Players often need a bit of an extra push to be successful, that is true. However, the days of old time, grumpy slave driving coaches are absolutely in the past. And more than ever, we are seeing a new crop of players who are drawn to the more tactile and reserved coaches who know how to lead behind closed doors and without embarrassing their players in practice or in front of the media. Being an internal player leader can have very similar effects. In fact, the one way that I have found that brings the most out of my teammates is to just be empathetic and compassionate. We are all out here pushing our hardest toward a common goal. My teammates don’t need me to tell them when they have made a bad play or something they did cost us a goal at either end of the ice. Because, before I know it I will be the one making a play like that. So I often live by the mantra “next play”, for myself and my teammates. And I have found that we are all better and play looser with that in mind.