There’s something to be said for a coach’s tactic of creating competition at a position.
It’s working out nicely for Pete Carroll in Seattle where he once had three quarterbacks vying for the starting job.
It worked out pretty nicely for the Montreal Canadiens in 2010 when their Cinderella playoff run was fuelled by Jaroslav Halak, in the nets ahead of Carey Price, playing at an unreal level because he was being pushed.
The Okotoks Oilers are aiming to create a similar situation in their crease. The Alberta Junior Hockey League club started the year with former backup Jared D’Amico unchallenged for the starter’s job. It didn’t work out as planned.
“He had a rough game three games into the season and we didn’t go back to him after three games,” Oilers head coach/GM James Poole said. “And he was pretty upset about that. We challenged him and he really responded to that.”
D’Amico could have been devastated when Poole nabbed 20-year-old former Victoria Royals starter Keith Hamilton, who has 38 Western Hockey League wins under his belt, on Oct. 23.
But it’s only made him stronger. So much so that D’Amico was recognized as the AJHL’s player of the week nine days ago.
Full Story from the Calgary Herald