Hello -hello! It's Hakan The Beach and Daria
Mironova. The EHL has a new champion – Lokomotiv
Yaroslavl. The first in its history title means
so much to the city that lost its hockey team
in a plane crash back in September 2011. Congrats
to the coaching staff, players, families, Lokomotiv
organization and of course all the fans. We have
a special guest today. He has experience coaching
in the NHL for the New York Rangers, Florida
Panthers, in the KHL, Avangard, Akbar's Lokomotiv,
winning two Gagarin Cups with Metalurk. That's
not it. Men's and women's team Canada, team Italy,
and other major organizations. His hockey baggage
is heavy and extensive. Meet Michael Pelino,
who knows how to coach champions on different
levels. So, Mike, how have you been? How is your
hockey life? Well, my hockey life is a little
bit empty now. It was good. It was busy for a
lot of years. And then the most recent happening
for me was when I got to go to St. Petersburg
for the Channel One Cup in December of last year.
How did it happen? What was your first reaction
when you knew that you're going to go? I was
really excited. I got the call from the KHL office.
Andrej Ticheski called and asked if Mike Keenan
and I would like to come and participate in the
Channel One Cup. And we would be coaching the
KHL team of imports. And then the other teams
were going to be Team Russia, Team Belarus and
Team Kazakhstan. And it would be a four -team
tournament. brand new arena at st petersburg
so there was uh there was a lot to get excited
about and i was looking really forward to it
and it was it was outstanding well i know that
you are loved in the khl by fans and players
so like did you meet anyone you already know
Yes, yes. I had some fans from Magnitogorsk.
When I was there, they flew in to see me and
to watch the games. And then some of the other
people from around the league were there. I know,
like you say, some of the KHL administration
and then even some of the other coaches. Dmitry
Kvartalinov was there with Belarus and I've coached
with him before. and his assistant gorbanko and
then even on our team we had michael kravitz
and Leonid Kambyevs, and I'd cross paths with
them. And I got to talk to a lot of people that,
I talked to them from here in North America too,
but it seems a little closer when you talk to
them in the same country. What language did you
use? Mostly, mostly English. Their English is
much better than my Russian. And I can speak
a little bit, but it's tough for me to converse.
But I do know words. I wish I was more fluent,
but both those guys speaking. English pretty
well and most of the other people I speak with
although a couple of the fans that came from
Magnitogorsk they are strictly Russian speaking
so we had to speak in Russian mostly that way
and that was fun too I love the language I think
you're just being very modest because I know
you're Russian I understand you don't practice
as much right now but your Russian was really
good thank you Daria did you get to eat some
of your favorite Russian food Yes, yes, we did.
I had some pulmini. I had some borscht. I had
some salienka soup. I had shishlik. I like all
the Russian foods. I had a little bit of pavlova
and medevik. It was nice because we don't get
that too often here. You just had it all. That's
what I hear. So I got to see a little bit of
sightseeing and we had some nice dinners out.
and then the hockey was very good too yeah let's
talk about hockey i'm sure you had a lot of new
guys on your team right because um i knew i knew
a few players from the russian team that i'd
coached before but on our team with the imports
none of them were really part of my team when
i coached but i do remember them from the league
and ryan spooner i had coached here in canada
when he was in junior. But it was a good group.
We had a talented team. Unfortunately, we didn't
have all the best imports. That was because I
think it was such a late notice of putting the
team together and many of the players already
had previous commitments. But the group we had,
they were very good. They were passionate. I
think they really enjoyed the experience. And,
you know, gave everything they could. And that's
just the way it works sometimes. Wow. Did you
talk to Spooner about your junior years? Yes.
Yes, I coached him in, I think it was 2009 or
2010. And he would have only been 18 at the time.
And now he's developed into a, you know, mature
adult man. And so it was nice to reconnect with
him. Even players like Viktor Kozlov is a good
friend of mine who coaches in UFA. And we had
Nathan Todd and Malevsky from his team. So it
was a common bond to be able to talk to them
about Viktor and about their team. And so it's
nice when you have a chance to... to develop
a relationship with some new people. And how
was it to work with Mike Keenan again? Great,
great. Mike, as you probably know, had a health
issue about a year ago. And he and I were coaching
together with the Italian national team. And
then Mike had to step down from that because
of having to go in for some heart surgery. So
I took over as the head coach. And then this
past year, Mike and I were reunited again with
this Channel One Cup. we are very close friends
and uh and it was nice to to be in russia again
with him and a lot of nice memories reflecting
upon our early years in magnetogorsk and then
just hockey in general how about the tournament
because you know it's like a festival right was
the result of the tournament something important
to you uh that's a good question daria anytime
you coach your play i really believe you you
want to win and uh So we went into the tournament
with the idea that, yes, we want to win the championship.
We want to win all of our games. But at the same
time, we understand that we want to make it an
experience to remember. And of the four teams,
there are only ones going to come out on top.
I think it achieved everything. It was a good
festival. It was a good demonstration of hockey.
I really do think Russia had the best team, as
it turned out. I think we were a little bit handcuffed
because we only got together for one practice
the day before the tournament started. And even
that practice, we had seven players missing because
they were still traveling in. And we had to play
Russia on the first game. And that made it even
that much more challenging for us. It would have
been nice to get to play Russia on the last day
of the tournament, especially with the mindset
that... I believe the North American players
have for sure, and maybe even the Europeans,
that the bigger the game, the better you play.
So I think that had we had a chance to play Russia
in the last game with maybe the championship
on the line, it could have been a different story.
But it was a great event. The arena is incredible.
22 ,000 fans at our first game. Gregory Lipp
sang the national anthem, and I love him as a
musician. And I really enjoyed listening to him
sing. And then even the little three -on -three
tournament they had on the Friday of the event,
that was exciting. And it was just nice to see
so much energy in the building and enthusiasm
and passion for hockey by the players and the
fans. Yeah, it's like an all -star game. That's
what it was, the whole event. Yeah, I remember
when you coached in the All -Star Games. So you
know what it's like. I know what it's like. And
it was really hard because no one would really
explain to you what they expect from you. So
I knew I kind of had to coach. At the same time,
I had to be a TV person. So players still, they
want to have fun. And I understand that. Yeah,
you're right. You're right. It's like nothing
you can do as a coach. You understand. If players
want to have fun, I mean, that's the time to
have fun. Yes, yes. You try to get them on your
way of thinking, but you also understand you
have to fall into line with how the event is
going and what the real significance of it is.
So this one was a good one. This one was, I think,
great for the fans. I think the hockey was well
played, and there were a lot of good players
there, which the fans got to see. Do you follow
the NHL right now? The NHL? Yes, I do. I actually
have to admit I follow the KHL closer. I have
a much stronger tie inside me with the KHL, so
I follow the scores every day and the standings,
and I look at the highlights. And the NHL, you
know, I'll watch games on TV in the evenings,
but just more as a fan. You know, I followed
a little bit, mainly guys that I might know in
the league or teams that I've been involved with.
Like I like to watch Florida a little bit. I
like to watch the New York Rangers. Those are
the two teams I coached with in the NHL. And
then some of my friends, Brendan Shanahan. I
like to follow the Toronto Maple Leafs because
of him and having coached him with the Rangers
and Barry Trotz in Nashville. So I follow the
NHL a little bit, but not as closely as the KHL.
There's some good players that I saw in Russia
and even that I see on the highlights, like the
young player from Lokomotiv, who was Nashville's
first pick. I think he's going to be a good player.
I still think Safonov in Akbars has the potential
to become an NHL player. I think there's a nice
tie in between what the KHL is developing and
if the players do have the desire to move on
to the NHL. You know, you brought some good points.
Do you remember Dmitry Voronkov? Oh, yes. I coached
him in Akbar's. Of course you did. Yeah. Yeah,
I like him and he's having a lot of success in
Columbus and same with Ilya Mikheyev. I think
Ilya Mikheyev had a bit of a slow start this
year. in chicago but i think he's coming around
now and i i enjoy coaching him in uh in avant
-garde they are very different players and i
knew that voronkov would be maybe good in the
third line but we can see that he has a lot of
success in columbus and he's not just the checker
now he actually wars he just scores yeah he's
doing a real nice job on the power play as a
net front presence and uh he's He's got some
subtle skills. Even you could see them in Akbar's
when just his stick skills and his ability to
make plays, especially when you classify him
more as a tall, lanky. defensive, maybe a bit
of a power forward, but he's got a nice skill
set too. Yes, and it's very interesting to see
that he's doing so well, but at the same time
it's, you know, it's a Columbus, because if we
transfer him, let's say, to the Rangers, it might
be a very different story. You never know, you
know, you put him with someone like the Rangers
and Panarin, and all of a sudden, maybe he even
elevates his game that much more, but... I think
he'll continue to do well with Columbus. I'm
very interested to know what do you think about
media attention to the younger players? How did
you usually interact with that? Like, did you
like it? I know you're a very open -minded person.
You're very different than some of the really
old school coaches. But still, it's very interesting
for someone who is experienced as you are. How
do you treat media and players? players' acceptance
of that. That's another great point in question,
Daria. I think that the players in general are
so scrutinized these days, and especially the
young ones coming up, and every little thing
they do gets picked apart, whether it's a good
thing or a bad thing. I think a perfect example
was the pressure that the media put on the Canadian
under -20 team at the recent World Championships.
And I think it happens at the NHL level too.
I like the idea that the players have an opportunity
to speak to the media. I think that the media
sometimes takes advantage of their experience
and the player's inexperience to put him in a
tough spot and ask him difficult questions. I
think as far as the social media aspect of it
goes, we're all interested. We all like to read
about ourselves or see what people are saying.
But I think the less time a player can spend
on social media following his own progress, the
better off he is going to be. But in saying that,
the media has to do a job and that's part of
life right now where social media is huge and
the players just maybe have to be educated and
have a little more guidance as to how to handle
themselves, what they can say, how they can say
it. And I know some teams, are definitely doing
a lot more media training with their players.
Well, actually, you know, a few things happen
in the KHL and NHL. I think it's a little more
manageable in the KHL. NHL is harder when, let's
say, a player is not happy about something. And
instead of trying to figure it out between a
coach and a player, he just goes to the media
and he provides some sort of information that
works against the team. and a coach. Yes, you're
right on. And that's, I think, what I meant when
I said the media takes advantage a little bit
of the inexperience of the player and puts them
in a tough spot. But I guess the players will
either learn or make mistakes and learn from
them. And hopefully no one gets hurt from it.
nowadays because of the social media because
all the clubs are so active i would say you see
and you know too much so basically even the journalist
doing their job it's like well people already
know everything it's like we're all repeating
ourselves now so maybe there should be less less
is more i think that would be better but i don't
know if that's ever going to happen it's just
like they keep looking for stories and looking
for things to to spin in a different way even
though it's the same story another question just
as well so when you let's say you join the team
in the middle of the season what do you do what
what is the first thing that you say when you
walk into the locker room i mean the team is
already there they already had their moments
and all of a sudden a new coach walks in what
do you tell those guys because you probably need
to get their attention and respect immediately
i think you have to read any group separately
but in a general sense i think what you have
to come in as a coach is you have to show confidence
in them and confidence that you are going to
be better right from the start uh i think that
uh you show them that you you believe in them
that uh that we're going to work through this
together and it's a brand new start and we all
want to make the best of it. So let's pull together,
let's work together, let's help each other out
and make sure that we get this ship going in
the right direction. I guess just supporting
the same topic, you've been working with many
different cultures. How do you do that? I mean,
how do you manage it all? You do. You have to
understand who you're dealing with. One thing
that Mike Keenan and I spoke of many times when
we first started in Russia is it was more important
for us to understand what the players were thinking
than for them to understand what we wanted. And
once we could figure out what they're thinking,
then we could try to generate that into a...
successful environment. We didn't have to sit
there and make sure that we were understood.
We had to see where they were coming from. I
think that is with any culture. You look at the
NHL, you have to understand that the players,
as much as they want to win as a team, they're
also looking after their own self -interest as
well. Somehow you have to generate the possibility
of getting the best out of them to make the best
for the team. And each guy is a separate situation
that you might have to deal with a little differently.
So the more you know about them, the more you
know about how they got to where they are, what
their strengths and beliefs are. then you can
help pull that out of them and get the best out
of them as a hockey player yeah but where do
you have time because you actually have to coach
well that that's where you have to prioritize
you're right and you have to make sure you find
that time because to me that is more important
than teaching them a four checking system or
face off responsibilities or power play you still
have to do that you still have to cover that
but you have to First, in my opinion, understand
what makes them tick and what's going to make
them give the best they can of themselves. They're
all skilled players. They're all capable. Whether
you have this power play system or that power
play system isn't as important as having the
player doing the right thing as an individual.
And, you know, you have to be able to, like,
let's say right now. We went in, you and I went
in, and we took over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Yeah, let's do that. Yeah, that'd be good. But
we have to figure out how are we going to get
Malkin to play better? How are we going to get
Sidney Crosby to play better? They know how to
play. Sidney Crosby, they're both superstars.
but it would be our job and so it doesn't come
down to we show malcolm how to make a fancy little
move we talk to him about how critical he is
for the uh success of the team how we need him
working hard every single shift how he has to
be a leader in practice and then how all of that
feeds off of each other and to me that's where
you have to spend the time. And it's difficult.
You're right. It's difficult when you come into
the middle of the season, but you have to try
to get right to the bottom of it because obviously
the reason why they're bringing you and I in
is because they're not pleased with where the
team is going right now. So you have to do something
to get them better. I'm listening to you. It
sounds so good and so sweet. Let's do it. I'm
not sure if I want to live in Pittsburgh, but
it's really cold in Florida right now. So I'm
ready to take that chance, weather chance. well
new york's nice too and and there's their team
struggling there and uh but you know we have
to we'd have to get panarin and shisterkin and
those guys back to to playing the way they can
play well i know both of them probably just turkey
a little longer and more so i think i could find
the ways like powerful speeches how to do that
okay good not powerful speeches because russian
guys need a little different speech and i can
talk like that No, other than if you do find
a way to have success, there's nothing better.
And I know Mike Keenan has said that from when
he coached them. He was only there for one year,
but that one year they won the championship,
they won the Stanley Cup, and there's nothing
like being a winner in New York. And the same
thing in Canada here with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have not won the Stanley
Cup since 1967. So that's what, 50, 60 -something
years, I think. No, 50 -something. I'm not very
good at math today. Me too, because I'm like,
what? That's a long time ago. It sure is. And
the pressure on them from the media here is really
extreme. Everything they do, they get questioned.
It's like being in a... it's like being in new
york but only in canada so uh so you're right
yeah you have to come up with the answers if
you want to take that uh take that responsibility
you know there was a little survey a while ago
blair's actually shared that most of them they're
not even like that open -minded playing in canada
because of the pressure well that that's true
and that in toronto it's hockey hockey hockey
you go down to uh somewhere in the united states
where they're playing and You know, they're talking
about the NCAA football. They're talking about
the NFL. It's a little bit different. So there's
a little less pressure on the hockey part of
it, unless you're in one of those, you know,
NHL cities that's really thumbs on. But there's
just as much talk about the New York Jets and
the New York Giants and the New York Knicks as
there is about the New York Rangers. So you can
sometimes hide a little bit better. What is the
best advice you can give to a younger coach who
wants to build his career in hockey and maybe
eventually get to the NHL? I don't even know
how is that possible nowadays. Yeah, it's a tough
road, but I think what a young coach has to do
is really become a student of the game and watch
hockey and learn from it, pick up different things.
That might help him technically and tactically,
like a face -off play, what someone does on the
power play, how he can incorporate that into
his team. But the other thing is really, really
work on developing relationships with your players
so that you can deal with them one -on -one,
you can deal with them in small groups, and then
even in front of the whole team. you have a presence
and that they believe in you. For a young coach
to continue to get promoted or to move up the
ladder, I think he needs to put himself out there
or she needs to put herself out there and talk
to different coaches who are higher up than them,
find out how they can maybe contribute. For example,
if I was a young and upcoming coach now, I would
phone the Toronto Maple Leafs and ask them if
I can come and watch their practices. I would
ask the Toronto Maple Leafs if I could, you know,
if there's anything I can do to help them with
their American League team or with any of their
prospects. And you just have to talk to different
people like that. I would phone other people
I know in the league, like I'll say a Barry Trotz.
and say, Barry, is there anything I can do to
help you? Do you want me to go and watch this
player that you drafted and give you a bit of
report on him? Because then you start to develop
relationships with people who may give you an
opportunity down the road. And when that opportunity
comes, you have to be ready. But it's not enough
just to think that all you have to do is be successful
and win. and play your five best players all
the time. You have to prove that you're a good
coach. I attended a virtual lecture by Todd McLellan.
One of the things that teams ask nowadays, how
a coach interacts with media. So it's like, we
have to go back to that one again, because teams
want to know. that a coach is able to talk to
the media and how he will be able to stand the
pressure. That's so huge, Daria. And I think
when you reflect and if you have a chance to
look back on the way the, like the under 20 championships
in Canada are huge. Canada had a very disappointing
result for the second year in a row. And I think
there was a lot said about the... The way the
coaching staff or the management staff dealt
with the media, the way they said things, what
they said, it wasn't very effective. And in fact,
it didn't exude any kind of confidence, self
-assuredness. You know, it was probably a deterrent
to Canada not doing very well. And that's not
to take anything away from the other teams. They
were good, but Canada... Canada had a disappointing
tournament and their media involvement or their
coaches with the social media and the public
media, it wasn't very effective. Well, Mike,
it's been amazing to talk to you for sure. And
like I said, I really would like to keep it going
and just focus on different chapters of your
coaching career. How did you even start? Sure.
I enjoy this, Daria. We can set it up again whenever
you'd like. And in a nutshell, the way I started
was I was playing hockey at the University of
Toronto. And I had some very good coaches there.
I had Tom Watt and Gord Davies. And then Mike
Keenan was my coach in my last year. And we won
the Canadian Championship. And Mike Keenan was
also a school teacher, as was Tom Watt. And same
with another coach I had. So I decided I wanted
to become a school teacher and also start learning
a little bit more about coaching. So I graduated
from university as a teacher. And right away,
I started coaching different teams at my school.
I coached the football team. I coached the golf
team. I coached the hockey team. And coaching's
coaching. So I got to experience that. And then
I got a good break where I became an assistant
coach with the Toronto Junior A Marlies. And
then I coached another year with the University
of Toronto team as an assistant coach. And then
I was offered the head coaching job at Brock
University, which is another, these are like
NCAA schools, but in Canada. And while I was
at Brock, I got very involved with the Hockey
Canada program. with the under -16 program, under
-17, under -18, under -20. And I was at the World
Junior Championships in 97 with Mike Babcock.
And we won the World Championships there. I was
the head coach with the under -18 team. And one
of my assistant coaches was Pete DeBoer, who's
now with Dallas. And we won the World Championships
at the under -18 level. We had Joe Thornton on
our team. We had Patrick Marlowe. We had a pretty
good team. And then I was with the senior Canadian
team. We won the World Championships in 2003
and in 2004. And then I was with the Olympic
team in 2002. So all these little things happened
because of, I think, my start as a school teacher
and as a coach and then just getting different
opportunities. amazing you need to write a book
maybe one day you could be the co -author you
could be the person who writes it and just put
my name on it i will do that i need to learn
how to write a book now you seem to learn how
to do things better and more than anyone i know
so i'm sure that won't be a problem thank you
you're welcome yeah let's talk soon okay daria
thank you very much