Page 13 of Second Round

“Sure.” It was a chance to pay myrespects.

We took Lucky’s SUV and headed to Vancouver General Hospital. Bob Pankowski had a private room with a wide view of Vancouver. The team might be skimping on facilities, but they treated you right when you got sick. Or maybe they had a good healthinsuranceplan.

“Hey, Coach,” Lucky said. “How youdoing?”

Pankowski scowled at him. “About as good as you’d expect. Hospitals aren’t my favouriteplace.”

Lucky pulled over a couple of chairs for us. “Bob, this is Leo Gauthier. He’s taking over the headcoachingjob.”

“Jesus, the body’s not even cold yet,” Pankowski said, but he didn’t look surprised that I was here. He nodded at me. “I’ve heard of you. Big deal coaching prospect, right? Have you turned around theteamyet?”

“Not yet. But I’d appreciate any guidanceyouhave.”

“Can’t. I’ve been told not to think about work.” He motioned to the TV. “I’m not even allowed to watchhockey.”

Man, if the three of us couldn’t discuss hockey, what the hell would we talkabout?

“I hear you’ve started rehab already,” Lucky said. “How’s thatgoing?”

Pankowski patted his chest. “Because of the stent, I have to take it pretty easy. Around here they think that walking is the best exercise. Got me out of bed every five minutes to do one lap.Ridiculous.”

“Now, Bob, that’s not true,” scolded the nurse who had just walked in. “As a coach, you know you have to use it or lose it. Are theseyoursons?”

He snorted. “Not likely. This is mybossand myreplacement.” He placed a scornful emphasis on thewords.

“I’ll only be a minute, gentlemen.” She was a tiny Asian woman who bustled around taking his blood pressure. She looked over at Lucky and her eyes widened. “You’re Lucky Luczak! Man, do the Millionaires ever miss you. They’re struggling even to make theplayoffs.”

I smiled. I had wondered how much of a hockey city Vancouver was, but there were lots of fans. They just weren’t Vice fans. As the two of them discussed playoff chances, I watched Pankowski. Anyone would look like crap lying in bed in a hospital gown, but he looked old and frail. He’d really let his fitness go. It was easy to think that skating around at practice was exercise, but it wasn’t. I worked out regularly, and I was still at playingweight.

His office had given me insights into his personality. It was sloppy, full of paperwork and tasks not completed—like he was struggling to stay on top of things. The team played that way too—with a desperation to stay in the game, all the while knowing they were doomed. They focused on an antiquated defensive system, and they didn’t even do that well. Bob struck me as someone who might have been a good coach once, but he couldn’t evolve. Players today were different; they had attitude and expectations at all levels. You had to harness that to get the most outofthem.

To me, it was attention to detail that made the difference. Begin with the first building blocks like fitness, skating, skills, and nutrition. Then add on proper practice, mastery of plays, and continuing to do the right things in our system. There would be many call-ups and injuries during the year, so the system might have to be adapted. But as long as everyone was on the same page, winning would follow. Italwaysdid.

Pankowski’s eyes met mine. I was surprised at the fear I saw there. He knew it was the end of his coaching career. He’d driven this team off a cliff, and now his reputation was shot. He scowled at me, and I tried to ease thesituation.

“Bob, if you do think of anything, call me and we can jaw about the team. I know how invested you are in theirsuccess.”

“Did you even play NHL hockey?” he asked, knowing full well I hadn’t. How many times I had I heard exactly these words? Old-timer prejudices were something I’d seen at every level ofhockey.

I shook my head. “I played university and in Europe. But I never played in the NHL. Likeyoudid.”

“Damn straight I did. How the hell can you expect to coach a professional team without being intheshow?”

“Bob,” the nurse chided him. “Please try to stay calm. Stress management is going to be a key part of your lifestyle fromnowon.”

He sighed and deflated onto the bed. “If you can teach them some team defence, you’ll be wayahead.”’

My plan for team defence was controlling the puck more in the offensive zone, but I figured that telling him that would blow out his arteriescompletely.

5

PropertySisters

Jackie

Iwas lyingdown on the coach’s new bed staring at the blank wall. To me, it was vital to look at something positive first thing in the morning because that would set the tone for the whole day. I could see the narrow teak dresser I’d placed against the wall. It was an amazing find from a second-hand store on Main Street—all I had to do was clean and oil the exterior, then line the drawers with striped paper, and now it looked fabulous. And cost a quarter of the price of a newdresser.

When I woke up at home, I looked at one of my own paintings. It was a still life with flowers and fruit, and the energetic colours made me feel happy. Brent had taken the oil painting that used to hang in our bedroom. It was a hyper-realistic landscape of British Columbia mountains and sea that he had bought at some charity auction. I never liked it, so hanging my own painting was a both a decorating move and a declaration ofindependence.

---