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react in those stressful situations? The best teammates learn to control their emotions, figure out the solution and attack the problem as a team. Some young players might learn this best when they take a bad penalty at a critical juncture in a game and let their teammates down, as Rud suggested. Only then will they understand the true value in keeping a level head on the ice. "You do learn from going through tough situations," said Rud. "People aren't born winners. Sometimes, it takes going through a situation where maybe you do hurt your team, what that feels like and how you respond from that. I think that's where discipline really comes, in terms of knowing how to be a great teammate. We see it every season. Either you learn from adversity and grow from it, or it sets you back another hundred years." SELFLESSNESS: Always be willing to help others, and remember, "We always supersedes me." In other words, sometimes the best assists in hockey don't always show up on the stat sheet; they're made through words, actions and ultimately, being a good teammate on the ice, the bench and in the locker room. This can be a difficult concept for some youth players to learn because they are often encouraged by coaches to be selfish in certain areas and selfless in others. "It's a fine line when kids are really young," Rud added. "In one regard, when you're really young, you have to try and dominate a game and beat people 1-on-1. Some people look at that as being a selfish player. Other people look at it as a kid developing his skills." As players grow older, a sense of selflessness will become more and more important. Not only do details such as using give-and-go pass plays, keeping shifts short and avoiding retaliation penalties make teams more successful, they are key components of being a great teammate. OCTOBER 2026 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M 11 5