News Article: Video games a growing concern for Canadiens' top scout Trevor Timmins

[Et le But]

Let's be honest here, most hockey prospects probably aren't avid readers. Odds are they are doing one of two things at night on the road - hitting the bars or playing FIFA or Fortnite or whatever.

This organization looks for whatever excuse it can to continue to stay in the past.

 

[Kriss E]

A psychological profile in the wrong hands is a dangerous thing. Timmins should either enroll for a psych degree at college or just stop reading these assessments because he's not qualified to evaluate them. How about selecting players based on their ability to play hockey instead? I don't care if a kid is the next Hitler as long as he can score 40 goals every year.

I get the point but this doesn't really work. You should 100% care if the kid is acting like a psycho willing to commit a genocide.

 

[Laurentide]

I get the point but this doesn't really work. You should 100% care if the kid is acting like a psycho willing to commit a genocide.

What he does in his spare time is none of my concern as long as he comes to play every night and brings his A game with him. It's not about genocide, it's about "attitude".

 

[ngc_5128]

They said it's a red flag. It isn't. Killing frogs under hobby would be a red flag. Couting the number of tiles on the wall, that's a red flag.
Playing video game is extremely normal, unless you have an extremely lame and old school ideology.

So if they list video games or gaming or whatever, then that’s a flag. A lot of young people now are spending too much time on it through all hours of the night, not getting enough rest, recuperation and that sort of thing.

He said it was a flag, not a red flag. Semantics, maybe, but those mean two entirely different things to me. Killing frogs probably puts a kid on a no-draft list. Saying you play a lot of video games means that you talk to teammates and coaches to see if he is a regular kid, or someone that has a problem.

They should also avoid players who enjoy, movies, books and television.

I know you are being flippant, but do movies, books, and t.v. have the same effects on the brain that video games and drugs do? I am not sure, but I don't recall reading anything like that.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Playing video game is extremely normal, unless you have an extremely lame and old school ideology.

'extremely normal' until it becomes a disorder ... which it can, according to WHO and a consensus of experts.

of course, it's only a problem for a small percentage who enjoy gaming, but nothing wrong with due diligence for such a big investment.

Can't really attach an "old school ideology" label to a fairly recent problem ... unless you don't agree with WHO or believe the trends over the last 10 years.

 

[Ozmodiar]

Saying you play a lot of video games means that you talk to teammates and coaches to see if he is a regular kid, or someone that has a problem.

Yep, just a small % would have a problem, so you ask a few questions to follow up, then move on.

 

[Laurentide]

Does it really matter if you show up to the rink dog tired because you played video games til 3am, binge-watched Game of Thrones until 3am or went skanking at the bar until 3am? All of these things fall into the category of "irresponsible behavior". The Habs are drowning in the shallows here. If you have developed proper work habits video games, Netflix and bars are not a problem. But pro player development, both on and off the ice, has never been the Habs' strong suit. They let these kids run amok without any guidance or support and the next thing you know one of them has got hammered, picked up some skank who doesn't have a drivers license and let her smash his truck into a tree while he's passed out in the passenger seat or the cops are being called to a kid's apartment because his girlfriend got violent when she caught him and another player tag-teaming some random chick. None of that ever happened to Crosby because he was living in Lemieux's house when he first cracked an NHL roster.

I only wish that video games were all we had to worry about with these young millionaires.

 

[NotProkofievian]

So the guy who designed the test gets to administer and evaluate it? That's a red flag for me. As the author of the test it's in his best interests to try and legitimize its efficacy. How qualified is he? Has this test undergone any vetting by other professors in the field? Is it scientifically rigorous enough to be peer reviewed? When did UNB become a world leader in anything but the proper wearing of flannel shirts?

And most important of all: can this test measure "attitude"?

I'm not really sure that I see the concern. What do you think he would try to do?

As for his qualifications he's a PhD in sport psychology. I generally have a low view of psychology as a field, but, within that field he appears to be qualified to do the research.

 

[ngc_5128]

If you have developed proper work habits video games, Netflix and bars are not a problem.

Ever stop and think if maybe, just maybe, that's why they ask questions like that in their combine interviews? Maybe they are trying to weed out the kids that don't have the proper work habits, or to pinpoint which kids have the best work habits, or at least make a note in their draft profile that a kid has OK work habits but the psych profile they used said that this kid has it in him to develop much better habits?

Also, is it still development when you are driving drunk underage girls around when you are 25 and have had a history of this type of behaviour and were warned when you joined the team that if you messed up you would be shipped out? Good luck trying to convince a grown man to live with your owner.

 

[Rockomax]

He said it was a flag, not a red flag. Semantics, maybe, but those mean two entirely different things to me. Killing frogs probably puts a kid on a no-draft list. Saying you play a lot of video games means that you talk to teammates and coaches to see if he is a regular kid, or someone that has a problem.



I know you are being flippant, but do movies, books, and t.v. have the same effects on the brain that video games and drugs do? I am not sure, but I don't recall reading anything like that.

Agreed, this is about addiction, not the video gaming itself. Also, it's not at all the same as reading as video games stimulates the brain in different ways than books. Again, this is about addiction, not the hobby itself and some people are more prone to develop addictions and lead to problems down the road.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

The title of the article is so inappropriate.

It should read "video game addictions", not just video games.

Video games, without addiction, is actually a good thing for hockey players. It's now recognized as a good exercise for spacial recognition and eye tracking, and anticipation/concentration.

 

[Paddyjack]

You are correct, i think this franchise recent failure is a direct result of the word over.... Over analysis and over coaching.....
And incompetence. but will save that for another thread

Maybe if this franchise would apply those extensive tests when hiring coaches or GMs instead of to these kids we wouldn't be in this mess.

 

[Laurentide]

Ever stop and think if maybe, just maybe, that's why they ask questions like that in their combine interviews? Maybe they are trying to weed out the kids that don't have the proper work habits, or to pinpoint which kids have the best work habits, or at least make a note in their draft profile that a kid has OK work habits but the psych profile they used said that this kid has it in him to develop much better habits?

Also, is it still development when you are driving drunk underage girls around when you are 25 and have had a history of this type of behaviour and were warned when you joined the team that if you messed up you would be shipped out? Good luck trying to convince a grown man to live with your owner.

Kassian was risky when Bergevin acquired him. He should have done what Jerry Jones did with Dez Bryant and given him a babysitter.

And Geoff Molson could easily billet a couple of players in his undoubtedly large mansion.

 

[tazsub3]

Maybe if this franchise would apply those extensive tests when hiring coaches or GMs instead of to these kids we wouldn't be in this mess.

why would we would they need to do that.... considering they speak gods and quebec chosen language???
Though in the case of bergevin, we really should see if he really speak french.... as i do, and fluently and he surely does not speak french to me....Sounds regularly more like gibberish


,

 

[The Great Weal]

The title of the article is so inappropriate.

It should read "video game addictions", not just video games.

Video games, without addiction, is actually a good thing for hockey players. It's now recognized as a good exercise for spacial recognition and eye tracking, and anticipation/concentration.

Also video games aren't the only thing that can affect someone the way Timmins claims. Probably a popular reason, but there are many others.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Also video games aren't the only thing that can affect someone the way Timmins claims. Probably a popular reason, but there are many others.

Exactly. What we say is addictive is not addictive per se. The individual who becomes addicted has underlying susceptibilities to addictions which are due to unbalanced chemistry in the motivation/reward (m/r) systems in the brain (ie: serotonine, dopamine, endorphines), which is set prenataly and in the first few formative years.

There is a clear link between high levels of cortisol (stressed mothers) in the placenta with depression, ADHD and addictions, which are all related to the M/R system. (G. Maté)

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Mattews Marner and Nylander are known to be playing fortnite with Bozak

does that mean they suck?

god timmins is such an idiot

 

[habsgirl5000]

any addiction is bad.....if you really are addicted to something you will put that addiction ahead of everything else in your life, including your career

an addiction to video games or technology is just as bad as a drug or alcohol addiction

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Mattews Marner and Nylander are known to be playing fortnite with Bozak

does that mean they suck?

god timmins is such an idiot

He talked of addiction to video games, not just video games.

It's your reading comprehension that sucks, dude.

There are a few players on the Habs who are known to play video games, including The two Gallys.

 

[Seb]

What's a concern is Timmins inability to draft top players the past decade.

 

[LaP]

Beside the info on Hemsky, pretty uneventful article. Seems kind of odd to put a flag for a prospect just because he listed video games as a hobby.

Gamers are not good person.

 

[LaP]

The title of the article is so inappropriate.

It should read "video game addictions", not just video games.

Video games, without addiction, is actually a good thing for hockey players. It's now recognized as a good exercise for spacial recognition and eye tracking, and anticipation/concentration.

It should read addiction, period.

 

[sandviper]

this has nothing to do with hockey

what if a player jackoff 2 times a day? is this an addiction , is he worried about that?

Depends. Do the trainers need to clean out excessive hair loss in the player’s gloves after practice?

 

[Habaneros]

can we get a test developed that we can use before we hire management???

 

[smirob]

I don’t know why this is revolutionary. There are huge issues with video game addictions, especially if you want that player focussed on hockey...

And by addiction I mean playing so much that it negatively impacts other facets of your life, not playing a few hours a night (still a waste of time imho)