Wait to skate nearly over
After long layoff, non- playoff teams eager for season’s start
NEWARK, N. J. — Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils hadn’t had a layoff like this since ... ever?
More than 100 NHL players from the Devils, Sabres, Ducks, Kings, Sharks, Senators and RedWings haven’t played a meaningfulhockey gamesince the league paused playinearlyMarchbecauseof thepandemic. Ten long months.
“I don’t think I’vehad, I guess, 10 months ofnogamesmywholelife,” said the 19- yearoldHughes, theNo. 1overall pick in the2019 draft. “So, obviously, something new. But I mean, gamesare like riding a bike, youcould say. If you’re a hockey player, it’s something that comes naturally.”
It hasbeenaneternity forHughesandthe rest in a sportpredicatedonrhythm, repetitionandteamwork, a boring stretchunimaginable to athleteswhose lives have followed a schedule that has rarelychangedfor years.
Askids, they playedpee- weehockey at all hours of theday. Whenthe rinkwasn’t available, the pond was. The long rides to tournaments, the steady drumbeat of practices andworkouts. Mostof all, therewere games.
The games finally return for everyone with a compressed 56- game season that begins this week. It will be a fresh start for the24teamsthatmadethepostseasonwhen play resumed Aug. 11. It will be something more than that to the other seven whose players hadweeks on end without hockey.
Hughes spent time in Michigan to work out out with his brothers, Quinn of the Canucks, andLuke, oneof the top prospects in juniors. He spent five days a week in the gymandfocusedoneating healthy toadd14 pounds to his 165- pound frame.
Jack Eichel of the Sabres spent a lot time reflecting on how fast his first five years in the NHL went. Kyle Palmieri of the Devils returned to his family’s farming roots and grew a garden ( he said the carrots needed more patience).
Other players tookuphobbies orpumped iron, skatedwhenthey could and simply let their bodies heal at a leisurely rate. Devils center Travis Zajac, 35, said he felt great a week into camp.
What’s uncertain ishowtheteamscoming back fromthe hiatus will perform. Will they be fresher? Astep slow?
“I think that’s the million- dollar question that everybody’s searching for,” said Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson, who joined the league in2009. “But at theendof theday, we don’t havemuch of a choice. It’s whatwe’re going to have to do. I think thatwe’re going to navigate through it the best way that we thinkwe knowhow.”
Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe said the last 10 months were like an extended “GroundhogDay,” filled over and over with uncertainty andconcerns. Thereweregood times, too. He and hiswife, Gaby, had a baby girl in April so they had a chance to watch her growtogether.
“She’s already eight months old, which remindsmejusthowlongwe’vebeeninthis pandemic,” McCabe said. “Now she finally gets to see what her dad does for work so that’ll be fun to get back on the ice. It really is crazy howlong it’s been.”
Duringthe pause, the Kings sentfive players to Germany and had a couple of prospects playing inSweden. With trainingcamp nowopen, Kings coachToddMcLellan said players are making progress getting their hands, timing and awareness back.
Therewerenopreseasongames, henoted, so picking a team will be challenging.
“Hopefullywe have done our homework betterthanthe other groups,” McLellan said.
The RedWings are eager to start. They had the worst record by far last season and generalmanagerSteveYzermandidn’t shell out a lot ofmoney in free agency to bring in top talent. RedWings coach Jeff Blashill has held high- intensity practices. He also is hoping the three extra days of practice for non- playoffteams will help.
ForwardDrakeBatherson, whohasskated in 43 games with the Senators over the last two seasons, worked out for two months in Nova Scotia with a group of players that included SidneyCrosbyof thePenguins. The 22- year- old arrivedforcampinmid- December and his approach has been simple.
“I think youhave tocometotherink every day, treating it like agameandshowing every practice matters and you want to make the team,” Batherson said.
Ducks general manager BobMurray said heisworried about the every- day challenges with the pandemic spiking across North America. NHLteamswillhave taxisquadsto call up extra players in case of positive tests or contact tracing.
“It’s a real interesting puzzle,” Murray said. “You’ve really got to think, andyouhave to plan, andyouhave tobe ready for hurdles and curveballs every single day. Things are going to be different.”
KingscoachDallas Eakins felthumbledto be back atwork, and at the same time lucky.
“There are somany people out therewho have suffered and who are still suffering,’ Eakins said. “We’ve been allowed to come back and follow our passion. Our guys are very sensitive to it andwe feel a great privilege to be able to come back.”