Life in the KHL: HC CSKA Moscow with Hassan Saeed

The High Performance Hockey Podcast

Let's talk about the global growth of Hockey. Hassan Saeed is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for CSKA Moscow in the KHL, Russia's top professional hockey league. With over 12 years of experience working in the Russian hockey system, Hassan provides a unique perspective on the cultural differences, training methodologies, and coaching philosophies between North America and Europe. In this episode, we dive into Hassan’s transition from Canada to Russia as a strength coach, managing language barriers, and working collaboratively with European hockey coaches who have their own established training models. Listen in for this fascinating look at the global growth and evolution of hockey development.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 What mentors shaped your career?

07:45 How Barry Brennan connected Hassan to his first job opportunity in Russia.

10:00 The cultural and language shock of transitioning from Canada to Russia.

13:00 Differences in training methodologies and athlete preparation between North America and Russia.

18:30 How has the role of data analytics and sports science evolved in the KHL over the past 4-5 years?

22:30 Similarities in day-to-day in-season training approaches between the KHL and North America.

25:00 How did you build a positive team culture and rapport with players by learning the Russian language?

31:15 The importance of distinguishing between "interesting" and "important" data metrics.

32:00 The legendary status and influence of Anatoli Tarasov, the "father of Russian hockey."

36:15 What advice would you give North American coaches looking to gain experience in the KHL?

RESOURCES + LINKS

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Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players