[sureLoss]

I always found this article interesting. It was published after the 2014 draft combine. Pretty obvious now that the Flames were talking about McDonald and likely Demko:

http://olympic.ca/2014/05/30/mental-...uting-combine/

The grittiest moments of an NHL playoff game go beyond laying down in the path of a blistering slapshot or shoveling in a rebound.

Great hockey performance also happens on the bench. The player’s mind, once ignored by the sport, is now a top consideration. And hockey is catching up quick.

Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving takes a break from a day of interviews at the NHL Scouting Combine. He and his staff spent part of the day assessing two goaltenders. They are trying to figure out exactly what these young men are made of, mentally.

“I think it’s at the forefront for each team. It’s something we pay a great deal of time and attention to,” says Treliving who lists some of the character traits his group is looking to measure. Coachability, work ethic, response to success or failure, drive. Each trait forms the basis of excellent mental performance, which is critical in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. “We do have some tools through sport psychology, through certain questionnaires, certain testing we feel gives us a clear picture. We’re constantly evolving, I say we’re closing the gap,” he says.