from Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun,

“It’s totally changed now because of the money involved,” said Benning. “Back when I played, in terms of just training, there were a few guys like Darryl Sittler who used to do off-ice conditioning and stuff but, for the most part, training camp in September was the time to get in shape and get ready for the season.

“These summer development camps kind of started about 15 years ago because of the collective bargaining agreement and the fact you don’t have the players as long. You don’t own their rights until they’re 30, like in the old days, so it’s really important that you try to develop them as fast as you can and get them to play for you right away. Teams want to teach their young guys about proper weight training, about nutrition, about all the different things to get them up to speed to where they have to be.

“What these camps do is give the players an understanding of what is needed to become an NHL player,” Benning emphasized. “Then it’s up to them to do the work.”

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