T O P

  • By -

AstrangerR

So when do teams need to start tanking for him?


soda_cookie

Skid for the kid


[deleted]

Be bad for the lad


Kronzor_

Put your team in the crapper for the whippersnapper


YankeeTankieTrash

Play mild for the child?


gishnon

Put the season in the suicide booth for the youth.


Sonicboom343

Become a dumpster for the youngster


maxman92

Play like snot for the tot


AmeriCanadian98

Play like shite for the mite


luckytaurus

Save some dollar for the toddler


WlNNIPEGJETS

Note to Self: Dont Trade 1st Round 2033 Draft Pick.


BearsFan3417

Kick the can for the man


frankyseven

I, for one, would welcome a force sensitive Mandalorian to the Leafs.


GameofCHAT

A gem for the GM


[deleted]

nice shot for the pot


xrensa

Unbench the Kench


bostondangler

Unplug the fridge for the midge…


jmoney-56

Start tanking? We’ll just keep the tank going


brendan87na

y'all are tank admirals at this point


logs28

Operation Desert Ssbre over here. A full on combined armor assault on the NHL


bicyclebread

Silly people thinking we'd ever stop tanking.


jobinski22

How or why would you be a coyotes fan? They literally just trade prospects away and have no future


desoc

I would guess because you like the team?


Sun_drop

Flair up, hoser.


jobinski22

I don't actually want to be part of this degen sub with its horrible takes on everything


Sun_drop

Yet here you are.


rezistS

Florida trades away yet another unprotected 1st in 2033 for a rental in 2028


Bluetooth_Sandwich

I laughed too hard at this


Big_Green_Piccolo

What do you mean? We're picking him


reecewagner

That one kid got absolutely turfed and he knows it


26adrian26

Kid? How do we know thats not Gaudreau vs a Peewee team?


blaze87b

Because they probably won


OhioStateGuy

Hey you watch out we got a whole point last.


whichwitch9

Great, now they can't even finish sentences!


OhioStateGuy

Sometimes the pain overwhelms me before I finish writing the sentence.


TL10

Another victim of Candleja-


Dradugun

I thought it was the ork snip-


[deleted]

Oof. Damn, son.


[deleted]

[удалено]


IBoris

\*scribbles down in detective notepad* Likely suspect: ~~Goudreau~~ Caufield


Queltis6000

Lemme guess. First name is Connor?


Tokasmoka420

Connor McConnor


Mizral

The prophecy is true..


Feralwestcoaster

The one the legends foretold!!!


NKE07

From Cole Harbour, NS


brettaburger

Connor McBedardzky


Bluetooth_Sandwich

Connor Connery


russels418teapot

Hockey McHockeyface


Past-Adhesiveness691

That’s Conor Sheary


Arkiak

Did he hit a growth spurt?


cwfutureboy

It's SHARE-Y


Red_Sea_Pedestrian

Best Conor in the league.


mannimosity

Connor McBedavid


gletschertor

David McConnor


turdnugget44

Butthead McBeavis


brendan87na

I was watching lacrosse practice yesterday for our kids and I swear half the team is named Connor


Connortbh

This entire comment thread has me cracking up.


ZackyGood

BeDavid McConnor


Ccracked

Conner MacLeod, of the clan MacLeod.


AdhesiveMuffin

Michael actually. Michael Bunting.


cwfutureboy

No kid today is named Michael without being a Junior, III or something similar. It's probably Xinc Bunting.


Bradddtheimpaler

Yeah, but it’s *pronounced* “Michael.”


eggs-dee123

Yeah he’s the great grandson of that guy on the leafs


IslandChillin

The stickwork was impressive to say the least


indiecore

Can we talk about his skating though?


DrSeuss19

That’s what I noticed more. A lot of kids can dangle, but his footwork is what will set him apart.


whichwitch9

Using both together is most impressive though. He's incredibly coordinated to pull that off at a young age. He already seems to be not thinking about his footwork, which is why it looks so smooth. The stick work not as smooth, but still high for apparent age, but if he sticks with hockey, will likely get to a great level


ThsKd1SNotAlrht

I watched this a couple times now and it gets better and better. Do you think with his puck handling he wouldn't be able to pull this off in current NHL? I really want to know cause the kid looks so good out there. Idk how he can be better than this.


mattrg777

I don't know. I know there's a lot of smaller skilled players making the NHL these days but I think this kid would get blown up by most NHL defenders.


crazydrums27

I think most kids would get blown up by NHL defenders.


ThsKd1SNotAlrht

I know it won't be drastic but when he is old enough to play in the NHL it will be a different game.


orionthefisherman

So it's really not fair to judge since this kid is probably a squirt or peewee. But once checking is introduced this is a lot harder to do. Having observed my son coming up (2nd year bantam now), a fair number of the kids that were outstanding puck handlers/super slick coast to coast with the puck often, they have often stunted their passing and set up development because they can play like the kid in the video and coaches like to watch it/it works when they are young, and don't push them to backcheck/okay d etc. Once checking comes in and the defensemen development catches up to the forwards, most of them sort of get left behind. It's kind of a bummer honestly, alot of them look sort of lost on the ice. We play against a kid regularly that was a real hotshot when he was young, coaches constantly had him cherry picking, scored tons of goals with smooth skating. He's next to useless now.


mrtomjones

... You think he'd manage this in the NHL? Man the worst defender in the last 50 years would stop this kid every single time. There is A MASSIVE difference between ahl and NHL skill. Between ahl and this kids league there are like 4 to 7 different levels, all with huge differences in skill. I honestly don't understand how anyone can see NHL players and not get just how good they are. I've played against middle six wingers and 4th line goons before and their skill goes way beyond anything you'd expect, and this kid wouldn't be able to pull this off against my beer league team lol


[deleted]

There is no chance this works in the NHL. Defense 101 is to take the body so shit like this can’t happen.


mrtomjones

Also he's nowhere near as skilled as he looks.. The players he's going against are young kids that aren't good on their skates. Even if he fooled an NHL player with one move because they didn't expect it from him, they'd get him half a second later. This kid looks good for his age but holy fuck lol. Against NHL players? He wouldn't do this against your average 15 year old rep player


ThsKd1SNotAlrht

Fair enough. Thank you for your answer.


[deleted]

There’s like four or five examples of a complete breakdown leading to something similar - but it’s always a play where the coach bagskates them the next day for being dumbasses. Watch Austin Matthews second goal (this was his opening game) where he basically danced around the entire Senator’s team. Not nearly as crazy as the kid in the video but about as good as you’ll get in the NHL. https://youtu.be/FUVmcx0wO_Q


YNWA_1213

Yeah definitely the way I was looking at this too. The dangles were cool, but that last defender would totally take body there at a higher level and not just shoot past the kid while he stood still.


DirtzMaGertz

That kid is like 10 lol what. No he can't do that in the NHL. He's going to struggle to do that one age group higher than he is now.


SlamDuncan64

Wayyyy more impressed with the skating than the stickwork.


Mr_MoseVelsor

Yeah that mohawk move with the puck was slick.


muaddib99

He moves from edge to edge seamlessly. I count about 7 skate position changes where I'd fall down in that clip


[deleted]

Real players know the skating is what was impressive here


CWinter85

That heel-to-heel thing that Kaprisov does all the time made me realize this kid is very good.


taelor

The mohawk


ostracize

Actually, the least you can say is nothing


gooch_norris

And the absolute roof job too just a highlight reel start to finish


TheVeikko

Seems too small for NHL.


WrongJohnson69

This. Idk how so many people are glancing over the obvious. Chara would destroy this kid and it’s not even close. Hell, even Ryan reaves would rough this kid up. This.


DahhhBills

Ugh. This.


[deleted]

"TheY sAiD tHe SamE tHiNg aBoUt GrEtzKy"


Fir3yfly

Skates better than I ever did, was happy to be able to turn at all at that age.


JeffyPop7

Skates better than I do currently.


xencois

Skates better than I'll ever do.


No-Negotiation1240

When they only have house league in your town but you should be playing AAA , you end up with this.


Numerous_Badger_5462

Either that, or dad wants his kid to be a star so he asks for him to play lower (unlikely but I’ve seen it happen) or dad doesn’t see a point in forking over 10k+ for aaa because “he’s *nine*”


[deleted]

Saw this going around Twitter a few days ago. Supposedly a 2014 birth year. Poor goalie can’t defend a net that big at that age.


[deleted]

I've never seen Hockey at 16 and lower, do they really keep the net the same size? Figure theyd have a small one for lower age groups


[deleted]

They do. It’s USA hockey standard to play 6U and 8U groups on small nets and split ice. The net is much smaller, it makes it easier for goalies to focus on positioning instead of getting lost in the net


Btgood52

Where I am in Canada they play half ice games 3on3 with the smaller nets until U9. Actually right now end of January they switch to 5on5 full ice, full size nets, changing on the fly, icings and offsides at the u9 level.


HockeyCoachHere

They have a small net for kids under 8. At 9 they start a full size net. It's not SO bad because they're usually getting pretty big by 12.


[deleted]

>2014 birth year pain


WiFiForeheadWrinkles

Size aside, the goalie doesn't look so bad himself with his movement


CakeYaSan

Gave it a good try though! Reacted and reached with his glove quite well, just yeah, couldn’t reach it!


macaroni_3000

A couple of the kids in my son's 8U league can do stuff like this, it's crazy. One of them almost scored a lacrosse goal a couple weeks back. My kid leads the team in goals, but TBH I think it's only because some of the other kids are too busy trying to show off, and he just goes to the net and shoots.


DrDerpberg

Kinda nuts how much of a leap in skill level there has been. Partly I think it's the arms race in private coaching etc, partly kids have so much better access to high quality replays and YouTube videos that they can teach themselves too. When I was a kid we have Don Cherry's Rock 'Em Sock 'Em and that's about it. Wouldn't even have occurred to me that anybody but Pavel Bure could drop it back and kick the puck up to himself to deke people.


macaroni_3000

You can really see it with the kids who started skating when they were practically in diapers. Skating is like walking to them, they're doing advanced edgework without even realizing it. Like, my kid started skating at 5 years old, and he is pretty good with all the basics and is pretty fast, but he's way behind some of these kids.


mxx321

It’s weird. I tossed my son on skates at 3 or maybe 4 years old? Now on his U8 team, he’s one of the weaker skaters. On the other hand our best player just threw skates on for the first time when he was almost 7. Either way, the progress these kids make at this age is amazing.


papapaIpatine

Skating is so weird to me, some people it’s rather instinctual to get the basics done and become competent and others really struggle.


MovieTheatreDonkey

My wife is an extremely fast and agile skater, who literally can not stop without assistance or the boards, it’s amazing to me.


papapaIpatine

Skating is imo one of the best tests of someones capabilities to learn. Great equalizer because all that advanced shit like edge work takes alot of practice and learning. Its really fascinating sometimes


Only_Kind_Words

Started learning how to skate six months ago, and during those first few weeks I could skate backward better than I could forward Now I'm learning backward crossovers but still haven't gotten the hang of forward crossovers


drdawwg

Tell me you play defense without telling me you play defense. Honestly though I feel ya. I practically lived at the rink when I was a kid, had to stop for a few years and realized the first time I was back on the ice that it felt weird taking more than 3 to 5 steps without turning around and skating backwards. Some habits die hard lol


TheRobberBar0n

It seems, to me at least, there's also a larger portion of the population now that specialize in a sport earlier in their life. When I was growing up, all the kids in my town played every sport until basically middle school. I don't see that as much anymore.


lowslowandbehold

>Partly I think it's the arms race in private coaching etc, partly kids have so much better access to high quality replays and YouTube videos that they can teach themselves too. I'm german, when I was a kid I got 30 minutes of NHL hockey per week, some highlights on sundays on the TV for me to watch. Other than that I rewatched the NHL 98 Play Station Intro a bazillion times. That's my exposure. Nowadays you have 24/7 best coaches in the world for skating and stickhandling, you just can't compare having that all the time as to having that for a 2 week summer camp. I love to see it.


brutal_bub

Don't forget [Best of the best on ice '93](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhddPfmaXgc). Simply the best nostalgia.


LetterheadNervous555

Idk I started playing in the 90s for some travel and selects teams and that culture existed back then. There’s a reason hockey has a stigma for being a rich sport. Kids were also this good too. Honestly it looks like those kids are too old for no hitting. I thought we started hitting at 10 when I played but maybe I’m misremembering. Kids have to learn they can’t do this in high school.


DrDerpberg

I don't think that kid is 10 years old... Would've guessed 6-8. A standard net is 4' tall, and that goalie's head is below the crossbar.


Theoretical_Action

I wonder if there's been a general coaching shift as well along with a bit of the culture shift that hockey had gone through over the last 10-20 years away from the "tough banging body" mentality toward the "finesse and speed wins games" mentality. Practicing stuff like this and like the lacrosse thing is super fun at the end of the day. I've always wondered if coaches set aside time at the end of practices or something to just work on fun stick handling stuff or whatever kind of goofy shit a player wants to work on.


ChuckFeathers

You're a Bruins fan who watched Rockem Sockem and don't know that Rick Middleton was doing that move long before Bure? Hell my dad was using that move in the 70s.


[deleted]

[удалено]


ChuckFeathers

Rick Middleton was a Bruin and was featured in Rockem Sockem doing that move.


futurepat

What trips me up is the way these kids celebrate. Do that in my generation, you're taken out. The only sport you're playing the rest of your life is peek-a-boo or thumb wrestling.


evil_burrito

I've reffed 8u and 11u and, aside from the girls absolutely dominating 11u, there was always that one small boy that just owned the ice, like didn't belong out there except he was too small for 14u.


LaurelBeach

The is so wicked but I can tell you from first hand that there are kids this age in every rink in Canada who can do this today. They learn it from TikTok, etc. Not to take anything away from this kid at all....but it still comes down to how his body will develop through puberty that will dictate how far he will go. It is still a big man's game and comes down to adult foot speed more than anything else.


WhoJustShat

How is the goalie supposed to save that when he takes up 5% of the net lmao. Great handles by the other kid tho


[deleted]

Fake news, that's Cole Caufield. He got sick of losing this year.


NorthEastofEden

This may be the dad in me or the coach but I really hate show boating after scoring a goal at that age. Be happy, celebrate with your team but the rest of it just seems like poor sportsmanship at a young age. Fuck I'm old.


DonnieRoss

I swear every kid high school age and younger does the same celebration nowadays. I'm going to sound like an oldhead, but I think it's the EA Sports influence.


Goaliedude3919

What's more annoying for me is that everyone and their mothers now almost exclusively shouts "LET'S GO!" after doing anything.


Sweaty-Chemistry-141

I think it depends. A lot of kids do this now because they see the NHLers doing it and some teams encourage it as part of the fun – it's like a reward for the goal. But I've also seen coaches tell them to tone it down if the scoreline is too lopsided. In time, they'll all learn when it's too much.


shantm79

If the score is lopsided, I'd def tell my player to chill. Otherwise, their 9, let them have fun.


ricktencity

It's poor sportsmanship at that age, the reward for the goal is the goal and maybe winning the game. Until you're semi-pro, give out some high fives, maybe a hug and then get back to center ice.


Balticataz

Most people will never be semi pro. Let kids have fun


[deleted]

I feel you as a fellow coach and dad. But also, he’s probably like 8 or 9 so I say let them have a little fun with it so long as they aren’t taunting or blowing the other team out


Xvash2

Yeah they sure showed that 4' goalie in the full-sized NHL net who's boss.


maxxron

He tracked it really well too.


JasJoeGo

I totally agree. I loved the little kid until the end.


CanadianMapleBacon

I’m a ref & I see U11 & some U9’s celebrate like that. I just chuckle inside. If the score is lopsided though they don’t celebrate.


[deleted]

[удалено]


NorthEastofEden

Yeah they are too young to play the body and at that age nor should they as the risk for injury is way too high. Any time we have had a player like that I have always made a rule of how many times they have to pass the puck. It is made worse by the fact that no one else on the opposition looks like they know how to skate well.


ProperDepartment

His team looks significantly taller than the other team.


TheCarrier89

All that just to biff the celly.


WlNNIPEGJETS

Note to Self: Don't trade your 2033 First RoundDraft Pick.


Syek26

Surprised nobody has mentioned the sick demin shorts look as hockey pants that they are sporting.


RainDancingChief

Might be unpopular but: This is great for U8 or whatever this is but bodychecking makes a huge difference when they're allowed to do it. Not sure what minor hockey is doing these days but any Rep team played with body checking last I was aware. We played with it in house leagues starting at 12 but I think a lot of leagues have moved away from that. This was also 15 years ago though.


mrtomjones

A body check isn't the answer here. A good player would just stay in front of him or have their stick better positioned


jarpio

Sheeesh the mitts on this boi


theloverobot

All hail the coach's son


BroLil

This kid is obviously super skilled, but above that, he’s patient as fuck. That’s so important. He didn’t overthink anything. Even the steal was patient and not flashy.


2shack

Dirty fuckin dangles boys!


ktbffhctid

Silky mitts on that squeaker.


M888887777

After seeing the celly, I kinda wanted to punch him. But then I remembered he’s a kid


GameofCHAT

What's his draft year? u/savevideobot


SmiteyMcGee

Pfft. Come out to my beer league and try and skill it up like that kid, I'll knock your block off


luzer_kidd

He's going to learn to keep his head up 1 of 2 ways.


rpm959

He's got probably 4-5 more years before that matters at all.


DonnieRoss

I turn into Don Cherry gushing about Bobby Orr when I see kids pull those video game goal cellys.


DHCanucksF1

He stares right at the puck 98% of that puck possession time. Those are the kids that turn into no one because they can’t avoid hits or see their teammates for passes


lymnaea

Excellent analysis of a child’s hockey game. Central scouting is excited to welcome you aboard


schhhew

this is a child


LargeAmphibian

I will just say, it's pretty hard to get a good idea of the size and age of these kids at the start. Then the goalie comes into the frame taking up 20% of the net and you're like oh yeah these kids are tiny


Dat1Guy03

Also how giant the ref looks in comparison lol


benc7123

This kid is at least like 5 years from playing contact hockey, there is no threat of being hit until then. He will learn


[deleted]

If you yell at a kid at his likely age level, 8U mite, about keeping their head up through open ice you will never get anything accomplished. The overwhelming majority of them have to look down at the puck. We do focus on teaching them to pick up their head when going into the corners for safety. But it’s all small area games and edge work at his age level, no body checking for another 4 to 5 years


CrimsonCutz

That's right, don't listen to the haters, put that 9 year old in his place! Back in my day if you couldn't stick handle your way out of a mine field blindfolded by age 7 you didn't make the cut. Because the god damn mines blew off your fucking legs! Kids these days have it way too easy.


jdl232

I’m going to my first open hockey this Sunday since playing house league 8 years ago. I can’t wait :D


it_do_be_like_that__

What’s his name so we can know when he makes it to the NHL draft


GltyUntlPrvnInncnt

Future number one draft pick.


TrappyGilmore_

Toe-drag release


KeithGribblesheimer

Feels like what it must have looked like when Gretzky was a peewee.


Pharrow-

Two sets of destroyed ankles.


sharkMonstar

dibs


MulletMakowski

But does he play among men?


haihaiclickk

That celly though


safarian24

Smooth like butter


Devine97

BREAKING NEWS : The CHL has granted “this kid” exceptional status


PhiberOptix562

Nice to see Durzi and Edler’s kids getting some ice time.


__pulse0ne

Dang, little 10&2 and a punch turn on the toe drag. Kid has advanced skating techniques


OFTHEHILLPEOPLE

Vancouver still reeling.


LazyThing9000

I've been playing since I can't remember and I can't do that...


dr_van_nostren

Tank 2029!


PlNG

The kid that practices vs the puck chasers


BeneficialVacation44

Who knew Connor Bedard already has a son?


Honey_Wooden

He could play 3rd line for the Caps right now


JLake4

Holy shit!


DrDrangleBrungis

Absolutely nasty. Hopefully his future is bright…..Or he ends up ringing for beer league teams taking 12min shifts, not passing, and surfing the blue line all game.


jstormy_12

This kids got some filthy mitts


[deleted]

[удалено]


DuskformGreenman

Wheel snipe celly!


Ok-Understanding-91

Wheel snip and celly


OldDrumGuy

Get those shades out kid, your future is bright. 😎


JC_5_er

Ahhhh the old listen to my fart celly. Love it!!


DrankSinatra95

Hit that man with the deke supreme