Hire Tim Turk to improve your hockey shot. He will change your game by changing your stick, pattern, Flex etc. Transcript: "You know, that's a tough question. What do you do to improve your hockey shot? And normally if you're at the pro level or close to pro level, you probably need to hire a pro. Therefore, you gotta hire a guy like Tim Turk. Tim Turk is a guy that's, you know, changed guys' games. He's changed very many guys, like even Conor Bedard's game. So he'll go change your stick, change your pattern, change your lie, change your flex. Everything about your game. So in my opinion, Tim Turk's your guy."
Yes, players are being sent to Russia despite the political climate. The decision for them usually comes down to if they can be safe and financially looked after while there. Transcript: "Are you sending players to Russia during this political climate? Well, the answer is yes. You know, like, it's not up to me to decide, you know, politically, you know, you shouldn't go there because of Putin or whatever. I mean, if the players being offered a job and like, keep in mind when players go to Russia, they can be offered five, six, seven, eight hundred, even a million dollars, or they can go to the American Hockey League and make a hundred grand or a hundred and fifty grand. So it becomes a decision what's best for them and their family. And in Russia, all the players have been paid well, they travel well, you know, their places where they live are good. There's really most of the cities and most of the teams in the KHL are very professional. So from my perspective, not being the political guy in this situation is if the player can be safe, looked after, financially looked after, and come home with, you know, X amount of dollars in his bank account. That's really what it comes down to."
The biggest myth about hockey is that agents are miracle workers and can get players on teams with a wave of a wand. Transcript: "What is the biggest myth about hockey? That agents are miracle workers. And you know what, as much as I can say agents can help and maybe leverage relationships and you know pick up the phone and phone a guy who is a GM or a coach and but still at the end of the day an agent can only do so much and that's been always my opinion for people. I tell them that you know hire an agent that you that you work comfortable with, that you feel comfortable, that you have a good relationship, good rapport, but honestly agents can only do so much and I always say this to people when they hire us is I don't have like this magical wand and boop you're on the world junior team. It just doesn't work like that."
Prior to COVID-19, there were a few teams in Asia, including one in Russia, two in Korea, and a handful in Japan. After COVID-19, the Russian team is gone and there is now only one team in Korea (Zenyoung Halle) and one in Japan (Yokohama Grits). Next year, when the region is more recovered from COVID-19, there may be two more teams established. Transcript: "Are there many teams in Asia? Well, there really isn't that many, so to speak. Before COVID, there was one team in Russia that played in the Asian League. There was two Korean teams and a handful of Japanese teams. Now, after COVID, the Russian team is gone, and they're down to one team in Korea, with this N.Yang Hala. And Japan actually has a new kind of quote-unquote expansion team, being the Yokohama Grits. Now, next year, when we're kind of through COVID, and especially in that part of the world, you know, COVID is obviously more serious than it is in some parts of the world, I can see there being maybe two teams in Korea, even though I haven't heard that yet. And Yokohama will be probably a... maybe they'll be able to get more sponsors and be able to, you know... because that's what happens in a lot of those teams, is whoever has the most sponsors normally has the highest budget, normally gets the highest end imports."
Young players should relax and trust the process; they cannot force the system to draft or put them on the first line, but rather must trust that the people around them are giving them the right advice. Transcript: "I think a critical area for those young players, those 16, 17, 18, 19 year old players, is just relax. And I hate using the cliche of trust the system and trust the process. But it is exactly that. You can't force the system to want you. You can't force the system to draft you or to put you on the first line of first powerplay. You have to trust what you're doing is right and the people around you are giving you the right advice. And that's what I'm here to do. I'm here to help."
Good players possess an underrated and overlooked skill which is how they conduct themselves off the ice. Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Connor Hellebuyck are examples of players who do not cause drama or have any bad publicity associated with them. It is important for hockey players to be as good as they can off the ice and on social media. Transcript: "Dave, good question. What is an underrated or overlooked skill that good players have? And I really believe it is that what they do off the ice. You know, there's a lot of players that draw attention to themselves and cause drama, social media, off social media. And I really believe that is an underrated skill that you see the great players. Like a great example I bring up all the time is Sidney Crosby. What do you ever hear about Sidney Crosby? You don't hear a thing about Sidney Crosby. You don't hear about him getting arrested, having a gun, you know, illicit acts with underage girls, whatever it is. You know, like the guy is, you know, I don't like to use the word flawless, but I can't honestly think of a thing I've heard about him or Connor McDavid, Leon Dreisaitl, Connor Hellebuck. You don't hear anything bad about any of those players. And I think that that is something that's kind of underrated and overlooked, especially in hockey. I think that guys need to try and be as good as they can off the ice and on social media."