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Sunday, July 13, 2003

By Dejan Kovacevic, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Eddie Olczyk, who never really has coached, was about to walk into a conference room on Neville Island yesterday to lecture a group of coaches.

The irony was not lost on one observer, who could not help but take a playful jab as he moved toward the door: "So, Edzo, are you going to ask the questions or give the answers?"

"Both," Olczyk replied with a grin. "I'm not too proud that I can't learn something from everyone in this business."

Nor is he that experienced, having coached nothing more than a youth outfit in Chicago before stunningly landing the Penguins' top job in early June. But that did not stop Olczyk, never at a loss for words, from speaking in confident tones in a 90-minute, unscripted lecture to 20 coaches of various backgrounds and levels.

As Olczyk talked, he paced through an aisle and gave animated descriptions. At one point, he had the coaches take out their pencils and jot down the top three traits they felt their players expected from them, then asked them to share their answers with the group.

It was almost Donahue, and it did not for a moment convey the impression that this was someone the slightest bit uncomfortable.

"I have things to share, and I have things to learn," Olczyk said. "You never stop learning. If you do, that's when you're on the back side of the hill. Doesn't matter if you're in pro or college or high school or peewee or midgets, the game still has to be taught the right way. It gets me excited just being around these coaches, these people who love our game, and having a chance to interact with them."

Olczyk was asked by the Penguins in March to participate in the session, back when he still was one of the broadcasting crew.

"Funny, huh?" he said. "Who knew that the Penguins' head coach would be coming here?"

In five points Olczyk made in his speech which could apply to his future with the Penguins, he stressed:

Positive reinforcement. "If your player turns over the puck 3 feet inside the blue line and gives up a scoring chance, you let him know about it. But the next thing he does well, no matter how small, you make sure he hears about that, too. Even if he just angles a guy off a puck, you say, 'Hey, awesome play. Everybody see that?' That's a great feeling for a player."

Simple instruction. "Before a game, say one or two things. They can be little things such as just making sure your D-men are making hard wraps on breakouts, but don't say four or five things. Then you have players in the game trying to remember, 'What was that fourth thing?' "

Disdain for the new composite sticks which allow players to shoot harder but, in the view of some, diminish feel for the puck. Nearly half the Penguins' skaters last season used composites. "I'm going to set a wooden stick on a table in front of them and ask them to try it. I just don't see the benefits the other way, not with the way it's so hard to catch a pass."

Improving the Penguins' work on faceoffs. They ranked 19th in the 30-team NHL with 49.45 percent success last season and lost aces Jan Hrdina and Wayne Primeau. "We're going to be really good on faceoffs. I can promise you that."

Communication. "Talk to the player. Tell him he's not playing tonight or he's off the power play because he hasn't scored in 27 games. Tell him why and what he has to do to get better."

Near his closing, Olczyk drew a loud laugh from the gathering by letting them know the prime benefit of his new job vs. most of theirs:

"The best thing about this unbelievable honor is that I don't have to deal with parents."

Icy chips

Lorne Molleken, hired in late June to help Olczyk in the transition to the bench, will make his first trip to meet with the staff in Pittsburgh this week. At that meeting, specific roles could be defined for Molleken and the other assistants, Randy Hillier and Joe Mullen. Olczyk said he wants each assistant to have an area of focus.

Olczyk has phoned nearly every player in the Penguins' organization in the past two weeks. "I wanted to let them know where I was coming from and get their feedback. I've been very happy with the responses."

Tuesday is the NHL's deadline for players to file for arbitration. The only member of the Penguins who is eligible, Dick Tarnstrom, plans to file but hopes to settle before the hearings begin in early August. Tarnstrom, 28, was by far the team's best defenseman last season while making $475,000 on a two-way contract.

Tuesday also is the last day NHL teams can sign European draft picks and avoid a $100,000 fee to the International Ice Hockey Federation. Craig Patrick is considering signing two such players: Russian defenseman Vladimir Malenkykh and Czech goaltender Tomas Duba.

With the retirement Friday of the Devils' Ken Daneyko, Mario Lemieux ranks behind only the Red Wings' Steve Yzerman among active players for tenure with one team. Yzerman joined Detroit in 1983, the year before Lemieux's arrival in Pittsburgh.

Olczyk acknowledged pondering possible linemates for Lemieux: "It's hard not to think about it. But until he announces his decision, I'll write one chart in marker, another in pencil."

Olczyk also allowed that he is thinking ahead to Marc-Andre Fleury's chances of earning a spot in the Penguins' goal: "People I've talked to, even outside the organization, feel he has a chance. Let's get him in camp and see." Fleury was the top pick in the June NHL Entry Draft.

Only 60 days to Southpointe.