Who Would You Hire? Who Would Draft? Who Do You Win With?

Who do you win with? That’s an amazing question that everyone in the hockey world is talking about and trying to find the answer to. We talk about intangibles and character being so rare today, but here’s a quick analogy.

 Let’s say there’s work or a job to be done, it can be any type of work, but it’s going to take a long time to do it and tons of effort to finish the job.

For argument sake, let’s say it’s yard work or a landscaping job. Who would you want working for you, the kid that cuts corners, but makes it still look good on the surface or the kid that’s willing to do just about anything to make it look good and do all of the things it takes and goes above and beyond.

We all know which kid we would want to be part of the team, but those kids are getting harder and harder to find. The kid that would put in an honest day’s work and finish the job no matter what, are few and far between. They’re out there, but like anything else, they don’t flaunt it, they just work their arse’s off and are willing to come back and do it over and over again with no questions asked.

I’m not saying kids don’t understand the value of hard work around the game of hockey nowadays, they understand that aspect, but in some small way there’s incentive there. Work hard = more playing time. Work hard = specialty teams or Top pair or Top 6 minutes. Work hard from a landscaping job = money, I get all of that, but what about the kids that take pride in doing the job itself? What about the kids that want to do more work for the sake of the job not for all the incentives or money, but because it needs to get done, because it’s the right thing to do?

Our definition of “good kids,” “leaders,” and “hard workers” has and continues to drastically change. The real question everyone should be asking is why? Is it entitlement or is it that kids don’t understand what the value of hard work really is?

Do we all value “good kids,” “leaders,” and “hard workers” differently?

In some ways it’s like we have created acceptance, tolerance and some sort of vague appreciation for kids that aren’t authentic in those categories or are on the fringe when it comes to those capacities.

Everyone knows the value and importance of having quality people in your organization in all walks of life, especially in the game of hockey, but are those values changing?

Today’s athlete and kid is drastically different, but so is our definition of what is acceptable when it comes to work ethic and the type of players that are truly willing to work not for incentives, but just because that’s what you’re just supposed to do.

Going back to the landscaping analogy, which kid would you hire? In hockey terms, which kid would you draft?

Can we really teach the true and authentic value of hard work or has that ship already sailed?

The hockey world loves to talk about playoff hockey, as being the ultimate style and brand of the sport, but who do you win with in the playoffs, the kid that cuts corners and makes it look good on the surface or the kid that works the right way, just because that’s what the job is and what the job is all about? Who would you hire? Who would you draft? Who do you win with?