|
|
 |
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE | |
A blueprint for training camp
Updated: Tuesday September 11, 2001 1:27 AM
As NHL training camps open next week, articles will appear touting hopeful youngsters, introducing familiar faces in new places, casually commiserating with returning veterans and quoting cautiously optimistic coaches. Follow along during training camp and fill in the appropriate names for your favorite team.
Youngster showing he belongsRookie forward _______ looks like he belongs with the big boys. Drafted last season, he wasn’t supposed to make the team this year. The thinking coming into camp was that he’d need another year of seasoning, either in the minors or juniors. But, playing on a line with veterans _______ and _______ he has four goals and four assists in the first two intrasquad games. Explaining that he worked hard during the offseason on getting stronger, concentrating on his upper body, the 19-year-old left winger said he had no real expectations coming into the season. “I just wanted to come to camp and compete every day and see what happened. I’d love to stay with the big club, but I’m not worrying about it. If I have to go to the American League, I’ll just go there and work harder. Even if it is decided that going back to juniors would be best, I’ll focus on helping my team reach the playoffs and look forward to playing in the World Junior Championships.” Time will only tell, but if the early going is indicative, look for a young fresh face to be patrolling the left side this season. (Two weeks later: _______ was sent to the team’s top minor league affiliate in the AHL today. After a strong start to training camp, he notched only one assist in two exhibition games, despite playing on the team’s top line and seeing significant minutes on the power play.)
Free agent 'D' feeling his wayEven a veteran of seven NHL campaigns can feel somewhat out of place at training camp. At least that’s how _______ says he’s feeling during the first week with his new team. Brought in to shore up the blue line, especially on the penalty kill, he says he’s just trying to fit in and get used to his new teammates. “I’ve always been a slow starter. My game is to play tough in the trenches and keep guys honest in front of my goaltender. I guess management here felt teams were allowed to take too many liberties in the defensive zone and that’s why they signed me as a free agent. My game isn’t fancy. I have to keep things simple -- move the puck and take the body. So far, I’m struggling to move up on the attack because this team is much more aggressive on the rush. The defensemen are expected to support the attack every time up the ice. Maybe I’ll be paired with an offensive defenseman. Let him go and I can hang back. That works for me.” (Midseason note: Doing exactly what management had hoped. After a sluggish start, his game has really picked up since around Thanksgiving. Not coincidentally, the team’s penalty-killing ranking moved from 14th to 9th in roughly the same period.)
Veteran ready for breakthrough seasonAfter five years of playing a utility role, this could be "the year" for _______. Now 26 years old and coming off a solid playoff performance, this season begins with high expectations. And they start right in training camp. Finding himself not only up front as a penalty killer, but also on the second power-play unit and centering the second line, he says the pressure is welcomed. "I’m confident. Last spring in the playoffs really proved to me that I belong. Not just as a role player, but as a contributor in important situations, whether it is a defensive-zone faceoff late in a game, a big goal, or a momentum-changing body check. One thing the past five seasons have taught me is that you can’t take anything for granted. What you did yesterday doesn’t matter today. That’s why I’m taking this training camp so seriously. Pressure because of expectations? I look at it as an opportunity.” There has been little drop off from his performance last spring. He is the team’s leading scorer in the exhibition season and is the only player to have played in all three of the preseason games. A full season with this type of output and everyone will be talking about taking advantage of opportunity when it knocks. (Transaction Note: Today the team announced that _______ will be out indefinitely with a torn Achilles' tendon. He played in 23 games before the injury, with nine goals and 11 assists, by far the best start of his six-year NHL career. Called up to replace him is 20-year-old _______, who was sent to the American League at the end of training camp. He was leading the team in scoring with 12 goals, 18 assists and 30 points in only 26 games. It is unclear if the callup will interfere with his participation in the World Junior Championships.)
Coach pleased with what he seesBack behind the bench for his third full season, head coach _______ says he likes what he sees after three days of camp. “Everyone appears to have worked really hard during the offseason. The guys are in the best condition collectively since I took over as head coach. Last season can’t be considered a success, although we made the playoffs. This year is big and I think the boys recognize that. We need to get out of the gate fast and build as the season wears on. From what I’ve seen, so far so good.” (Postscript: Today the team announced the firing of head coach _______. A team spokesperson said in a formal statement that, while the organization will always appreciate the effort of coach _______, it was widely felt that there needed to be a change in direction at this time. The spokesperson indicated that assistant coach _______ would take over on an interim basis.) Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
| |||||||||||||||||
