Why the Mental Game Matters as Much as Your Skills (The Four Horsemen of Hockey Development)

What if I told you that the biggest thing holding you back in hockey isn't your skill set?

It’s not your hands, your shot, or even your skating?

What if it’s your mind?

I know that this is an easy thing to ignore.

I know I just sound like another “mental guru” telling you to:

• “Shout positive affirmations in the mirror”

• “Use the law of attraction to manifest goals in your life”.

But I swear I am not.

But I am about practicality.

Sure the law of attraction might be real, but we have no hard evidence to support it.

Sure affirmations might make you feel good but the evidence is very limited about whether it really helps players or not.

There are even studies that suggest affirmation can be harmful to people with already low self-confidence.

Be About Your Results

I am about results.

And, I bet you are about results too.

This means you actually care about what happens, not just how good or fancy something looks or sounds.

You're not about the cheap dopamine that most people are addicted to.

That’s probably why you follow my content.

That’s why you need to read this full letter.

If that is you, and you are still not taking the mental game 100% seriously right now you are holding yourself back!

Working On “What You See”

Pretty much all highly committed and hard-working players over 13 years old are working on 2 core things:

1. Physical Ability: Working on their body in the gym, with stretching, recovery techniques, etc.

2. Mechanical Ability: Working on their skills “How they skate, shoot, pass, stickhandle, battle, etc)

I see a lot of players working their ass off in the gym hitting new PRs and getting jacked.

I also see a lot of players obsess over perfecting their mechanics, thinking that if they can just mimic the way Connor McDavid skates or Auston Matthews shoots, they'll make it to the show (NHL).

I categorize these two things as “Body”

These are the things you can see.

When a player skates more efficiently, shoots in a new way, or packs on muscle, it’s easy for us to see with our eyes.

So of course it’s logical to focus on these things.

But here's the game-changing truth:

Hockey is as much a mental battle as it is a physical one.

Yet few players work on their mental game as much as their physical game.

It’s so important to realize that the players who truly dominate aren't just physically talented; they’ve mastered the mental side of the game.

And until you do the same, you're only scratching the surface of your potential.

It’s time for you to make a change.

You Need A More Complete Version of Hockey Development

First of all, let’s go back to basics…

What is Hockey Development?

It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot, but it is rarely defined.

Here’s how I define it:

It’s really about building a player's future performance potential.

Development happens through expanding a player's ability.

Expanding a player's ability does not just end with workouts and mechanics.

It requires a more holistic approach if you truly want to MAXIMIZE HOCKEY DEVELOPMENT.

The Four Horsemen of Hockey Development

The Four Horsemen of Hockey Development:

• Mental Ability

• Hockey IQ Ability

• Physical ability

• Mechanical Ability

They form the pillars of true hockey performance.

Here’s why you need each one:

• Mental Ability

  • Mental skills like focus, resilience, and emotional regulation are critical for handling the pressures of the game and maintaining composure under stress. Without strong mental ability, players struggle to bounce back from mistakes or perform consistently.

• Hockey IQ Ability

  • Decision-making on the ice is essential for executing plays, reading the game, and anticipating the movements of both teammates and opponents. This ability separates elite players from the rest, as they can think one or two steps ahead in any situation.

• Physical Ability

  • Strength and conditioning form the foundation of a player's endurance, explosiveness, and injury prevention. No matter how skilled a player is, they need the physical stamina and power to compete at their highest level for the entire game.

• Mechanical Ability

  • Technical skills such as skating, puck handling, and shooting are the tools players use to execute their tactical and strategic decisions on the ice. Without refined mechanical ability, a player's potential will be severely limited, no matter their physical or mental capabilities.

Let's break these down even further.

1. Physical Ability: The Engine Behind the Machine

Physical Ability is what most players focus on in their development, and it’s crucial.

Speed, strength, endurance — these are the qualities that give you an edge on the ice when all other things are equal.

If you are in a battle with someone and you have equally matched technique, the player with better physical ability will win most times. The greater the gap in physical ability, the more often they will win in that battle.

The mistake people make is forgetting the other 3 horsemen and putting too much time into this area.

Without the other three horsemen — hockey IQ, mental ability, and mechanics — physical ability becomes just raw, untapped potential.

Connor McDavid, for instance, isn’t just fast.

He knows how to use his speed in ways that catch opponents off guard because he blends his physical and mental game perfectly.

His body responds to what his mind sees, creating those jaw-dropping plays that seem to happen in slow motion for everyone else.

2. Mechanical Ability: The “How” of Hockey Skills

Mechanical ability refers to how well your body executes movements — skating, shooting, puck control, etc.

Good mechanics allow a player to get more out of their energy.

This is leverage - getting more output for the same input.

Outside of hockey, a bike is an example of leverage.

You can walk to the grocery store and that might take you an hour, or you can bike there in 20 minutes.

The bike takes less time, and less energy - this is leverage.

In hockey, if two players want to get to the same place and they have the same speed, power, and cardio, and they make the decision at the same time, the player with the best mechanics will get there faster.

This is why power skating existed for such a long time.

Players realized that if they could stride and move more efficiently they could move faster on the ice.

Just as sprinters have mechanics coaches - so do hockey players.

Again think about Connor McDavid.

He is not out here squatting 600lbs with a 40-inch vertical.

Yet, he is so friggin fast.

This is not magic, it’s mechanical efficiency.

If Physical Ability, Mental Ability, and Hockey IQ are equal the player with better mechanical ability will win more races, and battles, and have more success on the ice.

Mechanics Are Not “Complete Skills”

Now here is a big mistake most players make!

Most people think of mechanics as “skills”.

But mechanics are only one piece of the puzzle.

Mechanics are a part of skills, but they do not makeup what I call “Complete Skills”.

In isolation, good mechanics don’t lead to success.

Mechanics are the “how” of hockey skills, while hockey IQ is the “when” and “why”.

As Darryl Belfry emphasizes in his teachings, true elite skill development comes from blending mechanics with decision-making.

It’s the ability to perform mechanical movements effortlessly in the right situations that separates players who have the same physical abilities.

So whenever we talk about “Skills” in hockey, what I think we are really talking about the combination of using the right mechanics at the right time (Mechanics + Hockey IQ).

Train 2.0 really made the concept of “Mechanics” a well-known area of development.

They are still a great place to go if you want to learn the mechanics of NHLers.

3. Hockey IQ: It’s More Than Just Decision-Making

Hockey IQ isn’t just about making smart plays; it’s about timing, reading the ice, and making split-second decisions that direct your body’s movement.

In essence, hockey IQ is telling your body what to do and when to do it. The mental game directly influences how you apply your physical skills.

This is why Belfry said this about players who work too much on isolated mechanics and moving around pylons, but don’t know how to apply their skills in games:

“Isolated skill development has a ton of transfer problems because players only have a single exposure to that skill and they’re not aware of how it may apply in a game.”

Think about it this way: you can have the best stickhandling in the world, but if you don't know when or how to use it in a game, your skill will be quite ineffective.

This is where the mental side comes in — understanding game flow, positioning, and anticipating what comes next.

Top players like McDavid don't just skate fast; they think fast, processing the game in real time.

That’s hockey IQ - the ability to tell your body the best times to do the best possible actions based on your abilities.

4. Mental Ability: Handling Adversity and Pressure + Creating Confidence and Flow

Mental ability is often the most neglected aspect of a player's development.

I believe this is because it’s really hard to see and measure someone's mental ability.

We only really see the actions players take on the ice and then we can guess: “Hey, that player looks really confident, or he was really playing freely and in a flow out there.”

I know a lot of people in the hockey world don’t really like to think they have a “mental problem”, so I also think this can play a factor.

But, everyone hits a wall at some point — maybe it’s a slump, injury, or a bad streak.

Maybe it’s an inability to play a more offensive game.

I just talked to one of my guys who will be playing in the NHL soon and he was dealing with this exact issue.

He is playing it too safe and not letting himself play that confident free hockey he knows he can play.

Players often rely solely on physical abilities to push through these types of challenges.

But eventually, without the ability to rewire their mental software to create new Mental Abilities, they'll crack under pressure.

What I mean is that mental ability is no different than mechanical ability.

If we work on a shot technique hundreds or even thousands of times, it slowly becomes part of our abilities.

This is the same thing with mental ability.

If you practice the skill of calming your mind and getting into a deeply confident flow state, you will be better at it.

It will become part of your mental ability.

This also goes for your ability to handle obstacles in your career.

How you handle adversity, setbacks, and even successes determines how far you go.

This is where the present-moment focus and flow state come into play.

Players who can stay mentally locked in even when things are not going well will be more likely to succeed than players who don’t have this mental ability.

Players who aren’t overwhelmed by anxiety or overthinking, perform better under pressure.

They stay calm, make better decisions, and recover faster from mistakes.

The mental game is your foundation when everything else feels shaky.

So why aren’t you working on it with a detailed system?

The Power of Alignment: How to Bring the Four Horsemen Together

The true power of a hockey player comes when the mind and body are fully aligned.

When mental ability, hockey IQ, physical ability, and mechanical ability are working in harmony, that’s when real skill emerges.

This alignment doesn’t just help you perform better in games — it boosts confidence, helps you take more risks, and opens doors to more opportunities on and off the ice.

Each of these “horsemen” feeds into the next.

Improving your hockey IQ helps you use your physical abilities more effectively.

Building mental strength makes sure that when adversity hits, you don’t crumble.

Developing mechanics ensures that the skills you learn are applicable in high-pressure situations, allowing you to perform with consistency.

Together, these elements create an unstoppable hockey force.

The Biggest Misstep: Neglecting Your Weakest Horseman

Most players fall into the trap of over-focusing on one area.

You might be hitting the gym six days a week, pushing your physical limits, but if your mental game is weak, it will cap your potential.

Likewise, you might have great mechanics, but if your hockey IQ isn’t sharp, you’ll make poor decisions on the ice.

I’ve made this mistake many times, pushing hard in certain areas while completely neglecting others.

The happened?

I hit a wall in my development.

When your weakest horseman falls behind, it becomes the bottleneck that holds you back.

Understanding your strengths and weaknesses across these four areas is critical to breaking through your limitations and reaching the next level.

Hockey Ability is Mind and Body Together

Players and parents, it’s time to rethink hockey development.

It’s not enough to just focus on the physical side or copy what the best players are doing.

The key to unlocking elite performance lies in understanding how the mind and body are inseparable in hockey.

Master the Four Horsemen — mental ability, hockey IQ, physical ability, and mechanical ability — and you’ll not only improve your game but also expand your identity as a player.

This alignment will not only make you a better player but also increase your confidence, leading to greater opportunities, more roles, and better results.

Remember, every player hits a wall at some point, but those who master all four horsemen will always find a way to climb over it.

So ask yourself: which horseman are you neglecting right now?

Then go learn what you need to learn and do the work to fix it.

If you want a full system to develop NHL-Level mental ability, hockey IQ, confidence, and preparation apply here to work with us:

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