Claimed:Team Bonding

[Quik 4,113]

Eight games in, Davos coach still finding his feet

Fong adjusting to instructing, rather than scoring

By: Fabian Hertzmann

 

Davos, SWITZERLAND - The season is still extremely young, not even ten-percent of the way through, so the incredibly inexperienced Swiss team can be forgiven for any mishaps through the games they have played. Indeed, the Davos Dynamo have skated their way to a 4-4 record through 8 games, and have been a team with very volatile results. One would only need to look at the team's first to games to notice that this season very well could become a tale of Jekyl & Hyde for the young Dynamo, as they get their feet wet both on the ice and behind the bench where they have employed a rookie coach to lead a cast that includes no fewer than five rookies on its roster! Both of their opening games ended with scores of 6-2, with Davos overcoming the Seattle Bears before losing to one of the Continental Cup favourites, the Calgary Wranglers.

 

 

Behind the bench, rookie coach Terrence Fong is getting his first taste on the other side of things, as he returns to Davos after starring for the team several years ago. He has been given what some may call a shitty deal, as he comes to a team high in expectations, but low in experience with only two players having more than 150 games of VHL experience coming into the season. Having to rely on four rookie skaters and a highly-touted, but also rookie, goaltender means that there will be a lot of learning on the job as the season plays out, both for the players and the coach. As is any coach's job, Fong is expected to win games, but he is also expected to push these youngsters and have a helping hand in developing them into the potential stars that they can be. Such is no easy task, especially when he has been handed a roster with only three defencemen, two of whom had yet to skate in the VHL.

 

Terrence Fong tries to seduce our female photographer

 

"It's difficult. The guys want to win, but they're still young and many are still playing an individual game. Especially when guys are young and not quite as good as the average VHLer, you have to play a team game, an almost ugly game and rely on the unit to get results. Right now we're not seeing that, but it's still early, and these guys have a ton of skill! It won't be long before I get my system in place and we start seeing more cohesion out there, and hopefully some more support for Lenny (Lennox Moher); we've kinda left him out to dry in some of these games." - Terrence Fong on his team's start.

 

As for the players, they know that their defensive efforts have been lacking. While they have scored the second most goals in the conference at 24 (one behind Vasteras), they have also given up a conference worst 31 (tied with the Riga Reign)! Captain Matteo Gallo, another rookie who is starting to heat up offensively (currently tied for the lead in rookie scoring with 10 points - his five goals lead all rookies), made note of this in his latest post-practice scrum:

 

"I think we all know that we are kind of up against it when it comes to playing other teams. Some of these guys have been together for three, four years. What we cannot do is expect our offensive to bail us out every games. We need to be better for Lenny, who has nothing to hang his head about, we have to prevent some of those scoring chances. He can stop the first and second shots on most occasions, but when guys are hacking three, four, five shots at him we cannot ask him to make all those saves!"

 

Only time will tell how this team will adjust, but one thing is for sure: with all the young skilled players they possess, they will be fun to watch for years to come. It will take time for them to get to know one another's tendencies and adopt the coaching staff's systems, but they are a fun bunch to watch, for better or worse right now, sooner or later, that will shine through!

Edited October 21, 2013 by Quik

[Victor 10,940]

"they have also given up a conference worst 31 (tied with the Riga Reign)!"

Seriously? I give up.

[CoachReilly 688]

NO I GIVE UP.

[Quik 4,113]

NO I GIVE UP.

It's not your fault coach. Half an inch to the left and it's off the post!

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

Content: 3/3 - A nice look at the Dynamo's beginning of S35. Obviously we're a little more than eight games into the season right now, but it seems like the Dynamo may have a shot of making the playoffs in the European Conference this year. I'm sure this pressure free year will be utilized by both a young team and a young coach in order to improve their game.

 

Grammar: 2/2 - Nice! Just one typo.

 

to games = two games

 

Appearance: 1/1 - Solid.

 

Overall: 6/6

[Baozi 1,658]

[eaglesfan036 4,599]

Content: 3/3 - Wow it's been a while since this has been posted. Anyway, good to see the young Dynamo possibly making the playoffs this year with their new rookie head coach in Fong. Even if the Dynamo don't make the playoffs this year, their future looks good. 

 

Grammar: 2/2 - Nice job.

 

Appearance: 1/1 - Solid.

 

Overall: 6/6

 

Final: 6/6

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