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Versatility Increases Players' Value

By Steve Mann, Special to Minnesota Hockey, 11/07/17, 10:45AM CST

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Brent Burns was a solid right wing. Big, strong, fast and skilled, Burns demonstrated enough promise to be drafted in the first round (20th overall) by the Minnesota Wild in 2003.

Shortly after beginning his pro career, Burns was switched to defense by Wild coach Jacques Lemaire and slowly but surely, fine-tuned his craft to become one of the better blue-liners in the National Hockey League. He was still used at forward on occasion, demonstrating the type of versatility and well-rounded game that any coach should find valuable. Not long after being traded to the San Jose Sharks, Burns was moved back to forward and then back to defense once again. Following the 2016-17 season, after scoring a career high 29 goals, Burns was awarded the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman.

Burns and Roseau native Dustin Byfuglien, who also has proved his adaptability as both a forward and a defender, are notable exceptions in a sport that has seemingly become more specialized with every passing season.

“I grew up with Ben Belde, who was a goalie, then switched to forward after his first year of Peewees. Then he played defense at Hill-Murray and the ‘U’ (University of Minnesota). His compete level was off the charts,” said Bill McClellan, Minnesota Hockey Coach-in-Chief for District 8 and former high school coach who oversees the development program for the High Performance 14s.

McClellan, like many forward-thinking youth hockey coaches, believes giving young skaters the opportunity to try different roles on the ice can provide benefits for the player, team and coach. It might even make the game more fun. But what are the other benefits? McClellan answered this and other questions:

Minnesota Hockey: Why is playing different positions a good idea?

Bill McClellan: One benefit is learning the game from different perspectives. If you’re playing defense and a forward comes down the ice and makes a move, if you had previously played forward, you may be able to better anticipate what he’ll do next. You also gain a better respect for your teammates and what they have to do on the ice, and that’s good for the whole group.

Minnesota Hockey: How important is versatility in hockey?

McClellan: The more positions you can play, the more valuable you are to your team, and the more opportunities you may have the further you go on in your career. We don’t see as many players nowadays who can handle both (forward and defense).

Minnesota Hockey: When is the right time for players to identify a position that’s best for them?

McClellan: I think as coaches we’re in a hurry sometimes to pigeonhole kids and appoint them a position rather than letting them play and seeing what they like and excel at. I really think players shouldn’t have set positions until maybe Peewee or Bantam, so around 12 to 14. Before that, players should just be able to go out and play and have fun and develop their skills.

Minnesota Hockey: Is there value in everyone giving goaltender a try?

McClellan: Yes. When you’re 8 years old, it’s good to play goalie (in addition to other positions). I’m also an advocate of having multiple goalies, particularly for younger teams. And, if you’re going to have a goalie who will be sitting on the bench the whole game, have him or her bring their skates and shin pads and go play other positions, rather than just sitting there.

Minnesota Hockey: Do you have advice for coaches on the best way to bring up position switching with players and parents?

McClellan: You need a strong coach who can say, “This is what we’re going to do.” You may need support from your association at times. If there’s pushback, you need to stress that it’s the best thing for development. Stress that their jobs on the ice may be different, but it takes all six to have success. If the coach embraces it, and values all positions equally, the players will take the lead from their coach.

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