Don't you 'leadership' me

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Neat little view on how this columnist thinks leadership is overrated, IF, the younger players do not tune into what the older/more experienced player has to say.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/8351534...dership'-me

It happens every year. You know, the forum chatter concerning such-and-such unrestricted free agent and how he's available and should be signed by your team because this player brings leadership to the locker room.

This kind of talk always begins around mid-July after the big-sticker UFAs are inked, leaving the market saturated with two flavors of second-tier athletes — grunts and marquee veterans at (or beyond) the twilight of their respective careers.

Put it another way: Importing a leader to the locker room is utterly ineffective unless the remainder of the roster elects to follow his lead. You can't ram a leader down the throats of those who have no faith or who perceive the newcomer as a threat to their own stature within an established pecking order. Resentment can be a natural reaction, whether we (as fans) believe it is justified or not.

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

Detroit > Everyone else

Notice how detroit does everything better then everyone? its awesome.

i had a huge post going, but i realized no point, we all know why we are awesome.

[lets go pavel 2]

Neat little view on how this columnist thinks leadership is overrated, IF, the younger players do not tune into what the older/more experienced player has to say.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/8351534...dership'-me

seems like a no-brainer to me ... isn't it pretty obvious that leadership isn't leadership if no one listens, so you have to choose your leadership wisely? and experience does not equate to leadership ...

[edicius 3,269]

Crosby?

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Actually, I found it to be a great read from the normal everyday stuff we're used to. Point and case, you can't just plug a "proven" vet into a young team and expect the kids to be falling over themselves for him. Most kids are proud and bringing in a vet doesn't always come with the message it should, because the younger you are the more likely you are to think you can do anything. As a result, bringing in an "old" vet may cause proud, talented kids to think they don't need help from the new "dinosaur" or from the other side, question themselves or their place on the team.

I think the solution is handling things the way the Wings have.....you don't bring in a leader, you build one. Yzerman was that guy for the Wings, and when he retired it was a no-brainer to have Lids follow. Some here were arguing for Cheli but the organization absolutely did the right thing giving it to not only a proven leader, but someone that had been in the Wings locker room for over a decade. TBH, they'll do the same thing with Z when Lids decides to hang 'em up. Now, teams like Pittsburgh recognize what they have in Crosby, and they are following a similar path to what Detroit did with Stevie.

[union drone 0]

Put it another way: Importing a leader to the locker room is utterly ineffective unless the remainder of the roster elects to follow his lead. You can't ram a leader down the throats of those who have no faith or who perceive the newcomer as a threat to their own stature within an established pecking order. Resentment can be a natural reaction, whether we (as fans) believe it is justified or not.http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/8351534...dership'-me

Although I agree with this statement in general, a big part of being an effective leader is knowing when to keep your mouth shut and not insert one's own foot into it. A player with leadership skill is a natural at knowing what to say (or not to say) to whom and at what time to help the team and not create dischord.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Although I agree with this statement in general, a big part of being an effective leader is knowing when to keep your mouth shut and not insert one's own foot into it. A player with leadership skill is a natural at knowing what to say (or not to say) to whom and at what time to help the team and not create dischord.

Its not just about talking vs. keeping your mouth shut. A guy's presence alone can affect the locker room atmosphere. Like the article says, certain players are going to feel threatened. And on top of that, how does it make the leaders of the team feel to know that the team needs to call in support because their leadership isn't quite enough.

As for the article/idea itself, I agree more or less. Its hard to bring in a big "leadership" presence at the deadline when you already more or less have your lockerroom pecking order established. Its also hard to bring in a leadership presence regardless of when or how when you have a room full of big egos. I think the point more or less is to know when not to, and when to stick with what you have and ask the players you already have to step up. Adding Drake was a good move for the Wings because although they already had their team more or less established at the time, they're a team of teammates, friends, and professionals, unlike some of the egomaniacs around the league. That sort of move could've been ineffective for a team like Ottawa that clearly didnt have enough limelight to go around this past season...

[stud_defenseman 1]

That was a good read. For a team like Detroit it would be very follish to bring in a player like that who could potentially ruin the stability of the team. Detroit is great because there is not one strong leader, but a group of leaders who all contribute. For other teams it is worth the risk to bring in someone like this because they are lacking in the leadership department. Hossa is a good pick up because he is simply willing to follow along with what is going on, and has never himself been a team leader. On the other hand, had we gotten Sundin, I could see that potenitally disrupting the great chemistry we have developed.

[union drone 0]

Its not just about talking vs. keeping your mouth shut. A guy's presence alone can affect the locker room atmosphere. Like the article says, certain players are going to feel threatened. And on top of that, how does it make the leaders of the team feel to know that the team needs to call in support because their leadership isn't quite enough.

As for the article/idea itself, I agree more or less. Its hard to bring in a big "leadership" presence at the deadline when you already more or less have your lockerroom pecking order established. Its also hard to bring in a leadership presence regardless of when or how when you have a room full of big egos. I think the point more or less is to know when not to, and when to stick with what you have and ask the players you already have to step up. Adding Drake was a good move for the Wings because although they already had their team more or less established at the time, they're a team of teammates, friends, and professionals, unlike some of the egomaniacs around the league. That sort of move could've been ineffective for a team like Ottawa that clearly didnt have enough limelight to go around this past season...

I see your point of someone (rather immaturely, imo) feeling threatened by the acquisition of a new "leader" player.

My point was not really one of "keeping mouth shut", but more that being a leader involves great people skills. A great leader would realize "hey, maybe this dude thinks I am a threat" and chooses not to play up his "leader" status, but find a way to make the player not feel threatened, which could in effect diffuse a difficult situation and win the respect of the said threatened player. That is why being a leader is foremost about people skills and communication, not stats.