Blog: Two Devils on Youth Hockey

In reading a blog post about a recent meeting between fans and New Jersey Devils greats Bruce Driver and Ken Daneko (from my favorite cup winning team of all time), I came across this tidbit:

The questioner was a youth hockey player, so the alumni focused on that aspect. Daneyko said that in his experience, he had to give 100% every night or else he thought that would be the end of his career.  He did admit that he got more fired up for games against rivals, and that while he is professional on-air, Steve Cangelosi has to calm him down as he sees the Devils play (especially poorly) off the air. 

Driver answered the question in a broader sense - that it's important to have fun now, but as a player moves up the ranks, they have to take every game more seriously.  Scouts are at every level and they will look at a 13, 14, or 15 year old player for the future.  Even if the goal isn't professional hockey, to advance, one must be seriously committed to every game. Daneyko re-took the mic and emphasized the importance of consistency; that while people know you may not be at your best every night, they want to see it 9 times out of 10.   That's what scouts, coaches, etc. want to see when they talk about consistency.

It's not good enough to be a talented hockey player.  The American Hockey League is full of guys who can score.  To be a professional at anything, you must perform at a high level consistently.