|
PRINT
THIS PAGE | E-MAIL THIS PAGE
Thursday, January 8, 1998
Tippett needs only two years to bring Aeros
to top of IHL
By NEIL HOHLFELD / Houston Chronicle
HOUSTON -- One little win. When Dave Tippett took over as coach
of the Aeros two years ago, one win was a noble goal, all things
considered.
The Aeros had lost seven straight games when Tippett took over
from Terry Ruskowski on Jan. 2, 1996. They were at the bottom
of the International Hockey League standings, so victories were
nothing to be taken lightly.
How things have changed in two years. With one more win this
week, Tippett will have proof that the Aeros have become one of
the top teams in the IHL under his guidance.
With one more win, Tippett will serve as co-coach for the Western
Conference at the IHL All-Star Game on Feb. 10 in Orlando, Fla.
The coaches from the teams with the highest winning percentage
in each division through Saturday's games earn the All-Star assignments.
The Aeros are 13-1-2 in their last 16 games and have built
a 27-10-4 record. If the Aeros win once or Utah loses one game
this week, Tippett will clinch the All-Star honor for the Southwest
Division.
"I look at it as credit to our players," said Tippett.
"They're the reason we're one of the top teams in the league.
I'm fortunate to be beneficiary of their effort.
"It would be an honor for me and also a lot of fun. But
beyond that, it's a feather in the organization's cap when you're
recognized as one of the top teams in the league. It means a lot
to us as an organization."
In addition, the recognition does nothing but help Tippett's
growing reputation as one of the hot young coaching prospects
in the IHL. Considering that Tippett also put together this year's
team after taking over as director of hockey operations last summer,
the success of the Aeros is doubly impressive.
Tippett wasn't sure what his future held when he was named
interim coach Jan. 2, 1996. He had spent 11 seasons in the National
Hockey League as an intelligent, hard-working forward. After one
year as a player/assistant coach in Houston under Ruskowski, he
retired as a player and became a full-time assistant.
When things went south in 1995, Tippett took over and posted
a 17-18-5 record, a vast improvement in the second half of the
season.
"The 40 games of that first season were more of a learning
experience than anything," said Tippett. "It was trial-and-error
just about every day, trying to find out what worked and what
didn't. The one thing you have to understand about coaching is
that you learn something every day.
"Then what you have to do is call upon that experience
the next time something comes up. The longer you're in the position,
the better you can react. There are fewer surprises."
Tippett signed a one-year contract for the 1996-97 season in
May 1996 and shocked people in the organization when he told them
in meetings during training camp that his goal was to win the
Turner Cup, the IHL championship.
Most people in the organization would have been pleased with
a .500 record and a playoff berth. Not Tippett. There is no sense,
in his opinion, of setting goals that are too easily attained.
"Everything we do as an organization is geared toward
winning the Turner Cup," said Tippett. "We are here
to win. Our goal is not to hope that we win, or to feel like we
have a chance to win. It's to win, period."
If it sounds as if Tippett is an old-school, my-way-or-else
coach, think again. He is attuned to the modern athlete and prides
himself in listening to what his players have to say.
"When I played on the Canadian Olympic team (in 1984),
our coach was Dave King, and I was impressed with how he would
always ask the players what they thought about certain things,"
said Tippett. "Dave and I still talk about once a week. He
was a coach who wanted his players to have input, and I've always
believed that was important.
"Don't get me wrong; we have a system that we're going
to adhere to, but players often have good ideas about why things
work or why they don't work. Plus, if a player has an idea and
we put it into place, then he's going to work extra hard in order
to make it work. It ends up that both sides are happy."
In Tippett's first full season as a coach, the Aeros had a
44-30-8 regular-season record and advanced to the Western Conference
finals of the Turner Cup playoffs before losing to Long Beach.
But as often is the case in the IHL, the Aeros had a huge turnover
in players after last season. It was up to Tippett, in his new
role as the Aeros' architect, to come up with the kind of team
he wanted on the ice.
He placed emphasis on acquiring what he calls "character"
players, those who have a presence in the dressing room as well
as on the ice. To that end, he signed veterans like Neil Brady,
Ken McRae, Brent Hughes and Trent Cull.
When the Aeros signed talented free agent Brian Wiseman, they
also picked up some fringe benefits. Wiseman talked former University
of Michigan teammates David Oliver and Cam Stewart into signing
with the Aeros, and they have meshed into one of the team's top
lines.
Tippett also went after young players, signing defensemen Jeff
Tory and Blake Sloan and bringing back young Aeros Mike Yeo and
Rob Valicevic.
When defenseman Greg Hawgood decided he didn't want to play
in Europe this season, Tippett jumped in and signed Hawgood the
day before the season started.
Tippett's contacts in the NHL came in handy when the Aeros
lost goaltender Frederic Chabot, last year's Most Valuable Player
in the IHL, to the Los Angeles Kings. First, the Aeros got Peter
Skudra on loan from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
When Skudra went back to the NHL, the Aeros got Ryan Bach from
the Detroit Red Wings organization on loan. Bach has been one
of the top IHL goaltenders since arriving in early November. Chabot,
who has been back since mid-December, and Bach, form the top goaltending
tandem in the league.
The result has been a first half in which the Aeros rank second
only to Chicago in winning percentage (.775 to .707). The Aeros
have 58 points at the midway point, on pace for a 116-point season.
In 1995-96, the year Tippett took over the team, the Aeros
did not get to 58 points until the 75th game of the season. Even
last year, when the Aeros finished with 96 points, they did not
record 58 points until their 53rd game.
For Tippett, the reason for the jump from the worst team in
the IHL to one of the elite teams is simple. He demands that his
players follow a basic mantra that is all too often ignored these
days.
"If I'm going to demand anything from a player, it's that
we play as a team," said Tippett. "We have a game plan,
and everyone is expected to follow it.
"But the players are a huge part of it. They have to believe
in what we're trying to accomplish. A plan is in place, and it's
my job to sell it to them. I have to make it clear that this is
how we're going to get to where we want to go.
"Beyond that, what I do is not that much. A coach is only
as good as his players. I always hear people ask what makes a
good coach. It's easy. Good players make a good coach. To win
championships, you have to have the players."
Halfway through the season, Tippett is optimistic that the
Aeros have the blend of talent necessary to win the Turner Cup.
He'll make no bold predictions, but Tippett admits that two years
after taking over the worst team in the IHL, he can't wait to
get to work each day.
"I want to have a situation where the guys enjoy coming
to the rink, and it's the same thing for me," said Tippett.
"I've got that right now. I love my job and what we're trying
to accomplish.
"I feel like I'm so fortunate that way. A lot of people
in this day and age don't feel passionate about their job. Hockey
is a passion of mine, and I'm getting to do what I want to do."
One more win, and Tippett will gain league-wide recognition
for the job he has done with the Aeros.
------
Distributed by The Associated Press
Send a Letter to the Editor about This
Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
Send the URL (Address)
of This Story to A Friend:
|
