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OILERS RECIPE FOR SUCCESS BY CONNOR McDavid

By Enio Sacilotto

The stakes are high as we head into Game Seven in the Stanley Cup final! The Edmonton Oilers, in a display of remarkable resilience, have staged an epic comeback, rallying from a three-game deficit to level the series at three.

In this short post-game interview, Connor McDavid gives us their recipe for success:

  1. CONTRIBUTION—Everyone on a successful team must contribute to its success. The goal scorers and the goalie with the big save make the headlines, but every team needs the fourth line or the seventh defenseman to push everyone at practice to make the team game-ready. A team needs everyone to contribute to their role.
  2. Have FUN and believe – From minor sports to professional sports, having fun, learning, and having a passion for your sport will bring more joy and satisfaction to the hard work one needs to put in to be successful. Along with fun, teams must believe in and trust each other to reach their goals.
  3. Set HIGH STANDARDS—Setting the bar high individually and collectively is non-negotiable in successful teams. When members don’t meet their standards, they take responsibility and rectify it. This unwavering commitment to excellence is what makes the team successful.
  4. PLAY PRESENT – Often a cliché in sports interviews, one day at a time, one game at a time… But so true! You can look forward to your next challenge. But playing the present, not concerned about the past, whether you won or lost, and not looking into the future. Looking to the past and future is the main symptom of performance anxiety. It is okay to look at the past for evaluation purposes and into the future for game plans and goals. But being present is where the magic is!

Of course, there is more to success than these four points. The right mix of talent, systems, and good coaching would help. These four points are great starting points for players, coaches, and managers who want to build a successful program.

Enio Sacilotto serves as the President of International Hockey Camps and runs the Mental Edge High-Performance Training. With 42 years of coaching experience, including professional hockey in Europe and coaching the Victoria Royals (WHL), Enio currently coaches at the Burnaby Winter Club Hockey Academy, where the team won the 23-24 CSSHL U17 championship. Additionally, he is the coach of the Croatian National Men’s hockey team, which won the gold medal at the 2024 World Championships. To inquire about his services or questions, you can reach Enio at enio@coachenio.com or call 604 255 4747. For more information, you can visit his website at www.coachenio.com.