I am old enough to remember the days when players would show up to camp to get in shape.
Their summers used to consist of other things besides training, but these days if a player does not stay in shape over the summer, it could cost him his job.
If you are a regular on the social media platforms, you have probably watched or read about the workout regime of a player.
For instance, an interview with a sports scientist who has helped Patrick Kane with his NHL training.
No doubt about it, being a professional hockey player is a job and the athlete in the best shape possible certainly has an advantage over others who really do not push themselves to be the best they can be.
Yes many of these players make huge amounts of money and by fine tuning their body to get the most out of it, they are only increasing their chance to perform at the highest level and for a longer period of time.
Being old school when it comes to the NHL, it still is hard for me to grasp how much effort the modern day athlete puts in.
This picture of Gump Worsley post-game really paints a picture of what it used to be like in the dressing room.
These days all we see are drinks to help with recovery, enhancement and protein boosts.
Yes, I have read about their regime but I still cannot grasp the amount of work they go through regarding training but I do know it pays off.
Going off what I have read recently, most NHL players take a few weeks off after their season begins, then begin their training in earnest to prepare for the upcoming season.
Some of you may be thinking "heck I would do that, even for $705K per year. But could you?
Think about it, your daily routine will need to be tossed out the window and you will have to follow a strict way of life.
Food you normally eat... out the window, your workout routine will last 3-5 hours per day, could you do it?
It is the way things are now and I imagine training will continue to improve and five years from now, what will we see when it comes to the very modern day NHL player?
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