Amy (00:00.646)
Hello and welcome to the Flow State Unleashed podcast. I'm here today with Harry Mahesh, who is the former coaching develop associate with the Toronto Maple Leafs from the 2023 to the 2024 season. He's been playing hockey for 15 years and has been in a coaching role for the last eight years. So thank you so much for being here, Harry. Yeah, I really appreciate it. And I love getting the take of.
Harry Mahesh (00:19.264)
Yeah, thanks for having me.
Amy (00:24.19)
a player who has turned into coaching because you have such valuable information that we can share with the up and comers in the hockey industry. So let's go back to your playing days. When you were playing, what is one of the biggest challenges you mentally faced as a hockey athlete?
Harry Mahesh (00:27.054)
because you have such valuable information that we can share with the up and comers in the office.
Harry Mahesh (00:38.003)
When you were playing, what is one of the biggest challenges you faced as a kid?
you know, got older and I, you know, we started traveling and I kind of started to know, you know, more about hockey and how it was at these other cities. I was always like in the mindset of looking too far down the road. Like, you know, the big thing for me was like, I'd be playing for a team and I'd be thinking, okay, well next year I want to play for that team and then I'll go here. And I was, in my mind, I was really trying to map out what I thought would be like my career path, but it really took away from me focusing on where I was. I don't think I ever really, you know,
took the time to really just kind of appreciate and put in the work that was in front of me. I was kind of got in that area of like, and I know a lot of players go through that, like you might not be playing on the team or the league you want. So then you start to kind of get anxious looking at, okay, well, how do I get here? And you're looking further ahead than really trying to like master, you know, the league or the level you're at before you move on. So that was the biggest challenge for me is I think sometimes I just got caught looking too far down the road as to like what my career path would look like and what.
the end goal was and focus a little bit too much on that rather than just like the day to day of making where I was the fit.
Amy (02:09.784)
I love that and it's just the whole mindset of being present, like staying present with what you have today. So do you find now that you're able to make that shift now?
Harry Mahesh (02:20.42)
Would you find now that you're able to really catch up?
Like you're not getting the NHL job in November, you while you're coaching you 16 boys or you 18 girls. Like nobody's, nobody's in the stands here scouting you. People don't come to scout coaches. So I really just kind of like took that approach of, I'm here now. I got to make the best of it. I got to make these players better. You know, they're relying on me. It's not about me. Um, I really, it was just a complete different or opposite mindset of when I played, whereas I was really in the moment as a coach and I never really.
worried about next year until the season was over.
Amy (03:19.726)
Yeah, I really like that. So when you made the transition from player to coach, is there any other mindset lessons that you have brought from being a player to now coach role and how you've been helping develop the players?
Harry Mahesh (03:34.176)
Yeah, for me, the biggest thing is, late in my career, I felt like every mistake was like the end of the world. Especially, you know, towards the end when you are playing professional hockey, it felt like everything I did was under a magnifying glass and I carried a weight of like, you know, everything. Like every shift, every moment, every pass to me just felt like such a big deal. And when I'm coaching, I try to remind the players that like it's not one mistake that's going to,
get you in trouble or set you back. It's an accumulation of games or months or whatever. So my mindset was, I wouldn't really stress over little things. And I wanted my players to understand that they can make mistakes. And I fully expect them to make mistakes and to come back. Whereas I would beat myself up where you make a mistake and you just know, I'm not going to get back on the ice for seven, eight minutes. And I might have to go.
start a fight or something just to you know just to kind of earn every ice time whereas like now and like when you know when players make a mistake I try to get them out there as soon as possible right sometimes correcting that mistake and I see this a lot is you know a player will be out there for 10 seconds they get scored on you know they barely were even in the play they get on the ice the puck's in their zone and they just put their head down and automatically they just start skating to the bench every player does it they get scored on and I just go no
If you want to fix the mistake, you might as well do it right now. like I always say, the five people, if they're not tired, you know, I it was earlier. was like, no, you made a mistake. Odds are you're probably not going to get scored on twice in one shift. You know, if it happens, it happens. But stay out there. Like, you know, I always thought like, you know, if you made a mistake, the best way to to get over it is to have an opportunity to continue to play. So for me is like, I don't really, you know, sweat.
little mistakes or you know if it's just like a bad balance or something like that I try to get that player out there right away whereas like I don't think I was fortunate enough to always be in that situation where one mistake meant your night could be
Amy (05:41.318)
100 % and I feel like when you are given that opportunity to achieve that bounce back and faster, then it's less time for you to sit there and be like, oh my God, now we're not overthinking it and downward spiraling into our performance. And like, I always go back to it, like when I coaching my clients, it's like, we chunk down the performances by like 15 second increments. It's like, we can't worry about anything.
Harry Mahesh (06:06.01)
can't worry about anything ahead of the 15 seconds or behind the 15 seconds. What's happened, what's happened.
Amy (06:07.43)
of the 15 seconds or behind the 15 seconds. What's happened, what's happened. It's like, we just got to keep moving this forward. And the faster you can get back into the, your head back into the game as quickly and as freshly as possible, then the more success you'll have.
Harry Mahesh (06:20.62)
Exactly, and I was always so worried about what the coach thought like I'd come back to the bench and be like He must be so mad at me and like, know, it would just wear on me and then when I started coaching I realized like I Don't really carry a grudge on the bench. I got players make mistakes I don't sit there and dwell on it or just think about them like in the moment in the heat of the game Like as a coach you have to move on to like you get scored on Okay, the next line's up and you're watching the game and I realize like that player sitting there thinking our coach is mad and I'm I'm
Like I've moved on from it and so the big thing for me is like I tell my players is like Don't sit there and worry about like what I'm thinking like I'm doing a job So like I'm aware you made a mistake, but like you're you're overthinking this You know and you're assuming that I feel a certain way and you're actually using a lot of negative energy Whereas like guess what? I'm a part of the game too like I'm worrying about the next thing in the next line and there's 20 players here that I'm you
trying to manage and a goalie and my assistants or if I'm an assistant, there's a lot of moving pieces. like, if you think about it, it doesn't make sense for a coach to stand there and just think about your mistake because they're not doing their job. So, a lot of times players they'll sit there and they'll kind of shrivel up and it'll feel like there's eyes in the back there, burning the back of their head or something like that. But I'm like, more often than not, the coaches all
If they're a good coach and they're doing their job, they've moved on from that mistake. Like, yeah, they're aware of it and they'll address it. And even if you have an assistant, they might get in there and be like, Hey, look, like, you he's your coach in the game and they might be a little buffer. Or if you're the assistant, you know, you can kind of get in there be like, Hey, it's okay. You know, so the quicker you can tell a player like, Hey, it's not a big deal. And like, I'm not worrying about it. So why are you worrying about it? You know, like, of course, as players, if they make mistakes, they are, you know, they have friends and family watching and they don't want to the team down,
The last person you should worry about what they're thinking is your coach. Like the person who's completely engaged in the game all the time. Whereas players can take, they can come back, drink water, talk to their line mates. Sometimes you're not even watching the ice, you know, like while you're on the bench tying your skate. The coach is always engaged. So the person who's least likely to dwell on a mistake is the coach.
Amy (08:30.51)
It's so funny. So do you find you have a little more sensitivity to what the players are thinking about, what the coach is thinking because you were in their shoes at one point and do you find that you help them address that more?
Harry Mahesh (08:43.886)
Yeah, so I kind of had this saying, especially when I was coaching like girls hockey, and I just felt like if we had a bad day or a bad day at practice and the next day, you know, there'd be like some leftover like tension or like uncomfort. And I'd just be like, you know, doing my thing. And I'd be like, what's going on here? Well, yesterday, you know, like, we had a good practice or, you you said, you know, we weren't working or something. I was like, yeah, that was yesterday. Like, I'm not thinking about yesterday. And so I said to the girls, said,
Don't lose sleep worrying about what I think about you because I don't lose sleep worrying about what you think of me. know? Like I don't go to bed at night being like, oh is that player mad that I benched him or is that player mad that like, you know, they weren't on the power play or something like that? Like I don't care. Like when I go home, like I live my life and yeah, like like hockey, I watch hockey, but I don't go to bed with this weight of like, oh 20 players are mad at me or five players are mad at me
The goalie's mad at me. I was like, just, I go to sleep and I wake up and I said, you're, you're, you're going to bed thinking like, is coach mad at me? Is he going to, I was like, so don't waste that energy. Cause I'm being honest, I'm not thinking about you. don't, don't think about what we know what I think. And if you really want to get over it, get over it. Like let's go like, yeah, obviously if there's things we need to fix, like as a coach, you're going to work on those things. But like that, bad, not the bad attitude, but like the bad.
vibes from yesterday. Like they don't need to go to tomorrow or the next day. You just really have to relax and like I'm here for you. Like I'm here to help you get better. So if we have a bad day, let's just make today a little bit better. We don't have to make leaps and bounds every day. But I just found like, you know, you know, as a coach when you have those days where you're in a bad mood and the players know, and then they go home and then they come back and like, I used to go in a bad mood. I was like, that was.
24 hours ago, like no, like a lot's happened in my day and my life since then and I'm just excited to be here and coach. So like don't carry that weight of thinking how coach is mad. Like, you know, especially at the Academy level, sometimes you're playing two games in a day or like, you know, you have random schedules and tournaments. Like if you have a bad game in the morning and you have another game in the evening, like, and you're going to spend all that time thinking, well, coach is mad at me from the game before. It's
Harry Mahesh (11:00.814)
There's no point because like you're just assuming and most coaches like I said the good coaches are If they're practicing what they preach put that behind you move on right? You might tinker your lines or something like that or somebody's struggling like yeah, you know, they might be on a line they don't Favor but again, you're in that position because like there's a way to help you get out of your funk You know, you're making a lot of mistakes I'm not gonna give you more ice time because then you know, you might dig a deeper hole So as a good coach manages like you sometimes have to step
and reset and just make sure your players know that. So yeah, for me, it's like I spent so much time worrying about what I thought coaches, you know, viewed me or, you know, but then I realized like, they probably didn't think twice about it.
Amy (11:42.907)
It reminds me of this, I hope I get this right, but it's called spotlight syndrome where everybody feels like they're on the stage and they're always in the spotlight. Everybody's always thinking about them, watching them and managing their every move. And really, we're all in our own kind of world, right? Yeah, we interact with each other, but I'm worried
Harry Mahesh (12:01.655)
Yeah.
Amy (12:04.718)
me and my kids my whole life and same with coaches, you're worried about managing the team, you have a whole other life too, where it's like you go home and there's other things to deal with. once I realized that, that actually brought a lot of freedom and a lot more confidence in myself realizing that people actually don't care like at all what I'm doing or how I'm operating day to day. Like they really don't think about me at all because they're worrying about themselves. So.
Harry Mahesh (12:05.462)
Yeah.
Harry Mahesh (12:27.738)
Yeah, like you have a long season where you play like 60, 70 games and you're never gonna remember like the little mistake here and there. So, but yeah, sometimes for these kids, it's like hockey is their whole lives. like, it's, obviously for them, like if they're especially trying to move up the ranks, like they are gonna view it higher. Like I'm always aware that it's really important to players because it was important to me. Like it was my whole world.
I would take it home with me because at the time it's like, okay, I want to try to make a living in this sport. So like, I'm aware that like it's easier said than done. Like, you know, if you really care and you lose the game, it, sits with you. You're to have a bad night and you will lose confidence. And you know, if it was easy, then you know, everybody would be so successful at it. So I'm aware of that. Like, even though I tell the players like, don't worry, don't stress. Like they're going to, it's not going to be like, okay, yeah, sure. And they're going to completely change your mindset. And I think
The hardest thing for a coach is like, we're always in the moment with these players is like, you don't have the time, you know, to do kind of what you do to really step aside and really break down that, that mental barrier. Like, cause you know, we got another game to prepare for and you're trying to tell them like, don't worry, relax. I trust you and you can mean it, but like for them, they can be carrying, you know, a lot of scar tissue from past seasons and past coaches. So like, you know, when six coaches have been on them,
and now you're the one who's being honest and saying, relax, they're gonna be hesitant to trust you. And I always say it's like the puppy at the dog shelter, like they're always gonna be squeamish, even though you're there to give it love and pet it and tell them, hey, you can trust me. they have a bad, they've had bad experiences in the past, they're gonna be hesitant to accept your care. So a lot of that is just built through trust and sometimes it takes a whole season for them to be
Okay, I get it. But then that player might move on and have another coach. So you're really hoping that like what you told them sticks and the next coach, like I said, you always assume the next, know, coaches all kind of think the same about this, but they don't like, you know, there's good coaches, bad coaches, in between coaches, professional coaches, volunteer coaches, and everybody's different. So you really have to have that player like develop that internally because they won't get consistent coaching all the time. So if they can just understand that, like, okay, even though this coach is tough,
Harry Mahesh (14:50.372)
I got to reset and just kind of worry about like, you know, not carrying this baggage, getting the game shift to shift, you know, all that kind of stuff with me, you know, which is, you know, a big, you know, it holds a lot of players back. So yeah, that's kind of my thoughts on
Amy (15:05.028)
Yeah, it really does. Because I find players can really carry that weight of those experiences with them until they learn or figure out tools how to let it go and start the seasons fresh. Like you said, it's like the puppy in the shelter. It's all of that. Those past experiences were just being logged and stored in your body. And it's unconscious, right? Like your reactions to how people are going to treat you are all unconscious. So once we can figure out how to release that, then it helps open up a player's game.
Harry Mahesh (15:35.226)
Yeah, and there's a lot of like fear tactics as well. Like coaches will hang over like, I can trade players, you know, and like, I never understood why that was supposed to make a player feel more relaxed and play better. You know, in junior hockey, like if you're 16, well, you know, I don't think they can trade players who are in high school. But if you're 18 years old and you moved to a town and you made friends and you're not playing well, it's like your whole role gets turned upside down if they trade you. And if they're threatening to trade you, like you're not going to snap out of it. Okay, I'll play better now.
Now it's your whole world's affected. So, again, that's kind of the two part of the player's mindset and how coaches can do a better job being aware of that as well.
Amy (16:14.278)
for sure. So what do you find are the differences in mental barriers between like junior hockey or minor hockey compared to what the pros deal with?
Harry Mahesh (16:25.946)
So at the minor hockey and junior level, like I said, I think a lot of players are looking at what's next. And I see it in lot of players I've talked to. It's, you know, you can be 18, 19, and they're looking at universities. I don't want to go Division III, I want to go Division I. And they're just talking to schools, and they're working on their resumes, and they're getting advisors, and they're doing all this stuff that actually isn't making them any better at hockey. They're like marketing themselves, if that makes sense. You know, it all becomes like a marketing campaign. like, how do I get my name out there? How do I get exposure? And I'm like, okay, well.
You know, it's one thing to get exposure and have people come watch you, but you're not working on your game. For me, it's like, I think that's a big thing in junior hockey, is like, it's all, hey, I need to play on a team where I get exposure and I need scouts to watch me. I'm like, okay, but let's say they come watch you. Are you even prepared to have a good game? Because you're just stressing so much about what's next that you're not actually working on the craft. You're worrying about all this extra bells and whistles that really isn't the game, but everybody thinks they need
know, promote themselves and have all these highlight reel videos and all this stuff and I'm like, you spend more time sitting in front of computer putting together a highlight reel than going and working on your skating or your shooting or something like that. I always try to tell them like the balance ratio of promoting to practicing and it should be like, you know, 99 % practicing, 1 % promoting. If you're playing well, the scouts can just go watch your game and make the decision themselves, you know, no email you write them
video you send them is gonna change your mind. And then for minor hockey, it's the mindset of like, again, it's like a rat race now. I don't really even know how minor hockey works in a lot of areas. There's multiple leagues and levels and academy and independent and minor hockey. So I just find that players just, they kind of burn out in that shuffle. there's anxiety to make it before they really start to love the game.
If that makes sense. Like kids all say they love the game and I'm like, you? Like you're just, everything you're doing seems so high strung and stressed and you're playing hockey in June and July. And I was like, this doesn't look fun at all, but you want to make it, right? Cause that's the goal. That's the dream. I'm like, make it in what? Like, I don't think you really know what you're doing. You're just showing up at the ring with your bag and going where you're told to go. So the mindset there is, like, I think players do it in minor hockey because they think wall.
Amy (18:22.437)
Yeah.
Harry Mahesh (18:49.946)
I mean, Canada, all my friends are playing hockey. I have to be playing hockey, but I always go like, would you rather be playing outside in June, you know, or in a hockey rink? And I understand some kids love to play hockey and their parents are like, oh, but I'm like, I have a rule. Like if it's over 25 degrees, I don't want to be in a rink. And I wish more kids would kind of have that. So the kids are kind of, the mindset is like, I have to constantly be playing hockey in order to be successful. And it's like, no, you need to be doing other things.
I love the, you know, that's the difference between like minor hockey and junior hockey and in professional, I think it's, it's the stress of the competition. Like when it's a job, it's a whole different mindset. So I think, everybody who's at that pro level has the confidence. Like you've gone through a lot of stages in your hockey. When you get to like the NHL level, American league level, like, you know, internally, like you're a good hockey player. Like you wouldn't be here unless you've proven it. So that, you know, foundation of saying, okay, I'm good enough. And
you know, there's the business side of things, know, contracts and salary caps and call -ups and veterans and rookies where like the business sometimes can take over. And I think the mindset for players is to feel like, you know, am I getting, you know, quote unquote screwed over by the business of hockey? Like I should be on the team, but my contract is this or, you know, they won't trade me or they have so many forwards so that I'm held. So it becomes more of not your...
confidence in your ability, but your confidence in like, is the best player playing or is it like, is the business shuffling the players around to make it fit? So I think that can be frustrating because then you don't feel like it's always performance -based. There's external factors that kind of creep in. And I know, you know, players find that very frustrating, especially if they're trying to get called up. It's like, well, I'm better than that player, but like, I just don't fit the number or the position or the need that they're looking for.
So I think there's a lot more of that, of just trying to stay where you are, whereas in junior you're trying to leap up. At the pro levels you're stressed about staying where you are, which is the consistency thing, which is a hard mental battle too. You can be really good, but can you be consistent?
Amy (21:02.724)
Yeah, I think that's like the biggest complaint I hear too with hockey is like there's so many external factors affecting whether or not you play that are not even in your control. Like even if you're in junior or minor, it's like, what does the teams need in that time? Do they need you to play the shift or are you going be on the second line? you know, and a lot of it is just out of your control. So it's
Like you, going back to the beginning of this podcast, when you mentioned just being present and being where you are and just honoring the moment that you're in, which can be easier said than done, obviously, right? Especially when there's so much stress involved.
Harry Mahesh (21:39.63)
Yeah. Yeah, and like there is pressure on these players because, you know, schools and junior teams start recruiting younger and younger and it's, you know, everybody's looking over at, you know, their friend or the person they're playing against, looking at stats and, you know, I have parents be like, well, my son had more goals than this guy, but this team signed him. And I just have to explain like, okay, you know, like your son scored more goals, but this guy is better defensively. Well, I'll prove it. I'm like, I,
Hey, I didn't pick the team. I have no affiliation. I'm trying to give you, you know, unbiased feedback, but it's like, they don't want to hear that. You know, they think stats is the end all be all. Um, but then I even say it was like, okay, your stats are good, but they're not amazing. So, you know, like, so you're kind of caught in the middle too. Like, look, if you had 50 more points to the next guy and you didn't make the team, I'd be like, yeah, like, sure. Something seems a little strange here. Like let's figure it out. But if your stats are like, you know, above average.
And you know, you're in the mix with the top guys, but you're not the top guy. Then I can say, well, you know, maybe it's cause you're not the top guy. Like either blow them away with stats or find something else. If you're just kind of pretty good stats, pretty good here. And someone says, Hey, he's pretty good, but we need this and that. Then you're kind of scratching your head being like, you know, and I, and I've heard this a lot. Like it's one thing, you know, would you rather be pretty good at everything or dominant at one or two things?
I find sometimes like if you're dominant at one or two things, that's going to get you a lot further. You know, it's going to open more doors for you if you're specialized in a couple areas, whereas like if you're kind of good here and there, then you got to be aware of that. Like you can be moved up and down the lineup. You just have to understand the role. But you know, some players have certain gifts and others don't. You just have to try to find a way to maximize what you have, but also be, and this is an important word, be realistic.
You know, like there's kids who are playing junior B who have, you know, eight points and they're like, okay, I'm to be a junior A star next year. it's like, like, I'm not one to ever say like, you're not going to be, but like, and I appreciate the confidence, but like what in your body of work makes you feel you can do that? And a lot of times they just start comparing themselves to other guys in the league. Well, I'm bigger than that guy. And I'm going, well, that's, that's not
Harry Mahesh (24:01.134)
you have to do it on the ice. Anybody can say it, but like when you're on the ice with these guys, you're not showing it. So I just find like, it's really hard to kind of get through to people. And I find like sometimes parents, like let's call it what it is, sometimes can be the biggest mental burden on athletes today.
Amy (24:18.918)
for sure. I totally can see that too. What do you feel? Like, do you feel if a hockey athlete is investing time in mental performance that that can help give them that extra edge? Like, do you feel like that's an important aspect in a player's development?
Harry Mahesh (24:33.952)
Yeah, and I know we had chatted before earlier or last week when I said like a lot of times when players reach out to me and they're trying to compare two programs, like two teams and they're going through like the roster, the coaches. One of the questions I ask them is like, well, which team has a mental performance coach? If one team has one, the other team doesn't go to that team. Because I really think like that is like, it's kind of a game changer in terms of like really opening up a player's true potential. It's like, again,
You're bigger, faster, stronger, can shoot harder, all that stuff. And you're like, well, what's holding me back? Well, it's between your mindset. You kind of start to feel like a victim of like, poor me. Nobody's picked me. I'm good. And sometimes like a mental performance coach sometimes just helps you get out of your own way. know, it's easy to say like, okay, like I have no confidence because of my coach. I have no confidence because of the line I'm on. I have no confidence because of this or that. But
You don't, you're your own worst enemy in a lot of situations. So sometimes it's just good to have somebody identify what's holding you back because it's easy to say somebody else or something else is, but very few people come to that realization of, it's me. So I think a lot of coaches, you know, when you tell a player like, Hey, I could toy your ice time, but you're your own biggest enemy. seems disingenuous. It sounds like, that's lazy. You know, you're
I can play better if you give me more ice time. It's easy to blame the coach. So I think a lot of times when players struggle, the person they least want to go talk to is their coach. You know, if you say you're struggling with something and that guy controls your ice time, you know, even if it's something as simple as like, my grandma passed away and you know, I'm just not feeling good. And you have a big game coming up and that coach just want me thinking, well, what's their head space like? can I play them? So
And it happens, so if I'm a player, I'm like, I don't want to tell my coach I'm in a bad mood or I had a bad week because he might, you know, take away my ice time. Whereas if you could talk to somebody independent and say like, hey, look, like, this is something you've gone through. It doesn't always have to be sports related. And then kind of bridge that gap and say, okay, here's how you can approach it if you want to play. You know, you can tell your coach, you know, that's up to you. But if you don't, you know, like, and you have a bad game and he doesn't know and he's mad, you can't assume like.
Harry Mahesh (26:51.674)
he knows what you're going through. So sometimes it's a lot easier to be open and honest with your coach, but that's the hardest thing to do. So it's kind of that catch 22 is like, is he going to use what I said against me or is he going to understand and somehow, you know, coach me through it? And like I said, that's, it's hard even as a coach, like to try to be unbiased. If you know somebody's going through something and you're coaching an important game, it's like, okay, like, you know, is it even good for them to be playing? Like, I know they want to. So a lot of times it's just nice to have somebody
away from the actual team who you can talk to.
Amy (27:26.086)
100 % and I find as well, like they might be more forthcoming with what's actually going on and not really fear repercussions or looking and or feeling weak, which I know most people are getting a lot more comfortable reaching out for mental performance coaching and not feeling that weak portion. But I know that there's like that stigma still where it's like, should I ask for help? Like who do I ask for help for? So what is one?
piece of advice that you can give to the younger generation of hockey athletes trying to make their way, moving their way up. Like what's the one thing that coaches are looking for in a player? Like what's the biggest takeaway that you can provide?
Harry Mahesh (28:01.575)
Well, it of what we talked about is like being present so for me it's like coaches love when you're there for that team I Coach teams where I've heard somebody say hey I want to play for you because I think your team could help get me there So I'm like, so you're just using us as like a stepping stone, you know So I think coaches really like when you buy into what that team is doing like if I'm a head coach and I'm putting together a program and establishing culture and all that I want players who are
to buy in and not just kind of look past where I'm at and say, okay, look, I do coach a lower league and look, I want you to come in here and be a big part of the team and help you in success and like do the steps where you're showing up, you're doing all the things and don't just act like you're just here because you got screwed over or you're just, you're here as like a placeholder until you find something better. So I think a lot of times players are really blunt being like, you're my fourth option. And I'm like,
Okay, and then all of sudden they call me and I said, also three teams told you no. So what does that tell me about what your on ice product is? And I was like, well, just being honest. was like, there's honesty and then there's telling somebody they're not important. so like, I think for the biggest advice I can give to players is like wherever you are, make the most of it and buy in. And a lot of times like coaches lose faith in players is because they go, they're not here for the team.
They're not here for the right reasons. They're here to promote themselves. They're here because, you know, they're not at the level they want because of a certain reason. And in those leagues, you can work on your kinks of your game, your mental part. Like, there's a lot of benefit to like, you know, taking a step back and playing in a league and establishing yourself physically, mentally. But a lot of guys just, they don't want to work on their problems. They're just looking for that escape to something better. So that would be my advice is wherever you are, make the most of
Make them feel important. You want to feel important make them feel
Amy (29:59.48)
I love that. And I actually have one more question. Would you rather have a player with like amazing stats and like kind of like a, like a selfish mindset or like they're not buying into the team or would you prefer the player who has like just above average stats, maybe around average, but are just like completely bought in and have a good head on their shoulders? Like what's more appealing to you?
Harry Mahesh (30:24.634)
So I'll give you the most honest answer I can. The guy with the most more stats and the bad attitude is always going to stick out more because if you're a competitive coach you want that and a part of you thinks you can change that. So I'm not necessarily turned off by that because I can think to myself like okay as a coach like that comes in with a bad attitude is it not on the coach's job title to help fix that you know we can just take a good players and our job is easy
Blah blah blah. So like every coach and I did it we all take the good attitude with the weak skill over the the cocky guy who's got They all say that it's not true There's there's so many cocky players who make teams over hard -working good kids who would lesser ability Every day you ever go to AAA tryout. It's a 20 best players. They're not looking at attitude They say they are but let's call it what it is, you know You you stack the team and then you work out the kinks after so I would
I, at the end of the day, as a coach, if I'm trying to win, I'll take the player and work on him. And there's a limit. You're not just going to put up with everything he does. At a certain point, can be like, I made a mistake, I can move on. The kid with a good attitude, the thing is, at end of the year, when teams call me, I'm not promoting the kid with bad attitude. There's a little bit of a back and forth. like, I'm helping you, you're helping me. And then when this relationship's over, see you later. You're somebody else's, you
problem or whatever, good luck to you. The kid who with a good attitude is the guy you're always going to fight for and vouch for. you know, that's a, the hypothetical is tough because you don't know what the difference in the skill level between those guys are. Now, if it's razor thin, then, you know, you'll probably go with a good attitude. But if it's the difference between somebody who might be your leading scorer or your 12th, 13th forward, coaches are always going to take the skill with a bad attitude and try to help that player, which is, you know, as a good coach, you should.
Like if a kid has a lot of talent and there's something there that's really wrong in their game, then as a coach, you gotta say, I'm about to kick this kid through the curb and let him be. It's like, well, what's easier to fix, attitude or skill? Like, I don't know. How bad is the attitude? How bad is the skill? So from that perspective, it's a tricky question, but I think coaches feel
Harry Mahesh (32:51.618)
I can fix this kid. So they will lead towards a high skill.
Amy (32:53.402)
Yeah.
Just yeah, it's so interesting because it also just sounds like if you have a good attitude or at least some awareness, you have more people supporting you and trying to push you forward, especially if you have that skill. So it's almost like just have some awareness, be working on yourself mentally and more doors will open faster for you instead of having people like, okay, I'm actually not going to like promote you. Like you're great, but like you're too difficult to manage and.
Harry Mahesh (33:21.242)
Yeah, and you know, depending on the level that you're coaching too, it's like if you're at a competitive level, you know, college, major, junior, professional, like there's pressure on management coaches to win. So, you know, if you're based off wins and losses, then you need that player and like attitude. You know, you're never going to have a team of 20 saints. Like, you know, you're going to want as good as you want. You can have good team culture. The best teams, there's always
players are people that aren't the best of the best when it comes to attitude. But you're still capable of winning because sometimes the team culture outweighs that player's bad attitude. So as a coach, I'm like, well, you know what? This player could be, have some problems, but we have good leadership group that I know they'll be able to keep them under wraps. And sometimes that happens and that just all depends on the program too.
Amy (34:19.878)
Yeah, for sure. how did you, one more question, last one. How, let's talk about your opportunity with the Leafs. You worked there for the 2023, 2024 season. How did that feel for you personally as like a check on your resume of reaching the pro level?
Harry Mahesh (34:23.854)
Yeah, no, for
Harry Mahesh (34:39.384)
Yeah, I can't say like honestly it was like in my like, I mean, it's obviously a goal of mine to get there, but the way it came about was like so unorthodox that it happened so fast. And like, even though that, you know, the years over, like I, two things, like I'm, I was really happy that I got there and got to see it. And the other thing I was relieved about was it just felt like anywhere else I'd ever been. Like, yeah, there's, it's the NHL, like there's a lot to it, but the biggest thing for me was
Every day you get up and you go to work and you're coaching players and players are different and there's games for. So once I got in the routine, it was just like, okay, like I can do this, you know? And seeing it with that many resources. you know, we go back to the mental performance coach, like these players, a lot of them have their own, you know, there's, they have team, you know, performance coaches, but just the very degree of, you know, how different everybody is, you know, the big, the big personalities, the ones you see on TV, the role players.
the guys in the minors and just there's a high level of confidence with everybody. Like you walk into a room and you have a hall of fame coaching staff and management and all these people with a ton of experience. There's just a level of like confidence. You walk into a meeting and there's coaches who've played and done this and everybody just kind of raises each other's game.
It's just like a very high standard of like bringing out the best in the next person. So like, you know, think about that in a junior mindset is like, you're kind of worrying about yourself. Whereas in the pro mindset is like, okay, we're all here to make each other better. And you can really ride that wave. And that's what I thought was amazing is like, I came in there as the new guy learning everybody and everybody just like, picked me up. It was like, okay, you're one of us, let's go, let's go. And a lot of times you just ride the momentum
everybody's skill and knowledge and everybody has their area and then they shoot to you and you give them something and you kind of just get into this rhythm. So yeah, it was amazing. that's one of the going back to the mindset is, you know, a questions ago, it's like in junior minor hockey, you're worrying about making yourself better and pro it's about making everybody around you
Amy (36:53.22)
Yeah, I love that. I love that so much. It's like, because you almost become your environment and you become like whoever's around you. So the fact that you're lifted up immediately being in that environment, that's like so amazing. So
Harry Mahesh (37:06.412)
Yeah, and that's where it really like opened my eyes to like, you know, you've been around hockey and you see things and you have an idea and then you go, why did that feel so easy? It was like, it was, you know, on paper, the hardest job I would have had, but I was like, it's because of the people I got to work with. And like, it's honestly what it felt like. So I was like, was it overwhelming? I was like, no, like I, on every bad day, I could look to my left or my right and there was somebody there being like, what do need? You know, and at the same time, you know, if somebody you'd helped, they'd look to me like, hey, do you have a minute?
Amy (37:22.266)
Yeah.
Harry Mahesh (37:35.992)
Yeah. And it was just constant, having each other's backs, working the same goal. Like we all want to win, you know, at that level, get the players better. And it just, it was just, yeah, you just felt the momentum of everybody just kind of being there for each
Amy (37:51.226)
I really love that. Well, I'm really excited to hear all about your future endeavors. I know the future is so bright for you. So excited to hear about that when you're allowed. But thank you so much for being here today. I really appreciate it. Yeah, so when we're able, I guess, is there any links that people can follow you in or is there any information out there that they can find?
Harry Mahesh (38:07.608)
No, thanks for having me.
Harry Mahesh (38:16.918)
Yeah, I mean, I'm not a, mean, I have social media. don't, I don't really plug it. It's just kind of private stuff. You won't find any like earth shattering hockey knowledge. I mean, if you find me, you know, great, like I just, you know, friends and family stuff. I'm not a, I'm not a raw, raw, big content guy in the hockey side of things. But you know, if anybody ever wanted to reach out for hockey questions, yeah, you can find me, you know, just type in my name and Facebook or something like that. I'll be there.
Amy (38:25.196)
you
Amy (38:47.898)
Well, thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate
Harry Mahesh (38:50.606)
So thanks for having me again.
