How Does an NHL Hockey Player Spend a Workday?

For a National Hockey League player, hockey is always an important part of the day, even if it is off the ice. Some players enjoy visiting schools and talking to kids about the importance of hard work. Other players enjoy studying game film and going through the lineups so they are mentally prepared for the game. Even though the clock may say the workday is over, it never really ends for the players of the NHL.

Non-Game Days

Practice is often the motto of any sports team as it applies to any form of athletics. The NHL is no different. It takes skill and practice to do what those athletes do and they will be the first to admit that practice is required. For most stars of the NHL, practice starts at 10 am. However, most players get to the practice rink an hour early to converse about the previous day or about a game. Once 10 am hits, it is time for the players to go to work. Coaches run them through drills of speed, accuracy and shooting. Usually the defense and offense might drill or scrimmage against each other so the team can run plays and see how they will work in an actual game situation. These drills and scrimmages go on for about 1 hour or 1 1/2 hours, leaving plenty of time for the NHL superstars to hang out right? Wrong. Most of the players hit the weights after practice on the ice. Hockey calls for strength and endurance, so lifting weights is a crucial part of the training process. Then once the players are done lifting and working out, most of them are free to go.

Game Day

The NHL has over 1,200 games per season. Each team has 82 games during the regular season. After a while of roughhousing with the boys it is expected for these NHL players to enjoy a day off here and there. Game day in the NHL is just that for most players, it's a time to get away and not have to worry so much about tactics. While many teams choose to review before a game, there is still time for fun and leisure before game time. The players show up a few hours before game time to get in a few drills and get warmed up. When the game starts, all of the previous day's hard work is boiled down into the three short periods between the puck, ice and man. After the game has ended it is time for the players to head back to the locker room. In the locker rooms they will either hear an emotional victory speech and a job well done or they will listen to a somber speech from their coach with heads held down. Then it's back home for the players as they look to tomorrow's practice yet again.

Day after day NHL players have to make a commitment to the sport they love. It isn't easy as they make sacrifices in their lives to play this sport. Many people resent athletes for making tons of money for not doing a whole lot. But these players put in a lot of time and effort to do their best. For the average Joe it may seem like a walk in the park, but it's much harder than it appears to many. However, for the athletes it's just another day in the life.