By Don Fennell
Sports Editor

The line between playing in the National Hockey League and a career in the minors can be infinitely fine.

Ajay Baines and Brad Leeb know just how narrow the margin really is. Baines, 27, is captain of the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League, top farm club of the Chicago Blackhawks. A graduate of the Kamloops Blazers, the legendary junior hockey factor that has produced countless future NHLers, he signed as a free agent with the Hawks in 2001. 

A determined Ajay Baines (inset, left) is hoping a summer working with skating coach Derek Popke on all aspects of skating will help him earn a call-up this season by the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s currently captain of the NHL team’s top minor pro affiliate in Norfolk, Virginia. Former Vancouver Canuck and  Toronto Maple Leaf Brad Leeb (right) is hoping working on his skating with Derek Popke leads to another shot in the NHL.
 
Obviously, Baines has the character to make it to the big show but his skating has perhaps been an Achilles heel. He re-signed with Chicago for another year earlier this month and hopes a dedicated off-season working with skating coach Derek Popke will help him realize his long-awaited dream of playing in the Windy City.

“I’m not a great skater so it’s something I’ve got to keep working on,” said Baines following a recent workout at the Richmond Ice Centre. “This actually is the first summer where I’ve actually worked through the whole summer, and Derek has been great.

“There are so many different areas (of skating) like turning, balance, keeping my posture, how to skate with the puck and how to fight off defenders.” Baines continued. “Any little thing I can get (will help).”

Baines said he’s noticed improvement in all areas from the first day he joined Popke in June to now.

“Derek is a great skater and he shows you what to do. That makes a big difference from just being told what to do. Everyone else is getting better too and the older you get you’ve got to keep working on little things. If it’s just a split second faster that I’m going to be able to get to a puck that could be the difference (for) maybe five more goals or perhaps a call-up to Chicago.”

At 26, Leeb enjoyed a prolific junior career with the Red Deer Rebels before turning pro in 1999 as a member of the Vancouver Canucks’ organization. He played four games with the Canucks over two seasons before being dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs where he played one game two years ago. He had 49 points for the St. John’s Maple Leafs, Toronto’s AHL affiliate, during the 2004-05 season but was not re-signed by the Leafs and is currently a free agent.

“I hope a team steps up,” he said, adding that he would like to continue playing in North American for a couple more seasons at least. However, Europe is also an option. His brother is playing in Germany and there has been some interest in Brad joining him.

Skating is not a problem for Leeb, but he decided to take lessons from Popke just the same so that he could work on controlling the puck while retaining his speed.
“Some guys like to be on the ice a lot and just scrimmage. I think this scenario is a bit better because you get kind of rusty out there and it’s great to be able to work on little drills with Derek. It helps to get physically ready and your skating back to where it is during the season.”

Popke, who works with several hockey players in different stages of their careers, said he isn’t looking to change too much with players such as Baines and Leeb. He said the goal is simply to tweak things.

“It might be balancing or getting a longer stride by getting lower to the ice,” Popke explained. “But if a skater wide tracks already at their level it’s best not to change that. Still, even changing a tiny thing can be the difference to being called up or that opportunity going to the next guy. It’s a game of inches and if you can start grabbing on those inches you just increase your chances.”

In Baines’ case, for instance, he was looking for more power out of a dead stop. To help him realize that goal, Popke put together a program based on video analysis and emphasized slowly working at changing his heel kick.

For Leeb, who is known for his quickness, Popke designed a program to incorporate his shooting and puck skills with his skating. Again, he stressed the importance of slowly building up to a faster speed.

“Straight away speed and good cross-overs are important but how many times in a game do you have a chance to use that kind of speed. It never happens,” Popke said. “Maybe four to seven seconds in a game.”

“Brad has very good skills. You watch him and wonder how is he not in the NHL. He wants back there and that’s why he’s doing stuff like this.”

Two other future NHL prospects also worked out with Popke at the Richmond Ice Centre last week.

John Lammers, a 19-year-old left winger from Langley was a third round NHL draft pick of the Dallas Stars last summer. Captain of the Canadian under-18 team last year and fortunate to play in the Canadian Hockey League top prospects game in Vancouver last winter, he was traded this summer to Everett (WHL) by Lethbridge for which he scored 47 points in 66 games during the 2004-05 season.

North Vancouver’s Matt Siddall was a ninth round selection of the Atlanta Thrashers in 2004 and is currently attending Northern Michigan University. He had eight points in 33 games as a freshman last season.

“With younger players who’ve just got drafted obviously you have more time to slowly eliminate their weaknesses,” Popke said. “(But) skating for hockey specific reasons is different than speed skating or something like that.”

Popke has been working with Lammers since he was 15 years old, helping him become much more than just a decent skater. Skating used to be a concern for Lammers, but not any more. Still, he continues to sharpen his edges.

In his working life, recently-appointed Anaheim Ducks’ senior hockey consultant Dave Nonis spends a great deal of his time watching hockey.

It’s not much different in his leisure time. But in the latter his focus is on fun.

“I like going out, it’s one of the best parts of the game seeing kids play,” says Nonis, who has spent part of this week helping out as a guest instructor at the Vancouver Hockey School at the Richmond Ice Centre. The Vancouver based school is led by professional skating coach Derek Popke.

“They still really enjoy (the game at this age) and it’s important to try to keep it that way. It’s not supposed to be work. They can work hard when they’re out here, but the process has to be enjoyable.”

Nonis has always found time to give back to minor hockey-even during the period from May 2004 to April 2008 when his workload was extra heavy as vice president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks. This is his third summer helping out at the Vancouver Hockey School under the guidance of Derek Popke, for whom he has a great deal of respect.

“The biggest thing in a good hockey school is the quality of instruction,” Nonis says. “It’s got to be beneficial for the kids, and what they’re learning and the quality of instruction is as important as anything. Derek and his (colleagues) have done this for a long time and they’re very good at it. If you look at the kids from Monday to Friday generally you won’t find any kid that hasn’t improved.”

Popke reguarly works with players of all ages, including a dozen NHLers this summer. He is particularly respected for his skating instruction.

“Skating itself is maybe more important than it’s ever been,” says Nonis. “If you can’t skate you can’t play at a high level. And the pace of the game is continuing to increase.”

But, adds Nonis, you also have to be able to control the puck while skating at a high speed.

“There’s a lot of technique and skill that goes into it and it’s something people generally don’t learn on their own. They need some instruction. It’s also important for players to be able to improve in all areas of their game and this group is very comprehensive (in its instruction).”

A defenceman with the University of Maine Black Bears during his playing career, before getting into management at the NHL level, Nonis says he’s lucky to be working in hockey.

“I love coming to the rink, whether it’s the NHL rink or watching 10- and 11-year-olds play,” he says. “If (as a player) you’re not enjoying coming to the rink either to play or practice then you shouldn’t be involved.”
Richmond minor hockey player Brayden Low, a member of last season’s B.C. Bantam B champions, was among the campers. He said what he’s learned this week was nothing short of awesome.

“Derek’s a great instructor,” he said.