“In Sweden, we don’t believe in a lot of strength training at young ages,” said Anders Hedberg as he finished his sandwich.

It was 1983, New York City, and Hedberg sounded a lot like the professor I once had for a physics class — the one who left no doubt when he spoke that he knew the subject backwards and forwards and wasn’t looking for a debate.   It’s noteworthy that Anders was, himself, one of the most motivated athletes in the weight room.

“We believe that smaller, weaker kids will have to compete with their mind and their skills…and gain strength at a later time,” Anders added.   “There’s a danger that a bigger, stronger (bantam) player will be too successful because of brute strength, and he won’t be forced to learn rink sense and skills.   Then, when he gets to be 20, and others are also big and strong, he has nothing extra to help him compete.”

For those who didn’t see him play, Anders Hedberg is to Swedish hockey what Babe Ruth was to American baseball — except that after his playing days ended with the New York Rangers, Hedberg began a second career as a consultant to NHL teams regarding the development of young talent.   He was also the General Manager of the Swedish Gold Medalist in the last Olympic Games.

When Hedberg speaks about development — we listen — and maybe even take notes.

Youth hockey in Sweden is about development and fun; not about winning. It’s not about one group of parents competing with those from across town.   There is a coordinated plan for all ages, prepared by a national staff of hockey experts — Hedberg being one of the leaders — and coaches understand their mission.

Youth coaches are never evaluated on the basis of won/loss records.  In fact, if it appears a coach is putting too much emphasis on winning, he’d lose his job.   They teach constantly, and exercise patience when players try new, creative plays in games and practices.

If size is not an advantage for long-term learning and development, does it make a difference day-by-day in the NHL?

No one would say size is not an advantage — all other things being equal.    However, given the growing importance of those ‘other things,’ size is becoming less relevant in the new NHL.   The skillful, clever players dominate every game, whether they’re big or small.   Of course, there are still the big, strong grinders who believe their reason for existence is to hustle all over the ice and make big hits.

The superstars — the ones who come up with game-breaking plays at just the right time — come in all sizes.   Of course, some are big and strong.   After all, a few years ago, scouts couldn’t even report the name of a prospect who wasn’t over the magic 183 centimeters tall (6 feet in English).  Some even taped a line on the wall at that height, so they could eliminate those who didn’t tower above it.

And for this they got paid. 

Because of the impact of scouting, many top players in the NHL are tall.   But just as many are small, just as it has been for a hundred years.   Four years ago, Martin St. Louis was the Most Valuable Player of the entire league, as he led his Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup championship.   Not satisfied with his own play in the following season, St. Louis decided to lose 10 pounds — get smaller and faster — and now he’s back at it again, scoring goals in bunches.

Ask any scout to name the 10 best players he’s ever seen — or that he’s played with — and his list will include more small players than giants.   It’s amazing, but some coaches of women’s college teams have the same myopia.   They’re searching the rinks for big high school girls; yet all the best players in the brief history of women’s hockey were small.   They dominated because they were quick, skillful, creative, confident and tough — just like the men.

Patrick Kane (5-9 and 160 pounds) was the first player picked in the NHL draft last June, and he’s already winning games for the newly energized Chicago Blackhawks.   Minnesota’s Erik Johnson is at the other end of the size spectrum, but equally effective as a defenseman for the St. Louis Blues.   Actually, the league features a host of young superstars who come in all sizes, ranging from Pittsburgh’s towering Evgeni Malkin, who reminds us of Mario Lemieux, to Pierre Marc Bouchard, the brilliant Minnesota Wild speedster.

When describing Sidney Crosby as the best player in the world, we marvel at his Gretzky-like-creativity, or his awesome rink sense, play-making, poise, confidence, speed, agility, balance, etc.   But no one mentions his size.   Why?   Because it’s irrelevant.

And that’s the point.   Size is over-rated, unless we’re talking about the size of the heart.   Anyone who sees Alex Ovechkin on a daily basis would not explain his incredible impact by his size, even though his legs are almost freakishly big.

His shot from any awkward position is remarkable.   His ability to accelerate while cornering — great.   But, his real strength is his passion — the quality that matters most.   When the game’s on the line with a few seconds left, he gets to the net with the puck, not because he’s big and strong, but because his heart is bigger than any other of his amazing attributes.