Separator Traits in Player Development
How to maximize individual development and team performance
Hi there,
You don’t have to choose between development and winning - you can have both.
There’s 5 characteristics I look for in the intangibles to see if he’s going to get better. Number 1 is intelligence. Hit me in the head with a hammer the next time I take a dumb player.
-Jimmy Johnson on player selection
(Credit to Think Less Player Faster for sharing this video on X.)
Separator Traits in Player Development
At the Brock Badgers High Performance Hockey Seminar, presented by Ice Hockey Systems, we hosted a panel discussion on player evaluation and development with Spiros Anastas, Assistant Coach Chicago Wolves, Sudsie Maharaj, Director of Goaltending, Anaheim Ducks, and Tom Kostopoulos, Director of Player Development, Pittsburgh Penguins.
In a world where video and analytics is increasingly available to drive player selection decisions, it was interesting to hear the panelists diverge into the topic of “intangibles” - traits that are difficult to quantify yet seem to have an outsized impact on performance and development.
Kostopoulos provided a framework to consider when trying to identify players that will develop. We should be looking for athletes that have the following traits:
coachable
passionate/competitive
work ethic/consistency
It’s worth considering the behaviors of someone who possesses these qualities. What are you looking for? How can you identify it when you see it?
For example, intelligence can be an indicator of coachability but may need to be combined with humility and curiosity.
(Left to Right: Spiros Anastas - Chicago Wolves, Sudsie Maharaj - Anaheim Ducks, Tom Kostopoulos - Pittsburgh Penguins)
The Ideal Team Player
It struck me that these “separator traits” are closely aligned with the characteristics of the ideal team player, presented by Patrick Lencioni in the Ideal Team Player.
Lencioni proposes that the ideal team player is humble, hungry and smart.
With advances in technology and data, we need to remember that athletes are human. Make sure you are investing time in figuring out who the people are and how you can help them separate themselves.
Brock Badgers High Performance Hockey Seminar
The 3rd Brock Badgers High Performance Coaching Seminar took place on May 31st, 2025
Learn, share, and connect with coaches, scouts, managers and industry professionals from all ages, genders, and levels on the campus of Brock University in the beautiful Niagara region.
Click here for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 agenda including speakers and topics.
Purchase the video of all presentations from the 2023, 2024, and/or 2025 seminar for just $74 (CDN). Email me directly at tmanastersky@brocku.ca for details.
Cheers,
TJ Manastersky
Coaching Project
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