Tomas Pacina elevating Winterhawks skill level

Tomas Pacina is a name not many around Portland are familiar with; however, inside the Veterans Memorial Coliseum or Moda Center, it is a completely different story.

The Portland Winterhawks maximize their on-ice practices through small-area games, conditioning skates, special teams work, but also through individual skill drills. The Winterhawks’ coaching staff of Mike Johnston, Kyle Gustafson, and Don Hay work with the players but also have a few other coaches who visit during the season to work with players. 

Tomas Pacina (Photo credit – Winterhawks.com)

Tomas Pacina is the Winterhawks skills coach and has been since Bill Gallacher, Winterhawks’ owner, took ownership of the team. Pacina is only in Portland part-time as he has other commitments, but has been around the team several times so far this season, including this last week. Assistant coach Don Hay said, “he tries to come in along with our goalie coach Andy Moog when we have some good, quality practice time. Usually when we have three or four straight days of practice.”

Pacina is a well-respected name within the hockey community and doesn’t just work with the Winterhawks. Associate coach Kyle Gustafson spoke about Tomas’ resume, “Tomas brings a lot of experience. He has worked with NHL athletes for a long time and a lot of different NHL teams. He has a lot of knowledge in skills, skating, and other areas.” Hay, the WHL’s winningest coach, has “seen a lot of skills coaches over the last few years; he’s one of the top guys for sure.”

Once Pacina makes his way to Portland, he first meets with Mike Johnston who has a list of skills he wants certain players to develop. Johnston said, “His job is to give our guys the framework for skills the forwards and defense need to work on at this age and in their development. Tomas also gives us things we can follow up on when he is not in town.”

Each skills coach has their own approach, but Pacina’s is “coming in with video clips to show the guys on different skills the NHL players are doing,” Hay said, “This really translates to our guys. They can see it visually and then go out on the ice and work on it.”  

Reece Newkirk (photo by Portland Winterhawks/Chad Baker)

Reece Newkirk has used the skill sessions as time to fuel his hot start. In his 17-year-old season, he has contributed ten goals and nine assists in 17 games for Portland; up from 11 points all of his rookie season. Earlier this season Newkirk scored a goal which was a direct result of time spent with Pacina. “We have been working with Tomas Pacina on pulling the puck into our feet and shooting. I just have been listening to him and it has been helping,” Newkirk said after scoring the game-winning goal against Vancouver earlier this season.

Don Hay feels, “it is important that the skills coach teaches what the head coach wants. The head coach wants players to play a certain way with passing, puck handling, details of using your edges, or going back and getting pucks for defensemen. Tomas can work on all of those things in a short period of time and you really see growth in the players quickly.”

Mason Mannek and Michal Kvasnia (photo-Ben Ludeman/Portland Winterhawks))

Other players have high praise for their skills coach. Mason Mannek said, “He is phenomenal. The one thing I really like about him is he takes time for every individual. When we are out there for skill sessions he knows all of us by name. He individually works with you on whatever you need to work on. If you need to do extra work with him, he is more than willing; he’s awesome.”

In speaking with Gustafson, Kyle echoed a similar statement, “it doesn’t matter if he is working with Cody Glass or some of our 16-year-olds; he treats them the same.”  

For rookie Nick Cicek, Pacina “has been a huge help to me. I’m working with him on skating, pivots, and hip work. Also working on opening up on retrievals.”

Jared Freadrich notices a change in the “little things” with his game. “He has been awesome. I’ve gotten the chance to work with him pretty closely. I pick his brain on a daily basis which is pretty awesome opportunity. He is a high-level skills coach who has helped my game a lot; I’m thankful to him for it.”

Overall, Mike Johnston feels an emphasis on improving individual skill in practice, “is a nice way to round out our program.” Skills coach Tomas Pacina deserves tremendous credit for the player development seen in Portland over the years.