Tampa Bay Lightning video coach Brian Garlock spoke to nearly 100 youth hockey coaches at a USA Hockey coaching clinic Saturday at Benchmark International Arena. Garlock discussed his path to the NHL and offered guidance on constructive feedback, team-building and video instruction before the 2026-27 season. Coaches attended from multiple USA Hockey certification levels, including participants from Buffalo, New York, and Maine.
“If I can help younger coaches get a little bit better, then why not? I’m an American, and I’d like to see USA Hockey do well. I’d like to see all these coaches do well. I used to be one of them, really,” Garlock said.
Garlock shares his coaching path
Garlock began coaching at the youth level before moving on to high school hockey. He later joined Jon Cooper in the North American Hockey League as an equipment manager before advancing to the NHL. Garlock has worked more than 1,000 NHL games and hundreds of victories in Tampa, and his career path included getting his name on the Stanley Cup.
Garlock told the coaches that an NHL playing background is not required for a coaching career. He used his own experience as an example of how different routes can lead to opportunities in hockey. His work included helping figure out how to beat the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final, according to Garlock.
“I don’t think you need to have NHL pedigree as a player to have a coaching career in this league. I think there’s a path that’s different…So if the story of me being an equipment guy in junior hockey and then getting his name on the Stanley Cup and helping figure out how to beat the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final helps somebody make it, that’s worth it,” he said.
Video offers another teaching tool
Garlock said coaches can use a phone camera and spend no more than 15 minutes at a time breaking down video clips. He also emphasized that feedback should be constructive and that coaches should create an environment in which players can remain engaged. Garlock said players are people with families and responsibilities away from the rink.
“You are not going to get anywhere if you’re not enjoying it a little bit. It can be a grind. It doesn’t have to be fun every second. It’s challenging. It’s demanding when you’re on the road all the time, but these are humans. Professional athletes, they’re people, man. They’ve got families. They’ve got their own stuff to worry about. If you’re always digging into them, they’re gonna tune you out. They’re not gonna listen. They’re just not going to. It’s human nature,” Garlock said.
Garlock also encouraged coaches to make hockey relatable and give players some ownership as they get older. “Make it fun and make it relatable and give them some authority in this whole thing, too. You have to make it a partnership. Obviously if we’re teaching nine year olds, you shouldn’t be asking them, ‘What kind of D-zone do you want to play?’ But the older you get, if they have some ownership in some of the decisions, it’s going to make them own it and enjoy it even more,” he said.
Gehrig Oppenheimer, an assistant coach for multiple Jr. Lightning teams this season, attended the clinic. Oppenheimer said Garlock’s experience offered coaches practical lessons about teaching youth hockey and using video. He said video can give players and coaches another perspective on a game.
“Having a video opportunity is gonna help them see the game from a different perspective of, ‘Hey, this is what we look like and these are some things we can work on,’” Oppenheimer said. “And as a coach, it helps you also see it because when you’re watching the game there’s so many parts of the game going on, and watching video back shows what they were thinking and shows you a whole different perspective of the game.”
Clinic reflects Florida hockey growth
Several leaders from the new Jr. Lightning youth hockey program attended the clinic, along with other area youth and high school coaches. Oppenheimer said Garlock’s game knowledge and experience provided details coaches could apply at the youth level. “Just hearing the words come out of his mouth and growing up in the hockey world and being around all sorts of coaches, the big takeaway is he’s just like any other regular guy, but his game knowledge is so much deeper,” Oppenheimer said.
Garlock said the turnout reflected the continued growth of hockey at the grassroots and youth levels in Florida and Tampa. “You don’t have to convince me that Florida and Tampa in particular is a hockey state and becoming more of one. I’ve seen it here when we won, and it’s crazy,” Garlock said.
“So to see the grassroots level and the youth level getting bigger and bigger and bigger, it’s not surprising anymore after 15 years…You see it now. There’s NHL kids from all over the place, whether it’s Arizona, Florida, Texas, California. That’s no accident. It’s not surprising, and it’s a really good thing,” Garlock said.
Source: Original report