Walleye assistant coach Alden Hirschfeld admits there are still times when he wants to leap from behind the bench, jump over the boards, and join the fray on the ice.

The competitive nature of the former longtime forward remains at a high level. Hirschfeld, the Sylvania native who spent five seasons in a Walleye uniform, is in his first season behind the bench.

“There are still times during games where I’m standing there behind the bench, and I’m just itching to be out there,” Hirschfeld said. “I still get that rush of adrenaline. I’m so dialed into the game. I want to help the guys so bad. I’m as dialed into it as much as I was as a player.”

The consummate team player and former captain continues to give back to the sport and the organization. After playing in 200 games for his hometown team, the Northview High School graduate hung up his skates due to health issues in October.

He joined Walleye coach Dan Watson’s staff and has embraced his new role as a mentor and instructor.

“It’s been awesome,” Hirschfeld said. “I’ve learned the daily habits as a coach and what my role is and how we work as a team. You see certain things as a coach. It’s been great learning and understanding how it works.”

Hirschfeld finished his career ranked No. 4 on the Walleye’s all-time games played list (200). He also ranked sixth in goals scored (59), was fourth in assists (94), and fourth in total points (153).

He served as Watson’s captain the last two seasons. Watson said Hirschfeld continues to work as hard as he did when he was a versatile player.

“His work ethic is through the roof,” Watson said. “He’s all in. In terms of the day-to-day work and what needs to be done, he’s a workhorse. His growth from day one until now has been [solid].”

Hirschfeld, a former center, works primarily with the team’s forwards. He also focuses on the penalty kill units.

During games, Hirschfeld is positioned at the end of the bench with the forwards, while fellow assistant Andy Delmore works at the end with the defensemen with Watson in the middle.

“But we also will meet in the middle to talk about a play or a system. We give each other our thoughts during the game,” Hirschfeld said.

Watson has long been known as a tactician who is devoted to instruction by video.

“The best way to teach is to watch videos and see from above,” Hirschfeld said. “You see a ton of great things and others that aren’t so good. That’s how you improve.”

Hirschfeld, 31, said one aspect that has surprised him is how comparable the camaraderie is among the coaching staff as the bond he had with his teammates as a player.

He said Watson, Delmore, and video coordinator Brent Bain are a tight-knit group.

“It’s interesting. As a player and captain, I tried to transform the team into a family at the rink and away from the rink. I wasn’t sure how that would be from the coaching side,” Hirschfeld said. “But the four of us have come together and we work as a good team. We work in the same office and look at clips together. We weigh our opinions. We go over things with what we want to do in games and in drills and in practice Nothing is ever set in stone. We want what’s best for the team.”

Hirschfeld said both Watson and Delmore are former pros that also transitioned well into the coaching ranks.

“They both did the same thing I’m trying to do,” he said. “Watty has been behind the bench now [for 10 years]. It’s great to be a partner with him. Delly with his experience in the NHL, it’s good to learn from him.”

Watson said Hirschfeld has proven to be an eager student who has adapted well to his new role.

“He’s jumped right in. It’s been a great transition for him. He fits perfectly into our staff,” Watson said. “We do this together. There’s not just one single guy doing a bunch of different jobs. We do it all together, and he fits into that perfectly.”

Overcoming adversity

Six months ago, Hirschfeld still harbored hopes of returning to the ice to help the Walleye make another run at a Kelly Cup as a forward.

The 6-foot-1 and 205-pound center had already made a triumphant return from a serious medical scare.

In 2015-16, Hirschfeld had put together one of the most productive seasons of his career. He had averaged more than a point per game for the Walleye with 14 goals and 12 assists in 27 games, earning a call-up to the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Grand Rapids.

However, in a game with the Griffins on Jan. 8, 2016, he suffered a seizure during a game while he was on the bench. Two months later, Hirschfeld underwent brain surgery to remove a malformation that had caused the seizure. Just five months after the operation, Hirschfeld was back skating.

He returned to the lineup the next season to have the best year of his career. Hirschfeld played in 55 games for the Walleye in 2016-17 and produced 49 points.

But just 10 games into the 2017-18 season, Hirschfeld tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a collision in a game and was never cleared for full contact by team doctors. He became a player-coach for Watson, who called his sheer perseverance through adversity remarkable.

Hirschfeld credited his Christian faith and his family for getting him through the toughest times.

“My mom [Traci] and dad [Glen] always told me, ‘No matter what you are doing, always do your best with 100 percent effort and desire,’” Hirschfeld said.

He and his wife Lauren welcomed their two children Carson (1) and daughter Vivian (4) when he was still playing for the Walleye. The family has settled in Sylvania, and he still works at summer youth camps and clinics at Tam-O-Shanter. It’s the same rink where he learned to skate and played for Northview when he helped lead the Wildcats to the state title game in 2006. He was named Mr. Hockey Ohio as a senior and then played four years at Miami University, where he was a team captain for the RedHawks as a senior.

“Things have been good. I trust the good Lord and go day by day,” Hirschfeld said. “With my family, I live my life to the fullest every day. I have a close family that all live here in town.”

Playoff push

With the playoffs slated to start April 12, Hirschfeld said the coaching staff is preparing for crunch time.

“It’s that time of year where everyday matters,” he said. “We need to step up and be ready. Now is the time for us to rise and come together and leave it all out there.”

The Walleye (38-21-9) clinched second place in the Central Division and home-ice advantage in the first round Sunday with a 2-1 overtime win over ECHL-leading Cincinnati.

The team has endured significant roster upheaval with numerous injuries and call-ups over the last three months.

“That’s just one of those things that happen in this league. You want the players to grow and develop and go to the next level,” Hirschfeld said. “The ones you don’t like are the injuries, obviously. But we just have to focus on what we can control. I hope they are as ready as we are as a coaching staff. Regardless of who is in the lineup, they need to show up and be ready to compete and do their best.”

The expectations for the franchise over the last five seasons have risen to the point where anything short of a Kelly Cup is considered a failure.

“We have a culture here where all we want to do is win,” Hirschfeld said. “I’ll do anything I can do to make the team better.”