Darryl Belfry

Darryl Belfry is currently working in development for the Los Angeles Kings (NHL). Darryl is a skill development professional who has developed his philosophy over the last 15 years and his use of video analysis and NHL role models in development makes his program among the most relevant and effective in the world. He is credited with influencing the careers of many current NHL players through the most formative ages in their development. Darryl lives in Ridgeway with his wife Ruth and daughter Ella.

NHI’s Philosophy of movement and training on ice by Darryl Belfry

Darryl Belfry loves the game of hockey. It consumes him. He lives and breathes hockey. When his own playing career ended early, he decided that he wanted to stay in hockey and become a teacher of the game. He attended countless coaching seminars and hockey programs, hearing a lot of people talk about teaching skating, stick handling and shooting skills. However, he grew disenchanted with the traditional approach to player development. He decided that there must be a better way, so he started to spend hours in research, glued to the front of his computer and TV, utilizing video and technology to better understand the skills of the top players in the NHL. He would look for little things that the great players did and started to document all their skills. He would watch these players frame by frame and study all aspects of a player’s game and detail what made this player special. He started a data base of players that he watched on a regular basis and recorded and graphed their progression. This became the staple of his teachings to his young protégés.

When Belfry started to fine tune his offering of NHL skills to minor hockey players, he started developing some quality players and a loyal following. He continued to get better at breaking down a skill and teaching the progression of a number of skills that would cumulatively create the end result. The parents of his players started commenting on witnessing their son applying skills in a game that he had taught only the night before. Belfry was finding his own unique teaching style when he was introduced to a ten year old Nathan Horton. Horton was unlike anyone Darryl had seen. He ingested skills at such a rapid rate that Darryl had expand his research to keep Horton challenged at his sessions. Nathan Horton is currently playing for the Florida Panthers and is considered one of the most gifted skill-orientated players in the NHL. Horton played Junior hockey at the age of 13 and was a first round NHL pick.

Just about the time Horton was on his way to an NHL career, Belfry started working with Patrick Kane who now plays for the Chicago Black Hawks. Kane was nine years old and Belfry saw an entirely different player than the one he saw in Horton. While Horton was big and powerful at a young age, Kane was slight of build and required an incredible finesse game to be successful. Belfry went into his data base and researched players that he believed that Kane’s play emulated. He started teaching Kane skills that he saw in highly skilled Europeans. Belfry has understood that no two players are alike and looks at challenging and training different players different ways.

Two year ago, Belfry was working with Matt Ellis of the Buffalo Sabres. He noticed that Ellis had some physical limitations and started working with his off ice trainer to collaborate in an effort to help Matt overcome these limitations. He believes that he now has the best opportunity to help players realize their potential with a holistic approach to training. Belfry believes he has a new approach to hockey that will help revolutionize the way people train, develop and perform.