Rest now built in
Sometimes, there is rest for the wicked. Because there have been days this season when Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins would have readily altered the practice schedule — like those days after a particularly ponderous performance.
But this season, all NHL teams must build in a minimum of four off days into the monthly schedules.
“I hate them, yet at the same time, I love them,” Eakins said.
The irritant, of course, comes on those nights when the team plays badly and there’s a scheduled day off following them. On the flip side, the decision is out of the coach’s hands.
“There’s no question from my boss asking me why I gave them a day off after they’ve lost five-in-row,” said Eakins. “It’s out of my hands.
“When you do the schedule, you try to do it from a (physical) perspective. You look and think, ‘OK, this is a good day for them to have off because we’re playing back-to-backs or three-in-five nights.’ ”
The Oilers, who were off on Tuesday after playing the Nashville Predators on Sunday in Edmonton and the Canucks in Vancouver the following night, have not had any punitive skates either this season.
Eakins said he’s not certain they are always beneficial, but next season, there will be conditioning skates built into the routine.
“We’ve got all our conditioning in. After every game, it’s been mandatory to get into that weight room. There’s no ducking out,” he continued.
“Next year, you’ll see us skate much, much more. And I let our guys know already.
“I will sit down with our strength and conditioning guys and our exercise physiologist and we’ll look at the season. Then I’ll tell the guys that ‘You may have won four in a row or five in a row, but you’re going to come in and get bagged that day because it’s on the schedule. Then there’s going to be times where you’ve lost a few in a row and you’re thinking he’s going to kill us, but it will be time to rest.’
“But I don’t like the punitive skates. Yeah, there’s a time to do it. You can flex your muscles, but you might put them further in the hole when it comes to trying to win the next game.”