Fantastic Piece On D. Belfry by Custance for the Athletic - Lots on Matthews

[AppsSyl]

There was an excellent piece by Craig Custance for the Athletic on Leafs Skills Development expert Daryl Belfry who also works with other players in the summer. It is paywalled but for those who have a subscription, definitely worth the read. It is in the form of a Q & A.

It delves into the players meeting in the summer and how this summer they broken aspects of their game with each other and how beneficial it was. There is a portion that outlines how he goes about working with these guys and the process. It also heavily focuses on Auston Matthews and how he is not just striving to be a great player, but the best and how he has reinvented his shot again this year.

Click to read more...

 

[Advanced stats]

It delves into the players meeting in the summer and how this summer they broken aspects of their game with each other and how beneficial it was

Would love to hear more about this. I can't imagine this is normal for most teams.
Good stuff!

 

[NoTouchIcing]

Would love to hear more about this. I can't imagine this is normal for most teams.
Good stuff!

It's not a team thing. Belfry hosts camps that - I don't believe - are associated with the Leafs, with skill players throughout the league. In this article, Kane, Matthews and Giroux appeared to be featured.
They all meet and discuss what kind of things they were seeing on certain plays, etc.

 

[NoTouchIcing]

That said, the meetings were not what I was most fascinated about.
Belfry talked about meeting with clients like Kane & Matthews and then researching how they want to get better. The technical side of it is encapsulating.
Matthews has already twice re-developed his entire shot since he's been drafted. Based on Belfry's numbers, he might improve his SOG by 2-3%... and he re-constructed his entire shot as a 40G scorer.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

That said, the meetings were not what I was most fascinated about.
Belfry talked about meeting with clients like Kane & Matthews and then researching how they want to get better. The technical side of it is encapsulating.
Matthews has already twice re-developed his entire shot since he's been drafted. Based on Belfry's numbers, he might improve his SOG by 2-3%... and he re-constructed his entire shot as a 40G scorer.

Isn't that a bit risky?

 

[AppsSyl]

Isn't that a bit risky?

The article talks about that, but it doesn't seem to be. Just look at last season, and how deceptive his shot became. Now he is building on that and taking it a step further. Belfry mentions the speed at which Matthews can be taught something and have it as part of his repetoire and that he literally reinvented his shot top to bottom and had it down within 15 hours on the ice.

 

[weems]

Isn't that a bit risky?

Sure but the truly great ones are always trying to evolve and be "ahead" of the curve.

 

[AppsSyl]

It's not a team thing. Belfry hosts camps that - I don't believe - are associated with the Leafs, with skill players throughout the league. In this article, Kane, Matthews and Giroux appeared to be featured.
They all meet and discuss what kind of things they were seeing on certain plays, etc.

You are right. During the season I think he works mainly with the Leafs, but in the summer it is more freelance and he has clients he works with each summer. The piece said that Patrick Kane has worked with him for 20 years. The part where the players are going over their clips and Kane is deconstructing his was pretty cool, and the insight on how Belfry does what he does is pretty cool. We are VERY lucky to have him as part of our development staff.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

The article talks about that, but it doesn't seem to be. Just look at last season, and how deceptive his shot became. Now he is building on that and taking it a step further. Belfry mentions the speed at which Matthews can be taught something and have it as part of his repetoire and that he literally reinvented his shot top to bottom and had it down within 15 hours on the ice.

Wow. Awesome.

 

[Hogan86]

That was a great article. I love the part where Belfry said he got the players to all sit around a flatscreen and narrate their own play on the TV. And how Patty Kane stated whenever he has the puck down low or is breaking into the offensive zone, he checks the handedness of the defender. It seems so silly, but knowing your defenders weak side would allow you to exploit them. I guess that's what sets apart good players from great players. Really awesome stuff.