Balance Higher Education Thesis

Communication In the NHL

Author: Howard, Isaac

'Communication is so critical in the NHL for many reasons. On the ice it is crucial to be calling for pucks and letting your teamates know where you are at all times. Sometimes communication can be the difference between getting blown up or getting a breakaway. Off the ice it is important to talk about your teams systems and plans going into each game. After every shift you will see players go back to the bench and instantly talk about the shift and what they are seeing.

Why is communication important in the NHL?

03 .The study

Interview with Lane Hutson

In my interview with NHL defensman on the Montreal Canadians Lane Hutson I asked him what the hardest thing is in the NHL. He told me it was "the travel, flying around North America and playing 82 games becomes difficult. The time zone changes and dehydration due to the altitude of flying play big factors." I then asked what is an example of when communication becomes difficult. "When the building is sold out and 20,000 people are yelling when you are lining up for a faceoff and you cannot hear your teamate tell you what play your going to run. Also in the defnsive zone when it is so loud in the building it gets hard to hear your teamates calling for pucks which can make the game much harder."

04. Different Types Of Communication

'The players also joke around and communicate like close friends while with their coaches there is much more professional exchanges of communication.

Media

As I talked with Lane about different types of communication my biggest takeaway was the way NHL players talk to the media. I found that during a game when the media ask a question like what has been the problem so far tonight. The players give a very vague answer and will not say what really has been the problem but will just answer it with something simple like, "we need to work harder" He also told me how the players in the leage actually get media trained and is a big reason there is so many simil,ar answers.

05. Importance

Generals

Communication is all around the game of hockey and especially at the highest level. It is so important in so many different ways.

1. On ice communication through the players
2. Off ice communication from coaches to players
3. Communication with the media
4. Communication with fans
5. Communication through social media and team groupchats

Thank youWorks cited

"Why NHL players speak in clichés during interviews and how 'hockeyspeak' developed over generations" https://nationalpost.com/sports/hockey/nhl/why-nhl-players-speak-in-cliches-during-interviews-and-how-hockeyspeak-developed-over-generations