RinkWise podcast: Mark Dennehy on winning through talent and strong culture

Mark Dennehy played four seasons at Boston College before diving into coaching and scouting. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

On the latest episode of New England Hockey Journal’s RinkWise podcast, Kirk Luedeke is joined by New Jersey Devils Chief Amateur Scout, Mark Dennehy.

Dennehy, who hails from Dorchester, Mass., previously held the role of head coach of the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Binghamton Devils/Utica Comets. After three seasons, he was promoted to his new role on Aug. 5.  

Prior to being named AHL head coach in Binghamton, Dennehy, 53, coached for 13 seasons at Merrimack College. As a player, he played four seasons at Boston College from 1987-91. 

With experience at all different positions in the game, Dennehy joined the podcast to talk about his transition from coach to head scout, the importance of winning through talent and strong culture, and more. 

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Before his time at Merrimack, Dennehy spent several years as an assistant coach at both UMass and Princeton.

It was there that he learned one of the lessons he carried with him through the ranks and still uses today as he transitions into his new role as head scout.

“One of the things I really learned was just to pay attention to what I was doing and not be so focused on what’s next,” Dennehy said. 

“I was so worried about where I was going that I wasn’t really focused on where I was. You have to pay attention to the landscape but you can’t get caught up in it. If you do a good enough job, people will notice and I was lucky enough that Merrimack noticed in 2005.”

The same can be said for players climbing the development ladder, the former NCAA defenseman said.

“If you’re good enough, especially in New England, one of the most saturated hockey areas in the world, someone will find you,” Dennehy said. 

“Concentrate on who you are, control what you can control, be the best player where you are and your path will become a little clearer.”

From a coaching perspective, Dennehy spoke with Luedeke about the importance of winning through talent and strong culture.

“Skill and culture go hand in hand; you can’t win the derby on a donkey,” Dennehy quipped.

“You need to have a certain level of skill, there’s no doubt about it, but when you’re best players embrace how you want to play and how you want your team to behave, both on and off the ice, they become leaders.”

When those players step up, Dennehy said, it has a trickle-down effect on the rest of the group. 

“I think it was (former NFL cornerback) Charles Woodson who said, ‘It’s way more important what’s being said when the coach is not in the locker room than when he/she is there.’

“Most coaches are going to come in and they’re going to give you some good information, but it’s when the players buy in. When you have skilled players and they’re willing to buy in, they understand how you want to play and they help you coach the rest of that team.”

For more from Mark Dennehy on his coaching career, advice for players and more, listen to the full podcast today.

The podcast, which is typically dropped every Friday morning, can be streamed on major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or online at hockeyjournal.com/podcast.

RinkWise is brought to you by Sacred Heart University, University of Nebraska High School and Bruce Haas’ “Great Game!: D-1 College Hockey: People, Places, Perspectives.”

(Previously on RinkWise: Mark Divver, Paul Cannata, Jeff Cox, Jordan Harris, Bobby Farnham, Steve Jacobs/Paul Pearl, Kent Hughes)