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Slow starts can be deadly in short-season NHL

THE LAST time the NHL played a lockout-shortened season, in 1994-95, it was even shorter for John Paddock. Paddock, now 58, was the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets. After an abysmal 24-51-9 record in the previous season, the Jets sputtered at the start of the shortened season and Paddock survived only 33 games.

The last time the NHL played a lockout-shortened season, in 1994-95, it was even shorter for John Paddock. (Jordan M. Shayer/Staff file photo)
The last time the NHL played a lockout-shortened season, in 1994-95, it was even shorter for John Paddock. (Jordan M. Shayer/Staff file photo)Read more

THE LAST time the NHL played a lockout-shortened season, in 1994-95, it was even shorter for John Paddock.

Paddock, now 58, was the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets. After an abysmal 24-51-9 record in the previous season, the Jets sputtered at the start of the shortened season and Paddock survived only 33 games.

His lesson? Not taking a chance on a rookie goaltender by the name of Nikolai Khabibulin.

"The mistake I made was that I didn't play him," Paddock said. "But how do you play a rookie goaltender in a supposedly crunch time? He was the better goaltender. By the time we were 15 to 20 games in, it was already too late."

Paddock has firsthand knowledge of the perils of a poor start in a shortened season. But that's only one of the pearls he can pass along as a new member of the Flyers' coaching staff.

Paddock, a 20-year head coach, vacated his position as the Flyers' assistant general manager to join Peter Laviolette and his team. He will not be on the bench, leaving those duties to Craig Berube and Kevin McCarthy, but will join Hall of Famer Joe Mullen and goaltending coach Jeff Reese in the press box.

The position is not a demotion, but rather a change in role. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said he has no plans for a replacement, and assistant GM Barry Hanrahan will continue his normal day-to-day duties.

"I don't think we were taking advantage of the opportunity to add a guy like that to our staff," Holmgren said. "John is a career coach; he's had success at every level. It's a seamless move for John and the coaches. No egos involved. Let's face it, we're trying to give our guys the best chance to improve and get better.

"Coaching at this level is a difficult business. Sometimes a different set of eyes changes how you look at things."

The Flyers may have the most experienced staff in dealing with a shortened season. Paddock rounds out a staff that has deep ties to 1994-95. Berube played for the Capitals. Mullen skated with the Penguins. Reese was the Whalers' goaltender in Hartford, where Holmgren was the head coach and McCarthy was one of his assistants.

"I think it's very hectic, in every way," Paddock said, recalling the days when Winnipeg charted a flight only for back-to-back games. "We were sort of at the bottom of the barrel. If you get in too big of a hole, you're in trouble. Even if you get a little bit of a lead, it's not like you can coast, but it makes it a little easier."

The only member of the Flyers' coaching staff without a tie to 1994-95 is Laviolette, but when he joined the Flyers at midseason of 2009-10, he guided them to the Stanley Cup finals.

For every NHL coach this season, coaching in a shortened season means walking a tightrope.

A successful start is critical. But the goal is to motivate and produce a heightened sense of awareness, while avoiding apprehension or tentativeness at the same time.

"One thing I don't want to do is cause panic," Laviolette said. "I think it's really important for guys to go out there and play with intensity and a sort of identity. I think when teams can do that and get their guys up to speed and on the same page, [they] probably have the best chance of winning a lot of hockey games.

"The speed in which you do things will be really important."

Then again, the 1994-95 Flyers started 3-7-1 before trading for John LeClair and Eric Desjardins in early February. They rolled to a 25-9-3 tear to close out the season to win the Atlantic Division by a full eight points. They knocked Holmgren's Whalers out of the playoffs with two games remaining in the season.

"It was a blur," Mullen said. "There's not a lot of time to mess around and there's no room for error. I think everyone does realize already that you can't have big losing streaks. They will cost you. When you get down to it, though, and start playing, it's just like any other season."