PRAGUE -- Jay Woodcroft and Todd McLellan made the trip to Prague for the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal to give back to the game that has given them so much.
Woodcroft and McLellan, who each coached in the NHL as recently as last season, were the guest speakers at the NHL Coaching Clinic at O2 Arena on Thursday, presenting their own thoughts, ideas, theories and some X's and O's to a melting pot of 350 Czech coaches.
"They have their national team coaches here, their national junior teams, their under-18 team, all the way down to mites and squirts coaches," Woodcroft said. "It's a unique audience in that regard, but the biggest thing is they're hockey people that are committed to being the best that they can be. They're continuous learners that are trying to pick something up from some NHL coaches. It's a real privilege to be here."
The hook for the clinic is the Global Series, to be played this weekend at O2 Arena with the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres opening the NHL regular season Friday (1 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, MSG-B, SN) and playing again Saturday (10 a.m. ET; MSGSN, NHLN, MSG-B, SN).
This year's clinic was the 26th the NHL has run since the Global Series began in 2017 and has taken place in 14 cities across seven countries.
McLellan coached 1,144 NHL games with the San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings from 2008-24 and was fired by the Kings 48 games into last season. He previously was an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008.
Woodcroft coached 133 games with the Oilers from 2021-24 and was fired after 13 games last season, replaced by Kris Knoblauch. Woodcroft previously was an assistant under McLellan in San Jose and they worked on the same staff in Detroit in 2008.
"When you're coaching, you're so wrapped up in what you're doing for your team and trying to win," McLellan said. "This is my first opportunity to not have the stress or pressure of training camp and the season and everything else that's in front of you, and I just believe we have to give back.
"I'm at that stage now where I have to give back and try to share with other coaches, and that can be anywhere from Prague to Saskatoon to Toronto. I have the luxury of time right now and I'm going to use it to give back as much as I can."
McLellan and Woodcroft were tasked with giving two presentations each.
In the morning, they each talked about career paths and coach development from different vantage points.
Woodcroft presented on his experience of receiving the call to be an NHL head coach, which he got from the Oilers on Feb. 10, 2022.
"For me it wasn't just about those 36 hours or that 36-hour sprint, it was more about the 17 years of coaching that I put in to get to that point to be ready," Woodcroft said.
McLellan presented a survey he did with various decision-makers in the game about how to advance to the next level.
In the afternoon, the coaches went the technical route and used some video. McLellan did a power play presentation and Woodcroft went into a deep dive on face-offs.
They also sat with the 350 Czech coaches, a mixture of men and women, young and old, to watch the Sabres practice at O2 Arena.
"One thing we've told the coaches is these are just ideas, it doesn't mean that we're right or we're wrong," Woodcroft said. "It's just that through experience we've built a belief system and we're sharing it here today with this group."
They had an engaged audience.
"It's great for me as a hockey coach to see and to feel the NHL level here in Prague," said Vojtech Fiala, who coaches HC Liberec's under-17 team. "The presentations were great and it's inspiring for me to hear the stories of how things go in the major leagues, the NHL.
"I like to hear not just the hockey stuff, but the little things like the culture, the leadership, those things from people who are pretty connected with hockey. These guys are at the top level. It's such great inspiration for me and it gives me new knowledge. I'll try to maybe bring some of it to my team too."
McLellan said he even told the coaches in the clinic that they too could have a future in the NHL.
"We said that today, the next Scotty Bowman could be sitting here in Prague today and starting out by coaching a 12-year-old team and working his or her way up," he said. "The runway is pretty long then and you've got a significant path or journey in front of you, but everybody has that.
"The opportunities exist now. The game is becoming way more global. It's becoming way more diverse, which it should be. You can see that from the group here in Prague. It's significant and it's not a surprise that the Czech national programs are doing well because the passion starts at the grassroots level."
