Flyers' Hitchcock unlikely assistant for men's hockey

In recent months, sports fans looking to get their fill of violence have been treated to a relief pitcher chucking a chair into the stands and basketball players brawling with fans. As a result, the fact that the National Hockey League is in the midst of a potentially season-long lockout may have slipped the minds of some fans.

At Princeton, though, there exists a striking reminder of just how dramatically the lockout has affected the world of professional hockey, in the person of Ken Hitchcock.

Hitchcock, the out-of-work head coach of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, has maintained an inconsistent presence on campus the past three weeks in his role as volunteer assistant coach of the men's hockey team (4-5-1 overall, 4-4 Eastern College Athletic Conference).

Having also served as the associate coach for Team Canada at both the 2002 Olympics, where he guided the team to a gold medal, and the 2004 World Cup, which the team also won, Hitchcock is widely considered one of the world's finest hockey coaches.

It was thus much to the surprise of first-year Princeton head coach Guy Gadowsky that Hitchcock, who once coached in a Midget hockey league Gadowsky was playing in at the time, would want to lend the team his expertise.

"I called him regarding some hockey issues," Gadowsky said of his fellow native of Edmonton, Alberta, "and he just mentioned that he could help us out. He's always had time for me. He's such a generous man and an incredible person."

Soon thereafter, Hitchcock joined the Princeton staff in preparation for the Tigers' regular-season opener on Oct. 29. Since then, Hitchcock has worked directly with the team at a handful of practices and has observed a few of its games as well.

"He doesn't just come hang out," Gadowsky said. "He works, and when he's not here he gets out our videotapes. He's been a big help in all areas, and it has been a great experience not only for the players but also for the coaching staff."

Princeton players have certainly been delighted at the chance to learn from a man whose coaching prowess is evidenced by the fact that no team he has ever coached for a full season has failed to make the playoffs.

"It's almost surreal having [Coach Hitchcock] out there," sophomore forward Kevin Westgarth explained, "because we've seen him coaching the Canadian Olympic team, and now he's coaching us. He has affected our style of play a great deal."

"He's preached 'drive, drive, drive,'" senior defenseman Jesse Masear said. "It's an elementary principle, but sometimes it gets overlooked. Seeing how we are executing and functioning as a team speaks volumes about what he is helping to teach us."

While Hitchcock's words alone are certainly enough to help any team, his hands-on instruction during practice may be making the most noticeable difference.

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"All his drills have had a big emphasis on passing," junior forward Dustin Sproat said. "He also feels the team needs to be more aggressive offensively and get tougher in front of the net. It's been great just having him around."

Gadowsky joined his players' wholehearted praise of his illustrious assistant.

"From the way he's dealt with the kids to the amount of time he's dedicated," Gadowsky said, "he may be the top coach in the world, but he's an even greater person."

If anything, though, Hitchcock has been impressed by the work ethic of the Princeton students, especially in light of the recent off-the-ice issues that have crippled the NHL.

"You come to Princeton, they're literally running into the rink from class, throwing their knapsacks down and hustling to get changed to go on the ice," Hitchcock told ESPN. "Hockey is a part of their lives, a big part, but not the be-all, end-all. They're all playing the game for the right reasons."