Today was very exciting for me, because the teams practiced and went through their on ice fitness testing at different times and on the same rink! It may sound insubstantial, but being able to watch all of the players go through their full practices just made my day.
The goalies once again hit the ice about a half an hour before the skaters. They need goalie specific instruction and practice before going through the drills with the rest of the players. A goalie’s work is never done, and their drills this year are increasingly challenging. There was more emphasis on mobility and puck handling, and of course more individual attention with the increased number of coaches working with them.