Depending on how into ice hockey you are you might or might not have heard the terms “slow ice” and “fast ice”. You hear them talk about it a lot on TV.

What you know for sure though is that the game of ice hockey is being played with a puck and what the terms refer to is the pucks ability to move on the ice. Not everyone knows that.

On fast rinks the puck moves fast and on slow rinks the puck move slow. That is logic, but why is this and can it be considered a problem?

The main reason why the problem with slow and fast ices arises is that hockey is played both up in Canada as well in southern USA and it is because of the difference in climate.

Up north where it is cold and dry you get fast ices without lots of snow on it and in the south you get ices with more snow on them because of the warm weather and humidity.

In hockey the players most often want to play on fast ice surfaces, because that makes them feel more in control of the puck.

The ice gets slow because of the snow that is being created during the game and it makes the puck bounce.

One thing that is funny to hear though is when hockey players complain about that it is the ice’s fault when they lose a game.

Don’t they realize that both teams are playing on the same ice?

Stephane Veilleux and the Minnesota Wild agreed to terms Saturday on a one-year contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing.

The 26-year-old Veilleux, who has carved a niche as a left wing on the Wild’s checking line, scored a career-high 11 goals and added seven assists in 77 games last season.

He has played five seasons with the Wild, who drafted him in the third round in 2001.

Forward Joffrey Lupul and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to a four-year extension on Monday, keeping him with the Eastern Conference finalists through the 2012-2013 season.

Lupul had 20 goals and 46 points in 56 regular season games for the Flyers last season, and had 10 points in 17 playoff games. He missed 26 games with a sprained ankle and a concussion.

“With the way that the salary cap is structured, we felt it was an opportunity to lock up another one of our young players and move forward,” Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. “He is one of our young, core players that we are really high on and we look for good things to come from Joffrey.”

Lupul has 77 goals and 84 assists for 161 points and 156 penalty minutes in 293 regular season games. He was acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers last July.

“It is not something that I was really expecting this summer,” Lupul said. “The Flyers kind of reached out to us after July 1. It was a great surprise and I am really thrilled. I have one year left on my contract and then these additional four more, so five more years with Philadelphia is great.”

Nashville Predators forward Alex Radulov was one of six players whose new contracts were suspended by hockey’s international governing body on Friday until the legality of the deals could be investigated.

Radulov, under contract for another season with the Predators, signed a contract with a Russian team in the new Continental Hockey League (KHL). That deal seemingly would be in breach of a pact agreed to July 10 between the KHL, the NHL, the NHL Players’ Association, and international hockey leagues in which contracts worldwide would be honored and respected.

But the KHL contends the deal between Radulov and his KHL team was reached two days before the leagues agreed to obey existing contracts.

“It’s irrelevant whether there was an agreement or not, the man has a contract with an NHL club,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press on Friday. “They should have been respecting contracts. We have historically always respected contracts regardless of who those contracts are with.

Free agent Andy Wozniewski signed with St. Louis on Thursday after spending last season with Toronto, an addition that bolsters the Blues’ defense.

He had two goals and seven assists last year. In 76 career games, the 28-year-old defenseman has two goals and 12 points, with 81 penalty minutes.

From managing substitution patterns to knowing when to pull the goalie at the end of the game, coaching ice hockey might seem like it mostly entails strategic decisions during game play. While that is a big part of it, the well-rounded hockey coach also does much of their work before the puck is ever dropped at the start of a game. Developing an efficient practice routine, handling the day-to-day administrative duties of the job, and learning the subtle psychological tactics to maximize the performance of each individual player are just as crucial to developing a great team.

Practice

Practice is the foundation on which all great teams are built in any sport, because teams that are well-prepared and are not surprised by a situation that arises during a game have a distinct advantage. Coaching ice hockey requires a practice routine that develops individual skills, especially on the youth levels of the sport, by constant drilling of fundamental aspects like skating, puck-handling, shooting, passing, and defense. But a coach must also fit in ample time to develop team concepts, including offensive and defensive plays, special teams, and specific game situations, all while trying to strengthen chemistry between players.

Administrative

Administrative duties are more important to coaches on lower levels. This part of the job entails creating a practice schedule and making sure a rink is available, maintaining equipment, and oversight of all team operations. While this isn’t a glamorous part of the job, it can’t be allowed to slide at all.

Interacting with Players

Coaches in any sport must be amateur psychologists of a sort, because they have to deal with the distinct personalities of all the players on their team. Knowing what buttons to push and how each player responds to certain tactics is a necessity. How a coach deals with players who want more playing time or are struggling with their confidence might make the difference between a great team and one in the cellar.

Strategy

Once all the practice and preparation is done, it’s up to the coach to make the right decisions on game day. Much of the strategy might depend on the opponent, so a good coach must also be willing to take the time to scout his opponent. Knowing the opponents strengths and weaknesses is almost as important as knowing one’s own team’s abilities.

Again, much of what happens on game day is determined by the team’s preparation in practice. But a coach must know how to adjust during a game, nixing a certain plan of attack if it isn’t working or trying a different strategy if an opponent is having success in one particular area. Coaches should also be ready to adjust their game plans depending on how their individual players are performing. For instance, a player having a good night might become a focal point, while one who is struggling might need a pep talk or some extra time on the bench to get them going.

The Juggling Act

Coaching ice hockey is a juggling act of sorts. Good coaches can drill on the physical aspects of the sport and deal successfully with the psyches of each player on the team. And, in the end, they must have the confidence in their team to get it done when it matters most.