Chicago Blackhawks Behind The Scenes: Video Coach Matt Meacham

What exactly does an NHL video coach do?

I’m glad you asked. Chicago Blackhawks video coach Matt Meacham can tell you in his own words. Here is an excerpt straight from his LinkedIn profile describing his duties with the Blackhawks:

Download pre-scout games of upcoming opponents’ games to analyze team tendencies.
Live code various events during our games to be examined between periods and throughout the game.
Compute scoring chances on a game-by-game basis and input them into a season long database.
Create video presentations involving many game situations to be viewed during team video sessions.

Meacham has been with the Chicago Blackhawks since August of 2013. This upcoming season (2016-17) will be his fourth with the team. Before that, he was the video coach for the AHL Binghamton Senators for almost six years (2007-2013). Here is what he had to say about his responsibilities with the Senators:

Assist the coaching staff with using XOS digital video analysis software to break down games.
Organize different events throughout the game using XOS’s live tagging feature so that the coaching staff can analyze the team’s play on a period-by-period basis.
Create video presentations that are shown during team video sessions on a weekly basis.
Maintain a binder containing scouting reports of every AHL team that is on the team’s schedule.
Compute a variety of statistics for the coaching staff such as face-off percentages and ice times.

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Before his career of analyzing and preparing digital video, Meacham spent some time playing hockey in the SPHL and the UHL. His position? A goaltender. How appropriate! A goalie is in a very unique position to watch the play unfold in front of him before he becomes a part of the action. I could see how this could transition into analyzing all the little details of the game.

Here is a prime example of how Meacham’s contributions help the team. During Game 2 of this year’s first round playoff series against the St. Louis Blues, it appeared that Vladimir Tarasenko had scored a goal in the third period. But according to an article by David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune, this is what transpired next.

“As soon as the puck hit the back of the net, Hawks players and assistants started screaming at coach Joel Quenneville to challenge. Amid the chaos, Hawks video coach Matt Meacham sent quick confirmation from the dressing room to the bench that Blues center Jori Lehtera‘s skate had entered the offensive zone before the puck. Meacham, in his third season, graduated magna cum laude from State University of New York College at Cortland but never has looked smarter. A college goalie who set his alma mater’s record for career saves, Meacham perhaps hasn’t made a bigger one for the Hawks than in Game 2.”

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The Chicago Blackhawks ended up winning that game 3-2. It tied the series 1-1, and gave the Hawks some much needed momentum to help them take the series to seven games. Head Coach Joel Quenneville is always talking about how everyone has a part to play and a role to fill. This goes beyond just the players and applies to the coaching staff as well. Meacham’s quick catch on video kept the Blues from being up a goal in that game. His work behind the scenes helps the Chicago Blackhawks to be a better team.

I hope you enjoyed this latest edition of “Chicago Blackhawks: Behind The Scenes”. Other entries include,

Assistant Coach Mike Kitchen

Assistant Coach Kevin Dineen

Goaltending Coach Jimmy Waite

Strength and Conditioning Coach Paul Goodman

What exactly does an NHL video coach do?

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