November 23, 2005
CHN Talk Show: Don Cahoon
CHN Staff Report
Interviewer: CSTV Readers
Subject: Massachusetts coach Don Cahoon
Original source: CSTV.com
Kevin Boston: There are almost 30 players on your roster. How do you keep the players that are not playing confident and happy.
Cahoon: I don't know if you can keep them happy when they aren't playing because they are so competitive. You certainly can work towards giving them cause that they are working towards something in the future. You can help identify their shortcomings and work on those by giving them a program to help them overcome the shortcomings. So, their confidence is heightened by knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel and there is a plan in place to work towards getting them into the lineup. Continual communication with these players is pivotal.
Matt (Washington, DC): How do you feel your team is benefiting from the play of freshman like Jon Quick and Chris Davis?
Cahoon: Both of them have had an impact on the team. They have both been in the lineup regularly and have had success early on. It is clear to us that both Jon and Chris have prepared for this level of play. They have good strength and a training base that has enabled them to step up to this level of play. It is clear that playing on championship teams at Avon Old Farms has prepared them well as far as winning and performance. They both exhibit a great will to compete.
Phoenix: Hi Cahoon, A snow bird in AZ from MA. I got to see alot of Cory Quirk over the last couple years at junior/all star games and he was the best forward I saw. Amazing on faceoffs, played both ends of the ice equally as well. How is he meshing with the team this year? Thank you, G
Cahoon: For those exact reasons, he has done extremely well. He is an important player in our lineup. He has played in every game. He has been one of our better faceoff guys and is very much a three zone player. He is another player that came from a program (Catholic Memorial) where the art of winning was understood and that is an essential attitude within the locker room. He is the consummate competitor.
dggoddard (Houston): What are you expecting from Denver this weekend? What differences in the "style of play" do you see in WCHA teams vs. Hockey East teams.
Cahoon: I'm expecting from Denver a high skill level and a confident group of guys that has become accustomed to winning. They have real good special teams. All of this is a result of a well prepared team. I don't see as much difference in the style of play in recent years as I used to. We all recruit from the same leagues and are looking for players at the same level of play. They all have had the same coaches. Some teams get more of the high profile players, so their skill level is higher. But as far as league style, I don't see a difference the way I used to. From team to team, you see a difference, but that is the same in any league.
John Cavanaugh (Colorado Springs): Hi Coach, You've got a good challenge this coming weekend, with Colorado College and the University of Denver heading east. How difficult is it to prepare your guys to play back-to-back games against a speed team like CC, who play on an Olympic sheet, and a bigger, more grind-it-out team like DU, whose home ice is NHL size?
Cahoon: Normally, the preparation with the players is greater for the first game than the second game - we spend more time talking about CC because that is our next game. That makes it difficult for Saturday when Denver shows up and they play a different style. We have less time with the players to get ready for them. I think this creates problems for all coaching staffs when they have two different opponents on the same weekend that play different styles. For the most part, we are more concerned with the system we play and our own performance, which will allow us to minimize the adjustments we make regarding our opponent.
Cahoon: Thus, we are going to have to play at a very high level to be able to compete against both of these teams.
Kevin D. Crowley MD.: Toot: Saw your picture on the USCHO and just wanted say hello and wish you luck against the Catamounts. I have always wondered about a coaches perspective on a penalty that carries over into the next period. Do you feel it is better to be on the power play after the team has had a chance to rest or does the advantage go back to the team on defense. Hey Happy Thanksgiving.
Cahoon: I think the team on defense has the advantage simply because it has the best players to kill the penalty rested and possibly more prepared to kill off the challenge. There is always the condition of the ice - the ice might be a little wet, so the puck gets a bit sticky. I always thought new ice wasn't always the greatest for a power play situation and puck movement. People might argue fresh ice is perfect, but I always thought ice that has set for five minutes or so is better. So, if there is ever an advantage for a man down, it would be then.
