Hurricanes open training camp with fast pace, good intensity
The Carolina Hurricanes are off and running.
There will be no slow-skating their way through training camp and playing a slew of exhibition games to prepare for a new season. The Canes hit the ice Monday for the first of their eight camp practice sessions before the 2020-21 regular season begins Jan. 14 in Detroit.
“Every game is huge this year,” defenseman Jaccob Slavin said Monday on a media call. “We can’t have any lapses. If we can get off to a good start that’s going to set us up for hopefully a good push through the season.
“First day of camp was good. There was a high pace, there was good intensity, guys were working hard.”
That’s what Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour wants and expects in camp. He has divided the team into two practice groups and kept the veteran players together in the larger group at Canes’ new practice facility at Wake Competition Center.
“You can’t ease into this,” Brind’Amour said on Monday’s media call. “You just don’t have the time. Right out of the gate you’re full go.”
Much like last July, when the Canes gathered again after the pandemic pause to prepare for the NHL’s postseason Return to Play, there won’t be as much team together time because of the COVID-19 threat. It’s keep the masks on, stay socially distanced off the ice and be careful in any group settings, even in the training facility.
“In the past you talked about getting together and really hanging out and being around each other,” Brind’Amour said. “Everything that you kind of preached and wanted to see in your guys, you actually now don’t want to see. You turn the dressing room upside down. You take the lounges away. You’re doing everything where you want them to hang out, you can’t.
“So it is still a challenge to figure out. That’s a huge component of any team, coming together. We have to use our time wisely when we are together. It’s all about that camaraderie and I think everyone’s just trying to figure that out, how we’re going to adjust to that.”
One advantage for the Canes is that few player introductions need to be made. There are few newcomers to a group that has played together, won together and been to the playoffs together the past two seasons.
“It’s a big advantage, obviously,” Slavin said. “Short camp but everyone knows the systems already. Guys are ready to go.”
The Canes signed free-agent forward Jesper Fast, their most important addition. He joins a veteran group with so many familiar faces -- Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and the rest.
Svechnikov on Trocheck line
During line rushes Monday, Brind’Amour had Fast at ring wing on Vincent Trocheck’s line. On the left side was Andrei Svechnikov, the third-year power forward many expect to see play on the top line with Aho and Teravainen. But it was day one.
Brind’Amour had Nino Niederreiter on the left wing on Aho’s line. Staal centered Warren Foegele and Martin Necas, and Morgan Geekie centered either Jordan Martinook or Ryan Dzingel and Brock McGinn.
No surprises on defense. Slavin was paired with Dougie Hamilton, Brady Skjei with Brett Pesce, and Jake Gardiner with Haydn Fleury. Joakim Ryan, another free-agent signee, and Jake Bean made up the fourth D pair.
Does familiarity breed contempt? The Canes will find out in full this season, facing each of their Central Division opponents eight times. Prediction: there will be some gloves dropped before this is over.
“I think we’ll find some new hatred throughout these seven teams,” Staal said. “It’s unfortunate. You want to see everybody and play against everybody (in the NHL) but this is the way it’s going to be, and we’ll have some fun with it.”
This story was originally published January 4, 2021 at 2:33 PM.
