Posted today at 1:14 p.m.
Updated today at 1:14 p.m.
Thrilling is the word that best describes the first day on the ice at the Canadiens’ training camp.
The players really had to dig deep to complete the on-ice conditioning test set out for them by head coach Martin St-Louis.
A test that had been on the agenda for some time. So the players weren’t taken by surprise.
The exercise was very simple: do three laps of the rink and do it six times with regarding two minutes of rest between each repetition.
Phew!!!
A leader of the Canadiens, whom I met on the edge of the ice in Brossard, told me that he had never seen anything like it in his career.
Photo credit: Joël Lemay / QMI Agency
The players were exhausted, exhausted and out of breath. It hurt. And I can understand them.
Moreover, the new defender Mike Matheson told me that his legs were burning so much it was demanding and that it was the same feeling as climbing a steep hill on a bike. By the way, I thought Matheson looked really good in this test. He has shown that he is an excellent skater and that he is in good shape.
In my opinion, this conditioning test was not intended to punish the players. No. It was, first, to see who is in good shape or not. And second, it was more regarding uniting players and creating a sense of belonging.
During the test, I found that players encouraged each other to keep going and not give up despite the pain and suffering that might invade their body and mind.
I perceived this as the first stage of this culture that Martin St-Louis wanted to establish in his locker room. A bit as if he were saying: “Despite the obstacles and pitfalls, we are together, we are a family. At least that’s my perception of things.
Because that is the main challenge of the organization. Leaders and coaches need to create a sense of unity. The next few months will offer their share of obstacles and the team must overcome them in order to hope for better days.
One step at a time.
