It looks like the Quinte Red Devils will have Bart Crashley, their Midget AAA Major Head Coach, for as long as they want him.
Crashley figures he isn't going anywhere, anytime soon.
"I don't want to travel. I don't want to be behind a desk, you know. I'm retired,'' said the 64-year-old former Detroit Red Wing, who has had some coaching stints in Europe. "They (RedDevils) called me last year because the (head) coach had to leave, because of ajob and they were kind of stuck at the last minute. I do enjoy the coaching. I do enjoy the kids. And I think I kind of got a lot to offer. I've played ate very level."
A defenseman, Crashley played his first NHL game at 19 in the 1965-66 season. In1967-68, he appeared in 57 games for the Red Wings, scoring two goals and 16points. He was also a part huge trade which saw Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne and him traded to the Los Angeles Kings. Crashley played just four games with the Kings in the 1975-76, his last stop in the NHL.
Crashley played a total of six seasons in the NHL, appearing in 140 games, scoring seven goals and 36 assists for 50 points.
And in spite of playing in the NHL at 19, Crashley said he stands behind Hockey Canada's new emphasis on keeping players in Midget Major as opposed to getting drafted too early and sitting on Junior benches.
"Some players develop early and need the opportunity (to play Junior Hockey). When I was in OHL on the Junior (level), they felt that 16 years old was pretty young.It was a real problem as far as getting them (16 year olds) the ice time and making some plays,''Crashley said. "Physically, they were not ready -- a lot of them. But the kids get excited playing Junior. Just the name 'Junior' seems to get them excited. If they're not playing Junior when they're 16 or 17, they don't think they're good."
``There aren't too many at 18 that jump in (to the NHL). So they're sending them back to their OHL team, to Junior teams at 19or 20 - - then they're signing them. They need to be physically mature,"he said. "You can see some kids when they're 16, 17 and say "Boy,it looks like he got it.' and then they just don't make it. They don't continue to develop -- either physically or mentally.Kids will catch up and pass them."
As for this year's Red Devils squad, the team is still in development, he said.
"I think we're going to have a good team at the Midget level. Midget hockey is a little different because they all (the players) want to take a look at the Junior clubs," Crashley said. "So we wait until September to start. I know that we have seven of our kids signed from last year already. Probably another ten of them are in camp, at minor midget camps. I'm not sure who we're going to have out. It's hard to tell what team we're going to have."
"We're trying to get our programs so that the kids can see that there is a benefit (in staying in Midget Major)," he said. "The idea of being under the pressure to play Junior at 16 or 17 is really not a good idea for kids. Some kids don't mentally mature until they're18 or 19. And if you're playing 18, 19 and 20 at a Junior level, that's pretty good. In three years they'll (scouts) see whether you are a player or not."
Also,according to the Toronto native, it appear as though Canadian hockey has changed over the years.
"I don't think it's as rough, as violent as it used to be. There's more accent on skill and development. I kind of got all that while I was in Europe,'' said Crashley, who has been coaching for about 30 years. "I think it's pretty beneficial now because you see Hockey Canada is really heading in that direction too."
