Dan Replies:
Dear M.L.: I'm a big fan of doing what your coach tells you to do for two good reasons:
The most important is that he is the coach and the second is just as important - he is the coach. And unless he is telling you to something that is against the rules of the game or of good sportsmanship, you should do what your coach tells you to.
Playing more selfishly (commonly called being a puck hog) usually comes naturally. I mean - who doesn't like to handle the puck and score goals... that's what we play the game for. Your reluctance may come because the guys you play with are your buddies and you don't like to be the whole show, or be called a puck hog.
If that's the case, I suggest you go to your coach privately and tell him you understand what he wants you to do and you are perfectly willing to do that but you would like the instruction to come from him in the presence of your teammates so that they understand why you have suddenly become a puck hog (possibly the way they would otherwise see your actions).
Perhaps another way to look at it might be helpful. Perhaps your coach is really telling you to be a leader - to take charge of the game - be assertive when you're on the ice. That's an important role that will help the team.
So if your coach is telling you to take the puck away from your teammates and skate it end to end, that may help the team win but will not help you become a better player. If he's telling you to be more assertive and be more of a force on the ice, your responding will help your team and make you a better player as well.
The game is meant to be a team game, that doesn't mean everyone has the same role. If the team needs a goal and you are sent out to get the goal... do it. I suspect if the coach sent you out to win a face off, you wouldn't hesitate to try. I hope you can see the correlation.
If your team is up by three goals, back off.
