Long gone are the days when NHL players can show up at training camp looking like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man and try to skate their way into hockey shape. Vancouver Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault has been telling reporters that Kyle Wellwood’s conditioning is “not NHL calibre”. That’s definitely not good when you are trying to crack the line-up on a brand-new team.
Thirty years ago, Wellwood's showing up to camp in “so-so” shape would have been more than just fine - it would have been common.
But not in the new NHL - where terms like core strength, VO2 max and body fat percentage are thrown are the dressing room with regularity.
If you had asked a player 30 years ago what these terms meant, they would look at you like you were some kind of freak.
Today, your average bantam-aged player not only knows these terms, he knows his stats for each of them.
Off-ice training in the summer is now the norm.
And in-season training will soon be just as common.
As little as 10 years ago, showing up to training camp gave players a huge advantage.
Now, it is expected.
And although I believe that young hockey players should spend the summer months far away from the ice, off-ice training is not optional if you want to make sure that you make the team and have a successful season.
Someone might want to tell Wellwood that.
Until next time,
~ Coach Kim
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