and violent style of hockey played by the Flyers during the season. Marked by well-deserved suspensions, the 2007-08 Philadelphia team may have failed to achieve the type of respect Stevens desires. I shall continue to wonder about the degree to which his leadership allowed for or encouraged gratuitous violence and disrespect for the rules designed to protect the players from serious injury.
Perhaps this problem has more to do with the Philadelphia fan base, the team's unfortunate traditions, and/or the perspectives of the people running the front office. Those of us who watched the Flyer brutishness of the 70's do not wish to see the NHL quality of play sullied by another version of the Broad Street Bullies even if it works for the gate owing to the fact that high drama demands its villans.
Posted May 4, 2008 01:24 PM