Confidence is a tricky thing.
Everyone knows that it exists, but it’s nearly impossible to have full control of it. When you have it you can feel on top of the world — but when it’s missing it can feel a thousand miles away. There’s also no one universal way to build or restore confidence, as all individuals are unique and respond differently to different things.
When it comes to the hockey world, however, you can find about as surefire a confidence booster as there is: lighting the lamp.
When the Dallas Stars assigned forward Denis Gurianov to the AHL’s Texas Stars late last week after three NHL games, the word “confidence” kept popping up in discussions about the move.