Pavel Barber has been in Kamloops all week, teaching youth players his stickhandling skills (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

THE STICKHANDLING SPECIALIST

Pavel Barber, stickhandling YouTube sensation, coaching at hockey camp in Kamloops

Aug 19, 2021 | 1:18 PM

KAMLOOPS — He is known around the world as ‘The Stickhandling Specialist.’

Inspired by Pavel Datsyuk, Pavel Barber honed his skills and became a YouTube sensation with his sick dangles.

“For me, it was just me wanting the content I was putting out as a kid on YouTube. Inspired by Datsyuk, breaking down all his stuff, and I thought, ‘How do I do this stuff he does?’ And I looked on the Internet and there really was not too much information there, especially in the stickhandling space, puck protection space, so I decided I’ll be the guy to put some content out there. Hopefully help some kids out.”

It’s now his livelihood. He travels around teaching others how to deke someone out.

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This week, he’s in Kamloops, working with youth hockey players at the new AK Hockey facility inside Sahali Mall.

“It’s really nice to see him all over the Internet. I was in his camp about two years ago, so it’s really nice to come back to this,” said camp participant Mattis Holte.

Sam Jackel added, “It’s really cool. I watched all his YouTube videos and I watched some of his Instagram videos, and it’s cool to work with him.”

AK Hockey Kamloops facility inside Sahali Mall with synthetic ice (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

Barber connected with Aaron Konecsni, the found of AK Hockey. Konecsni says the brilliance of someone like Barber is he can work with players at all levels.

“He can really break down the movements to beginner and pro levels, which not every coach can do,” noted Konecsni. “You see Pavel online and he looks super awesome with all his difficult stickhandling moves that he does do, but what I’m learning about him this week is he can teach to beginners and he can teach to the level of the player — game-applicable stickhandling stuff. It isn’t just the fancy stuff you see online.”

Barber works with NHL players like Jonathan Toews, but coaches players at all levels, travelling across Canada and around the world.

“From Japan to China, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Sweden, Finland. It’s been good. I’ve been able to see a lot of the world through travelling doing what I love.”

So Kamloops is certainly lucky to have him, passing along his knowledge —something that is not lost the owners of AK Hockey Kamloops.

“A celebrity like Pavel, to be in Kamloops, our Tournament Capital of Canada, to be able to put his skills and teach our kids those skills, it’s utterly amazing,” said co-ower of AK Hockey Kamloops Dom Fiorenza.

There are still spaces available for Friday’s final session with Barber. For more information, visit AK Hockey Kamloops.