So often, all the time, really, Penn State men’s hockey coach Guy Gadowsky defers.
He does not dismiss or sidestep. He does not shirk responsibility. He simply states the obvious about game actions, preparation and results. It’s largely up to the players.
Plus, in the always unpredictable world of college hockey — with “bouncing pucks, hot goalies and referees” among Gadowsky’s favorite factors — it sometimes seems the Penn State coach minimizes his role.
Of course, he and his staff strive to put the team in position to succeed — always working to adjust and make the most of the “information” they gather from week to week and usually focusing on themselves before an opponent.
With all that, the players become the most important part, and the coach’s trust in them often leads to good things.
At this point of this season, though, the team’s a little short on healthy players and Gadowsky’s role is nothing minimal.
If Penn State plans to make a positive push toward the postseason (the Nittany Lions are 0-3-1 in their last four and have not won a game in 27 days), the Big Ten Conference’s most senior men’s hockey coach will have to do some of his best work starting with this weekend’s two-game home series against Ohio State.
It’ll be a starring role — one Gadowsky might downplay but that he’s well suited to fill.
First, he’s almost unfailingly forthright. He’ll tell players what they need to hear, not what they want to hear, and that opens communication lines and engenders trust.
At the same time, when dealing with the media, Gadowsky rarely ducks a question, almost apologizing for sharing something he thinks he should not. He can talk a lot when answering a question without really saying a lot, though. It’s a complementary and important skill to talking with players.
Along with his communications approach, Gadowsky puts a couple other Cs to use with regularity. And on a team that just lost its on-ice “C,” captain Dane Dowiak, to a season-ending injury, that’s important.
Several other player injuries have Penn State severely shorthanded with just three series remaining in the regular season. So, those other Cs — Gadowsky’s curiosity, confidence and competitiveness — are essential.
His curiosity shows through as he seeks ways to help the team improve — be that through film study and on-ice fundamentals or by juggling, which has become part of the team’s pregame routine to improve peripheral vision. It also shows through in his willingness to ask how and why about any number of topics — he referred to F1 racing and football in his answers to the media this week.
He’ll regularly grit his teeth as he offers an emphasis when he discusses a player who battles on the ice or works hard to help the team. Just moments later he can lob a genuine, gee-whiz question or two about another topic, so he fully understands.
Gadowsky’s approach creates a baseline of confidence. Nothing fake. Just a mentality grounded in informed comfort. He believes in his coaches, players and system. He believes in himself.
And this week, with the team shorthanded and sliding a bit (in fairness after losses in back-to-back series to the nation’s second-ranked teams, first Michigan State and then Michigan) his confidence conveys an approach that should resonate with players.
His message this week has been that injuries are part of the game, and that the team’s not going to change its style of play. He admits, though, that the circumstances might be challenging — “tough sledding” in his words.
That gets to his favorite C: competition. Everything with Gadowsky’s Penn State team revolves around competition. Practices, obviously. And darts, ping-pong and juggling among team members. Offer him a competition, in anything, and that’s the one place he will not defer.
Gadowsky embraces and enjoys competition. So, with his team needing some wins this weekend, expect the coach to be at his best.
And, finally, one more victory would give him 250 as Penn State’s head coach. Expect that topic to be something he defers about when it happens this weekend.
If you’ve enjoyed this content, please subscribe to Stuff Somers Says With Steve on YouTube. Or join our newsletter by entering your email below.
