Return Of The Iceline
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I thought the Ice Line was better than last week. The questions posed to Aaron were fair questions and one or two fairly tough ones and even though I didn't necessarily agree with some of his answers, I thought he answered them very well.Jayboy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 06, 2026 8:24 pmSo who listened live? How did it go?NinjaBreadMark wrote:Just saw a post online that Fox is going to be live on the IceLine tonight....
https://x.com/steelershockey/status/2107430102694875299
so now's you're chance to get your questions and comments in!
Where the obvious questions asked/answered?
Someone care to elaborate...
Jayboy
I mentioned on the Fife game thread that I wondered if the coaching team struggled to articulate what they wanted system wise to the players. Fox's answers to the questions posed suggested that some of the players did not understand the current systems. I certainly lost him when he was explaining the 'modern game/systems'.
In my opinion Simms slightly ruined it right at the end with his 'decent bloke' comment and yet again bringing his best mate in the conversation. As people have already said, I don't think anyone thinks either Fox or Thompson aren't decent blokes. Fans will rightly question ANY coach if there is lack of success or consistent poor performances.
An Ice Line is better than no Ice Line for me though and I think it's currently worth a listen.
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MLL79
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Enjoyed that one, and so good to hear from AF, even if a lot of the technical speak was completely befuddling.
I just about understood the predictability side, speed of the game and decision time means a lot does have to be on auto pilot - put the puck here and someone will be there etc.
I do feel tons of variables and micro strategies will suit some and not others. This isn’t really a criticism/complaint against AF, but I can’t help but think back to Don McKee days if people remember. I think he was one of the first “technical detail” coaches we perhaps had in Sheffield, I remember my fave Tommy Plommer referring to him as the best coach he played under, most of the others saw him as the most difficult/least favourite. I remember the way we played the first game Blazer coached after McKeee departed and it was like “freedom time” and they romped it. The “release” was tangible.
I’m not suggesting AF should leave at all, far from it, I’m probably the other way around at this point. Just that not all will be able to adapt and play the detailed technical styles/strategies. Maybe it’s more like time to loosen the leash a little in some areas?
I feel like Fife and Wallace had a more basic approach, one that the whole roster could pull the same direction, or maybe I’m equally as ignorant that there’s a lot more going on under their play than I could discern - probably so lol…. But, I do know if only half the team understand what they’re meant to be doing, it’s not going to work… or maybe only half the time.
This coming weekend will be really interesting v Glasgow as Jonathan pointed out.
For me it’s great to have the ice line back, especially if it continues like this.
All the best,
I just about understood the predictability side, speed of the game and decision time means a lot does have to be on auto pilot - put the puck here and someone will be there etc.
I do feel tons of variables and micro strategies will suit some and not others. This isn’t really a criticism/complaint against AF, but I can’t help but think back to Don McKee days if people remember. I think he was one of the first “technical detail” coaches we perhaps had in Sheffield, I remember my fave Tommy Plommer referring to him as the best coach he played under, most of the others saw him as the most difficult/least favourite. I remember the way we played the first game Blazer coached after McKeee departed and it was like “freedom time” and they romped it. The “release” was tangible.
I’m not suggesting AF should leave at all, far from it, I’m probably the other way around at this point. Just that not all will be able to adapt and play the detailed technical styles/strategies. Maybe it’s more like time to loosen the leash a little in some areas?
I feel like Fife and Wallace had a more basic approach, one that the whole roster could pull the same direction, or maybe I’m equally as ignorant that there’s a lot more going on under their play than I could discern - probably so lol…. But, I do know if only half the team understand what they’re meant to be doing, it’s not going to work… or maybe only half the time.
This coming weekend will be really interesting v Glasgow as Jonathan pointed out.
For me it’s great to have the ice line back, especially if it continues like this.
All the best,
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ginger
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A lot of us started watching hockey in the 90s, when the game was very different from today. Coaching systems and the technical aspects of the game are now way ahead of where they were then - for any football fans, I'm sure you can appreciate the parallels.
The 'coach jargon' Fox used in his interview is absolutely the reality of the professional game now. Whereas in the 90s there would be generally a couple of strategies for each phase of the game, the real hybrid of the russian, Scandinavian and north American styles hadn't yet really occurred in the way it has been for the last 20 years or so. Along with rule changes and more player safety awareness, this has created a game that is now way more technical, and that 'predictability' that Fox talked about is absolutely the key from a coaching perspective. It is then down to players to win the battles where they occur and provide the IQ to make the right decision.
The players will almost certainly understand what is being asked of them. Collins and Gettinger made it to the NHL - they are good players with a very good understanding of the game. But the decision making isn't quite there at the moment. And half a second too long to make the play can mess up that timing and predictability easily.
This is why I say Fox hasn't ever recruited objectively bad players, and that the margin between success and failure is really fine, and why if you're competing in all competitions, it's less an issue with systems as to why you've not quite been able to get it over the line.
All that said, it doesn't invalidate fans wanting success, and the fact that currently, performance isn't good enough. Or that eventually, it can just stop working with a coach and team. Can't see it being before the end of the season if we are to see a change, unless it doesn't improve somewhat in the next month or so
The 'coach jargon' Fox used in his interview is absolutely the reality of the professional game now. Whereas in the 90s there would be generally a couple of strategies for each phase of the game, the real hybrid of the russian, Scandinavian and north American styles hadn't yet really occurred in the way it has been for the last 20 years or so. Along with rule changes and more player safety awareness, this has created a game that is now way more technical, and that 'predictability' that Fox talked about is absolutely the key from a coaching perspective. It is then down to players to win the battles where they occur and provide the IQ to make the right decision.
The players will almost certainly understand what is being asked of them. Collins and Gettinger made it to the NHL - they are good players with a very good understanding of the game. But the decision making isn't quite there at the moment. And half a second too long to make the play can mess up that timing and predictability easily.
This is why I say Fox hasn't ever recruited objectively bad players, and that the margin between success and failure is really fine, and why if you're competing in all competitions, it's less an issue with systems as to why you've not quite been able to get it over the line.
All that said, it doesn't invalidate fans wanting success, and the fact that currently, performance isn't good enough. Or that eventually, it can just stop working with a coach and team. Can't see it being before the end of the season if we are to see a change, unless it doesn't improve somewhat in the next month or so