In 2011, Geoff Ward won the Stanley Cup with Boston against Vancouver in Game 7. Then assistant to Claude Julien, the LHC coach wrote a letter which motivated the players.
Ah, the seventh matches, those which can escape all logic. Especially during a final. Tuesday evening in Zurich, the National League Lions duel will have its epilogue. For the coaches, we will have to find the right words, press the right buttons so that the players enter the ice with positive energy, the kind that can topple mountains.
In the 2011 Stanley Cup Final, Boston defeated Vancouver in seven games. And before the last act in Canada, Geoff Ward, then assistant, read a letter at the request of coach Claude Julien.
‘Actually, it was a letter addressed to my children,’ recalls the LHC coach, met after Monday’s training. ‘On the day of the match during nap time, I couldn’t get to sleep. So I decided to reflect what it took to win and made a letter for my children. I thought maybe they could understand my situation and learn something from it later.’
Claude Julien reads this letter and quickly imagines its significance. ‘Claude asked me to read it before Game VII,’ says Ward. The guys asked me if I had a copy of this letter, but I didn’t. I lost this letter. It’s part of history now.’
A minimal impact according to him
When told that this letter should have its place in the NHL Hall of Fame in Toronto, Geoff Ward bursts out laughing: ‘But no! The guys were ready no matter what. I don’t think this letter changed much in this match. Our players had been tested enough during these series, they knew what to do. A lot of people are talking about this letter, and if it helped just one player, then it was worth it. Honestly, I don’t realize the impact it had.’
We put forward the hypothesis of a simple aspect of life. ‘Maybe,’ Ward replies. It’s true that it’s a normal life experience that others can relate to. We had been preparing for this for four years and had hoped to find ourselves in this place. It was a good exercise for me to keep my mind where it needed to be. I sent it to my children, so maybe they kept a record of this letter I wrote on my phone.’
Play liberated
Since his arrival in Lausanne at the end of 2022, Geoff Ward has been unanimous in the locker room. Everyone praises his multiple qualities. And when a coach has his entire locker room with him, it is possible that a team will achieve the feat. Does he think the players are capable of running through a wall for him on Tuesday night?
‘That’s a good question,’ he replies. The most important thing for players will be to live in the moment and make the most of playing liberated. If you start to think too much in certain situations, this is the best way to put yourself in danger. You have to have confidence and remember to control what you can.’
Confidence and humility
The Ontarian does not make himself more important than he is in the circumstances. His words ooze confidence as well as humility. ‘As a coach, we try to motivate them as much as we can by placing them in a favorable environment,’ he explains. I think they are prepared to go through a wall and they have shown it over the last year and a half and even more so this season. But I think it’s more about how they feel about each other than how they feel about the staff.’
And when everyone emphasizes the importance of this meeting, the LHC coach seeks instead to ensure that nothing disrupts the routine. ‘We are going to make sure that this match is as normal as possible in its preparation,’ he concludes. This way they will be more comfortable playing their match. There will of course be noise and Zurich will be full of energy, but it will be up to us to bring ourselves to that level of energy.’
/ATS
